AC Engine Noise Need Help. | Ford Explorer Forums

  • Register Today It's free!

AC Engine Noise Need Help.

ions

Well-Known Member
Joined
August 11, 2004
Messages
758
Reaction score
3
City, State
Pasadena, MD / Annapolis , MD
Year, Model & Trim Level
'01 Explorer Sport Trac
Well since its up to about 90 today i decided to turn on my AC (I usually drive with my windows down as i don't really use the AC) and well i turned it on and a noise started to come from the engine bay...last time i used the AC i didn't have this noise so im alittle worried with my truck at 80K miles i don't want anything to blow up. Here is some video/sound i took.

Thanks.

Video 1
Video 2
 






Sounds like a bad bearing in the pulley.
 






These things can be difficult to localize exactly. If you are sure it's not some other pulley becoming more highly stressed when the AC load is placed on the serpentine belt, and is localized to the compressor and pulley, you may as well plan to replace both. Why ? well the removal of the pulley assembly is somewhat tedious and needs special tools (which you CAN borrow from Autozone I believe) but it's such a hassle that most places sell replacement compressors with new pulleys on them. Of course that means recovering the charge and recharging the system, which is kind of a pita.
Can you replace JUST the pulley? sure. But what if after you go through all that you discover the noise is coming from within the compressor and not the pulley?
 






So best bet is to change both? my friend went to Lincoln Tech for forign motors (BMW mostly) but he also has alot of knowledge about domestic motors also so i believe he can help me replace it, how long of a process is it to replace both? and about how much? would i have to go to a ford dealer or can i buy it from autozone or rockauto.com or somewhere like that? is it something i should worry about now or later when i have more money? and i believe its the part i had my camera on cause if you put your ear upto it you can tell its coming from that and not another pulley. Thanks for all the help guys.
 






Featured Content

Back
Top