2001 5.0 a/c or ps noise

[jagbucket]

Hope someone can help tract the source of this (bearing ?) noise. I think its the ac clutch but the noise is intermittent and happens with the ac clutch engaged or disengaged so i'm suspecting the ps pump however the noise is constant when the steering is turned , seems to have no effect on noise volume .
When idling the noise will come and go independent of whether the ac is engaged or not . Seems that if it was the ac clutch the noise would stop when engaged and if it was the compressor itself noise would stop when clutch was disengaged. I ve seen the noise continue through the ac cycling on and off and then just stop for a few minutes only to come back

using a long handle to my ear it sounds like the ac.. any suggestions ? explorer has over 200k so could be anything

 

[jagbucket]

No help? well i have a spare ps pump no idea as to health but going to install tomorrow just to see what happens, doesnt sound like a ps whine though just cheaper of the two

 

[jagbucket]

it was the a/c pump clutch bearing. made noise when engaged and disengaged which surprised me, but found that the bearing was hard to turn when i took it off. doesn't look to difficult to press in a new bearing but i had a good used one to try, btw did this without removing the pump itself, snap ring was a trick but doable.

motor seems to idle smoother without the extra drag now

 

[beach]

Just put a new clutch assembly on the compressor (coil/pulley/clutch). Stock one, about 1/4 of the bearing self destructed and clutch was bad anyway. Works perfect now.