Driving home (about a 30 minute drive) had been running the blower/ fan on and off the entire 30 minutes as needed to defog the front window. 1/4 mile from the house and I turned the ac blower on and the car goes dead. I turned the blower off, started the car and attempted to turn the blower back on and the car dies again. It did this multiple times. Any ideas? The car appears to run fine with the blower/ fan off.
4 cylinder, LX, coupe

 

Ran another test- I cranked the car. Held rpm's at 2000 and turned the blower on with no AC and it worked. Turned the AC on and the car died.

 

Does the engine stumble at all before it dies?

 

It doesn't immediately die, it stumbles for about 1 second, then dies.

Also, I went back out and started the car and it idled fine. I turned the blower on with no AC and it still idled fine. As soon as I turned the AC on, it died.

 

When the AC and fan (electrical) load is added, the idle is pulled too low to sustain idle.

If idle speed is pulled too low (< 500 rpm), the engine is unstable and will die. This usually results from failure of the idle air control system to maintain the idle speed around 750-800 rpm.

Low idle is caused by dirty idle air control valve (IACV) and dirty throttle plate. Remedy is to thorougly clean both w/ throttle body cleaner.

good luck

 

Post #2...
Did you use the gas pedal to hold the RPM up while you switched on the AC? If so, the problem isn't the IACV.

Maybe a siezed AC compressor? Look for burn marks or rubber-burning smell at the AC belt.

 

I cleaned the IACV. Started the car and revved the engine to about 3000 rpm's. Smoke was coming from under the hood. Appears the A/C compressor is locked up and the compressor wheel/ clutch was smoking badly.

 

Sounds like you located the problem. Is the a/c compressor pulley smoking when you have the a/c turned off or on?

Can you see if the clutch plate in front of the compressor is spinning with the pulley when the a/c is not running?

 

It only smokes when the AC is on.

 

Then your compressor likely seized up. I would disconnect the electrical connector to the a/c to prevent damaging the belt.

You will have to replace the compressor to get the a/c to work. You may also want to replace the o-rings in the system, since you will have to open up the system. TexasHonda has done more a/c work than me and can give you some suggestions on what maintenance you should do, so you can have another 10 years of reliable a/c.