Loud whining noise....AC Compressor???

[lawenforcer]

Hello all, I am getting a loud whining noise that gets louder as the rpms go up...it changes sound to more of a metal on metal sound when you turn ac off...so I am thinking it's ac compressor...does anyone have and ideas and how to write up on changing this...if it is the compressor am I able to just put the clutch kit in it or should I change the entire compressor...it's just the clutch kit is a lot cheaper and if it's the only thing in the compressor to make the sound then it would only make since to change it...since my ac works just fine...any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated I need to get this obnoxious sound coming from my car taken care of...Thanks

[96 SSEi]

hi, I had a squeal coming from ac clutch on my 96 SSEi and i sprayed some lube on the metal of clutch and it seemed to quiet it a lot.

[MKMike]

With car running, you can use a piece of tubing or mechanic's stethoscope or even a screwdriver to listen for where the noise is coming from.
With the car off, you can remove the belt and turn the pulleys by hand--feeling for any roughness or wobble.
It could also `be making noise from more than 1 pulley.
The clutch plate can go bad but it would stop making noise when the ac is running if it was only the clutch plate.
Sounds more like a compressor pulley bearing and clutch plate at the very least.
It's probably cheaper in the long run to change the entire compressor.
Some troubleshooting info here
http://www.aa1car.com/library/air_condi ... cklist.htm
If you're unfamiliar with safely working on ac systems and/or unless you own all the necessary equipment to do it right, a competent mechanic is often a better option.
Refrigerants in ac systems can cause instant frostbite if not handled properly (e.g. system refrigerant recovered before opening anything on the ac system.)

[nos4blood70]

Does it sound anything like this? I've been trying to figure this one out myself for a little bit. However, in my case, the compressor is silent when it is not on. And typically gets noisier the hotter it is outside. The system still works well and produces frigid air, but the noise is a little unsettling, especially considering the compressor was replaced with a Delphi unit about 5 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91zkJKFMVk0

[MKMike]

Does it sound anything like this? I've been trying to figure this one out myself for a little bit. However, in my case, the compressor is silent when it is not on. And typically gets noisier the hotter it is outside. The system still works well and produces frigid air, but the noise is a little unsettling, especially considering the compressor was replaced with a Delphi unit about 5 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91zkJKFMVk0

You may find it helpful to read the noise section here http://www.aa1car.com/library/ac98.htm

[nos4blood70]

Good old Andrew suggested to me that it is likely the bearing, which can be replaced without evacuating the system. I suppose that the OP's problem could be a combination of a bad bearing and a clutch that is not set up correctly.