A/c compressor

The a/c compressor in my 1995 Honda Odyssey now cycles on and off every 3-5 seconds. It’s most noticeable when I’m at idle and in gear. The Freon level measures “full” and there is cold air from the vents. What could be causing the compressor to switch on and off so quickly?

Most of the time, quick cycling like this means the refrigerant charge is low. It does this to keep from damaging the compressor.

How are you measuring the charge? Are you using a set of manifold gauges hooked to both the high-side and low-side valves?

I did not use manifold guages, I just used a simple guage from a can of refrigerant on the low side valve. I’m guessing this may not be a totally accurate measurement.

Budd is right. You need to measure both high- and low-side pressures to get a good estimate of your refrigerant charge. You can also get a feel for overall system operation.