My 97 odyssey doesn't do well with the air conditioner on when idling. I can hear a clicking sound under the hood, and it only goes away when I turn the AC off or rev the gas. Any ideas?

 

that's normal, there is a a/c clutch on and off sound,
when it on, "click", when it off "......."

 

Is it a single clicking sound or it clicks continuously? Does it still click when you shift to N or P?

 

Yes, it still clicks even if I shift to P or N. I know what it sounds like when the ac clutch shifts normally. This is not normal....any ideas???

 

If the AC compressor is cyling rapidly, on-off w/ only a few seconds on, then off, there are two possibilities:

1) AC refrigerant is low and low pressure cut-out switch is disabling the compressor quickly to avoid damage to the compressor (no oil circulation w/ low refrierant level).

2) AC refrigerant is too high. Have you tried to add some refrigerant? In this case pressure goes high very quickly and high pressure cut-out switch disables the compressor to protect system (and you) from excessively high pressures.

Bottom line is you need guages to measure the system pressures and determine which is the case.

good luck