A/C groaning sounds like chewbacca

[N9nefingers]

Hey...new here, just bought an 89 K1500 5.7L. Backstory: The A/C was dead when I bought it, no charge at all. I changed the accumulator and clutch cycle switch to an r134 switch and pulled vacuum and charged with r134. A/C blew cold but evap was freezing over, was told to change the orifice tube out and tried a variable tube. Vacuumed system again and charged. Turns out the cycle switch was bad out of the box, changed that and now A/C blows cold on all settings and the compressor cycles as it should but there is a terrible groaning in the cab. Its not the fan as the sound goes away if not the vents are on. Air will go to all vents as well. Only issue is the constant groaning. Could it be the variable orifice tube? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[sntrym]

Sounds like it might be an actuator in the HVAC system, like the blend door, recirculator, or the other one (can't recall the name right now).

 

[N9nefingers]

Thing is that before I changed the orifice tube out it was a quiet system. The issue then was that the cycle switch was bad so the evaporator was freezing over. I changed both, the switch and orifice tube out at the same time...the switch solved the freezing evap but now I have chewbacca. Just don't know enough about a/c to say for sure and I don't want to open up the system again if the orifice tube can't be the source of the noise.

 

[grampadirt]

Is it possible for you to post a short sound bite or video of the noise?

 

[N9nefingers]

Thanks for the replies. I'll post a video of the noise as soon as I figure out how to do that.

 

[N9nefingers]

I can't figure out how to load a video here.

 

[superdave]

Don't make it mad. It will pull your arms off.

 

[IADC43]

Thanks for the replies. I'll post a video of the noise as soon as I figure out how to do that.

Put it up on YouTube and post the link

 

[df2x4]

Don't make it mad. It will pull your arms off.

Let the wookie win!

 

[N9nefingers]

Turns out it was the variable orifice tube. Guess the AC system doesn't like those at all. I figured it was the only thing it could really be so I opened the system up again, changed to an oem style fixed tube and vacuumed it down, recharged and it's all good. Cold air and no threats of damage from the wookie. Thanks to those that tried to help. Much appreciated.