[s-cars] Re; A/C compressor noise

[Tom Green]

I doubt that I can diagnose your problem from here better than you  
can there
under the hood, but.....  Well, maybe I can.  Maybe it is not a/c  
compressor noise
at all.  That serpentine belt turns lots of things in close proximity  
to the a/c so it is
difficult to pinpoint noise sources.  Engaging the clutch may load  
the belt and
stop a bearing from chattering, confusing the issue.

The compressor has had some problems, but appears robust overall  
considering
it generally gets no PM or even a thought unless it stops cooling  
( or some noise
starts).  It is rare that a clutch fails and is replaced without the  
compressor given
the labor involved, but it can be changed separately.

The difficulty is that you may not be able to turn the other  
accessories without the
belt at the speed necessary to hear a bad bearing, and you have to  
probe very
carefully near the belt with a stethoscope  to find the source.  You  
might also look
for pulleys that are wobbling on the shaft or have a lot of play.

You can find these compressors new at significant discount to the  
dealer price
if required, but you still want to make sure it is the culprit  
first.  I'm in the south
where a/c is used year round and a little noise can be accepted in  
return for
cool air.  You want to eliminate the possibility that something is  
about to freeze
up or put such torque on the belt that it snaps or rides off the  
pulley and throws
the belt through the fan and grenades the radiator and maybe the  
timing belt.
That's my concern.  Other than that, the compressors seem to get a  
little more
noisy with age but continue to operate satisfactorily.

Check all those accessories, fan clutch bearing and the tensioner,  
making sure
it is fastened securely as well before you zero in on the a/c  
compressor.

Tom

> Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:53:52 -0600
> From: "Eugene Yen" <eugenekyen at gmail.com>
> Subject: [s-cars] A/C compressor noise
> To: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Message-ID:
> 	<8be026cd0808260953p53ec9dd4i307815ec0230ec1b at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Folks,
> The A/C compressor on my 95.5 S6 started making noise a couple of
> months ago.  The noise sounds a bit like loose bearings-- a whirring
> with a faint clattering, and it only occurs when the A/C is off.  When
> I turn the A/C on, the noise goes away.  Is it the compressor clutch?
> Is there something I can do to fix this, or do I need to start
> shopping for a new compressor?
>
> Thanks,
> Eugene