time of a an A/C question =)

[brink]

Well besides my ignition (security light coming on) being messed up, as you guys told me in my other post, i have a bigger problem on my hands..

When i turn my A/C on the car ticks.. tick tick tick..

The A/C actually works, but after a while it ticking turns into a very hard ticking.. and i guess the pully tries to lock up..

And by hard i mean HARD, like my engine sounds like its missing all over the place..

But all this time the A/C is actually coming on.. and working.. ???

Also, we looked under the hood when it was doing this HARD ticking, shaking the engine, and it appears a pally is locking up but we cant determain if its the idler pully of the AC.. The idler pully in brand new, only a few months old.

once again, the A/C does in fact work... just when i turn it on crazy things happen.

Please don't tell me my compressor is shot -_-;;.


P.S. To the guy that did the write-up on seafoaming, you are awesome. I did a full engine clean on my car yesterday and i am VERY impressed with the results.. after 150k miles on my car, this really helped put the power back into it. luckily is was a windy day so the neighbors didnt complain.. until i went on my "spirited drive" around the block =).

Thanks everyone!

[CDNFB]

Re: time of a an A/C question =)

The following are all things that I've experienced with a noise like you describe:

Your A/C system is overcharged, causing the compressor to hydaulic and make the noise your describing,

OR

Your belt tensioner has lost its lubrication at the arm pivot point and every time is moves a bit it makes the noise your describing. Remove the belt and move the tensioner arm around and see if it makes noise.

OR

The rubber isolation material in your harmonic balencer is delaminating and when you turn on the A/C the pulses that the compressor imparts on the belt causes the failsafe lugs on the pulley part of the balencer to hit the failsafe lugs on the hub part of the balencer. Get down there and look at the the rubber material in the balencer. If it is all cracked up and chuncks missing then this could be your problem.

OR

Tensioner pully or idler pulley.

OR

Water pump bearing worn beyond limits

OR ........

feel free to step in here anyone....

OR

Alternator bearings starting to go.

[brink]

Re: time of a an A/C question =)

The following are all things that I've experienced with a noise like you describe:

Your A/C system is overcharged, causing the compressor to hydaulic and make the noise your describing,

OR

Your belt tensioner has lost its lubrication at the arm pivot point and every time is moves a bit it makes the noise your describing. Remove the belt and move the tensioner arm around and see if it makes noise.

OR

The rubber isolation material in your harmonic balencer is delaminating and when you turn on the A/C the pulses that the compressor imparts on the belt causes the failsafe lugs on the pulley part of the balencer to hit the failsafe lugs on the hub part of the balencer. Get down there and look at the the rubber material in the balencer. If it is all cracked up and chuncks missing then this could be your problem.

OR

Tensioner pully or idler pulley.

OR

Water pump bearing worn beyond limits

OR ........

feel free to step in here anyone....

OR

Alternator bearings starting to go.

A/C is actually like "undercharged" the air isnt as cold as it should be (never has been i just havent gotten around to, this could be a problem i guess.

"The rubber isolation material in your harmonic balencer is delaminating and when you turn on the A/C the pulses that the compressor imparts on the belt causes the failsafe lugs on the pulley part of the balencer to hit the failsafe lugs on the hub part of the balencer. Get down there and look at the the rubber material in the balencer. If it is all cracked up and chuncks missing then this could be your problem." .. will check into this..

"Tensioner pully or idler pulley." --- both brand new

"Water pump bearing worn beyond limits" -- brand new, car doesnt overheat at all.

"Alternator bearings starting to go.": -- only does it when A/C is on.



The noise is only here when i have my A/C on, if i turn it off, the noise goes away! This is what i dont understand.

Also if i have it on.. when it gets bad it sounds like my belt is about to fall off =c.. its scary really..

[CDNFB]

Re: time of a an A/C question =)

The noise is only here when i have my A/C on, if i turn it off, the noise goes away! This is what i dont understand.

You need to know that when you select the A/C on the compressor will put alot of pulses or vibrations into the belt rotation group. If any component in the group has looseness or wear, the belt pulses can start causing noises at that component. This can get quite dramatic if you have multiple failures occuring. For example, if your compressor is crapping out the amount of vibration or pulses it puts into the belt can get extreme, and coupled with a non-lubricated tensioner arm pivot, a whole lot of excessive noise and belt movements will be observed.

To check the tensioner arm pivot, grab the belt (engine not running) and pull real hard. If the tensioner arm moves smoothly without noise, then it's ok. If the arm moves in a jerky fashion and make noise with each jerk, then that needs to be resolved.

[CDNFB]

Re: time of a an A/C question =)

Also, get (or do yourself) the A/C serviced and up to spec. Then see if you still have the problem. Chances are that if the compressor is failing, the A/C Tech will be able to tell you when he is servicing the system.

[BobbyZ72]

Re: time of a an A/C question =)

Your compresser is going out. Im sure if you pull out the orface screen it will be full of metal shaving. The way most compressers go out is people over charge them and the liqued freon tears them up.