AC compressor rattle

[shorepatrol]

Started rattling , clacking recently. AC works fine. Clutch or compressor? How to isolate?

 

[someotherguy]

Year? The R4 compressors (1995-older) are pretty notorious for sounding like hell once they start going bad. However, the belt tensioner can go bad and sound very much like a bad A/C compressor. This takes a very careful approach to isolate, since you're working around moving parts. Be VERY careful, please. If you notice when the compressor clutch engages, the belt tensioner oscillating back and forth rapidly, try gently pushing against the body of it with a pry bar, broom handle, etc. anything sturdy that won't slip easily or bend. Not a lot of pressure against it, just enough to stop it from moving so easily. Obviously there's danger in working around the moving belt and other moving accessory drive components, so do this at your own risk... anyway if stopping the tensioner from moving makes the noise go away, you've got a bad tensioner, suggest only replacing it with the OEM style Gates unit. The weird-looking aftermarket ones have been known to act up brand new out of the box.

Richard

 

[shorepatrol]

98

 

[someotherguy]

98

Yeah well then I guess someone with a 95-older may one day get help from the post I just spent my time typing, lol

Richard

 

[shorepatrol]

Yeah well then I guess someone with a 95-older may one day get help from the post I just spent my time typing, lol

Richard

Year is in my sig, didn't think to post it. My bad. Thanks for the reply though!!!!!

 

[L31MaxExpress]

They start rattling before they lock up. HT6 compressors that is. The aftermarket style Veleo I installed in my Express back in 2006 after the OEM HT6 failed started rattling a couple of years ago but was still cooling at 38°F. Swapping it out for a Sanden SD7H15 replacement with a full kit. New orifice tube, new expansion valve and accumulator, flushing the system, etc. Would recommend looking into replacing it before it completely shells out and sends metal and teflon through the whole system like my OEM one did back in 04. I had to change the condenser in 06. Orifice tube is clean now though and just going to flush everything and replace the compressor kit this time.

 

[shorepatrol]

They start rattling before they lock up. HT6 compressors that is. The aftermarket style Veleo I installed in my Express back in 2006 after the OEM HT6 failed started rattling a couple of years ago but was still cooling at 38°F. Swapping it out for a Sanden SD7H15 replacement with a full kit. New orifice tube, new expansion valve and accumulator, flushing the system, etc. Would recommend looking into replacing it before it completely shells out and sends metal and teflon through the whole system like my OEM one did back in 04. I had to change the condenser in 06. Orifice tube is clean now though and just going to flush everything and replace the compressor kit this time.

I'll replace the compressor before it explodes then. Not interested in replacing everything. Not what I wanted to hear but thanks for info my man

 

[df2x4]

Just throwing this out there, you might want to take it to someone with a set of good gauges and have the levels checked. The compressor on my red '97 has been loud almost the entire time I've owned the truck, which is 12+ years... Until recently. My A/C finally quit cooling so I took it to my mechanic and he found that it was low. He recharged the system (which probably had not been done since the truck was new) and it quieted the compressor down significantly. Might be worth a shot before you start gathering parts to replace things.

 

[shorepatrol]

Just throwing this out there, you might want to take it to someone with a set of good gauges and have the levels checked. The compressor on my red '97 has been loud almost the entire time I've owned the truck, which is 12+ years... Until recently. My A/C finally quit cooling so I took it to my mechanic and he found that it was low. He recharged the system (which probably had not been done since the truck was new) and it quieted the compressor down significantly. Might be worth a shot before you start gathering parts to replace things.

I'll do that tomorrow. I have a vacuum pump and gauges. It's still cold but I'll check

 

[shorepatrol]

Just throwing this out there, you might want to take it to someone with a set of good gauges and have the levels checked. The compressor on my red '97 has been loud almost the entire time I've owned the truck, which is 12+ years... Until recently. My A/C finally quit cooling so I took it to my mechanic and he found that it was low. He recharged the system (which probably had not been done since the truck was new) and it quieted the compressor down significantly. Might be worth a shot before you start gathering parts to replace things.

It took some charge. A bit quieter now. Blowing 28 degrees at idle with an ambient 89 degrees at 1030 pm in AZ. LOL