recently my ac compressor started making a terrible squeaking noise when the engine is above idle. at idle its quite as can be but as soon as i get in the gas a little it starts to squeal . then when i hit around fourth gear and the truck downshifts the noise goes away. is my compressor shot. it stiill works perfectly its just noisy and annoying. help.

 

Is it a belt slipping kind of noise or metal on metal kind of noise.

 

its a little bit of both. on cold mornings when i first start the truck it sounds like a high pitched chirping noise. I've popped the hood and you can tell its coming from the ac compressor. The same thing happens when it rains. After a few minutes it goes away. If I really get into the throttle then it sounds like the belt is slipping. Im not sure what to do. I would think that if the compressor was bad i would hear the bearings grinding after a while or it would seize.

 

Try a new belt. It may be tracking funny from being worn.

As far as the compressor. It cycles on and off. If the noise is there when the compressor is running then its the bearings. If the noise is present with the ac off then the clutch is to blame.

I would check that out, replace the belt if it has some age.

 

the noise is present whether the compressor is running or not. Im starting to think that maybe i should just replace the compressor. Can I buy the clutch and compressor as one piece or do I have to get them seperate. Never honestly worked with ac before.

 

I'm not one to usually bring back threads fromt he dead...but I have the same exact problem as exploder01.

If I spray some wd-40 on the compressor...it stops. I get it anywhere from 2k-3krpms and UP.

 

Well, I replaced my ac clutch, still making noise, a little better, but not much.

It's so aggrivating, and I don't want to replace my ac condenser, thats a BIG job that I don't want to even touch.

Anyone got ideas?

I replaced the idler, tensioner assembly and pulley, and ac clutch with no improvement. It's definetly coming from the AC.

What I don't get is the old AC clutch WAS BAD!!! I was listening to the bearing and it was just crunchy sounding, now I have a perfect ac clutch in there, and it still is making the same noise...

I mean it must be internal, but it does it with the AC OFF which I don't understand. Only the clutch is spinning...and I replaced it!!!!

 

It sounds more like a worn/slipping belt problem. If you sprayed wd-40 on the belt and it went away for a while. The only thing associated with the A/C I can think of would be if the clutch is dragging or excessively high pressure in the system, but I believe there is a high pressure cut out switch so it should cycle it off in that case. I’d try replacing the belt first.

 

I just bought a new belt (motorcraft from ford) a week or so ago, didn't have any problems until a few days after that (I changed pullied the same time) and my alt went bad the day before my problems. It's not the alt, it's not even close to the sound of a squeaking alt.

So...I bought a gatorback, I'll try my luck. I've heard of defective and LOUD belts from motorcraft before...so it wouldn't surprise me that I have one.

 

It seems like the ac compressor might be worn out and the insides might be making the noise. Try just replacing the compressor if replacing the belt don't work.

 

hey jrpro130, Your belt is probably not bad, my dad is a parts manager and said that 9/10 noisy belts are just fine, they just need a little belt grease.

 

I had a high pitch squeal on a car I owned previously only when the AC was on. I assumed it was the belt squealling accross the pulley. I found out later that there was a pin hole in the high pressure line that once the pressure built up would release refrigerant. The refrigerant was at such a high pressure that when it struck the rubber cover over the distributor cap it made it vibrate causing the squeal. Sort of like blowing on the edge of a piece of paper.

Although, since WD40 made it stop I doubt this is the problem.