A/C Clutch Noise

[thedood]

My A/C has started making some god awful noises. I am not prepared to replace the whole compressor. I was looking at parts online and it looks like the bearing in the clutch can be replaced, a part is listed for it anyway so I was thinking of going this route. Nothing has froze up as of yet. Anyone else done an a/c clutch bearing change? In your opinion would I be better off going with the a/c bypass pulley? Currently the air does not work but I plan on fixing it come June. For now I want to either eliminate the chance of destroying the compressor and the god awful racket.

 

[94silveraydo]

AC bypass pulley is by far the easier way of going. The compressor pulley assembly is pressed together onto the compressor if I remember correctly and it's damn near impossible to get apart without removing it, so you might as well spend the $30 on the bypass pulley while it's off.

 

[thedood]

Thanks and I appreciate the reply. I think my issues may go much deeper. I will find out on my lunch but I think I may have a botched oil change, if so this will be the second time in a row a third party serviced this truck and cost me money.

 

[thedood]

I took the belt off today and the alternator is actually making the noise. Huge relief. The noise apparently was traveling through the engine and sounded as if it was coming from the block. Gave me heart palpitations. Now the decision is reman or new alternator and should I bump up to 124 amp. Decisions decisions.

 

[94silveraydo]

It shouldn't matter new or refurbished as long as it has a good warranty. I think the alternator on my 94 Z71 is a 140 amp.

 

[thedood]

Thanks all who replied. I stopped last night and bought a new 105 amp alternator. Right now I am unable to do a lot of work myself so I had arranged to have someone helping me put it on at work today. On the way in it failed. It hadn't locked up but it did quit charging.