Belt tension great! now A/C Compressor having a heart attack

[lesliepg]

Hi Guys,

After fixing my last issue , which was my last topic raised (Start/Stop Issue Advise needed, Belt Tension?) Which involved replacing both aux belt tensioners and belt. I believe that now the belt has the correct tension the A/C compressor bearing is having a heart attack . Hard to describe, like a rhythmic metal scraping sound that comes from the A/C compressor ONLY when the A/C is on, Otherwise the noise is not there. Is the bearing on its way out ? or does the system need to be checked for gas, is this a symptom of low gas??

Can you guys confirm that this might be the case? And what would be my best option?

Option 1, At an increased cost get garage to replace the compressor.
Option 2, Have the A/C system re-filled.
Option 3, Have an A/C shop empty the system, buy a secondhand compressor and new seals and fit it myself, then get a A/C shop to re-fill.

Just found Option 4, I have seen a clutch kit on ebay. Is this a thing? Looks to include a pulley with bearing and clutch plate components.

Thanks Guys for reading this
Peter

[lesliepg]

UPDATE!

Citroen Stealer quoted over £900 for a A/C compressor replacement !?!?! umm Nope!

[lesliepg]

UPDATE!

Going to get the A/C refilled tomorrow. Maybe the oil in the gas or both is running low and lubrication is not great. Have noticed the windows steaming up a little more than usual and gargling in pipe from inside the cabin when the A/C is on.

[lesliepg]

UPDATE! and FINAL ONE!

Turns out no gas in the system. Recharged with oil and dye. Checked for leaks, they so no leaks but I'm not sure about that, otherwise where would all of the gas gone?!?

Now NO noise! It may have just been just bad timing that the noise appeared soon after the belt and tensioner change. NO gas in the system makes the compressor shout out Hopefully it's now been relubricated following the recharge.

[Mandrake]

There can't have been no gas in the system otherwise the pressure switch would have prevented the compressor clutch from engaging. (unless the switch has failed or been hotwired...)

It may have been marginally low on gas however.

[lesliepg]

Agreed. Their version of 'no gas' maybe an over exaggeration. Not sure what else would have got rid of the noise

[Mandrake]

The AC compressor on my Xantia is somewhat noisier than I'd expect and doesn't cool quite as well as I think it should either (but does still work) so I suspect it needs topping up too.

[lesliepg]

Mandrake, Do find that your AC system looses gas overtime? I'm going to give it a day then check for any UV leaks. Word on the street is a 2 year recharge is healthy?

[Mandrake]

I've had this Xantia for 4 years now, the AC has worked that whole time and I haven't had it recharged.

However it does seem noisier now than I remember it being before, but I can't be sure.

[xantia_v6]

There is a lot of luck involved in the rate of refrigerant loss. A leak slower than 2 years can (depending where it is) be very hard to find, so repairers seem to use that as a cut-off for economic repairs. On the other hand, some systems can go much longer. My XM has definitely not been topped up since 2010 (and maybe longer), but is still cooling very effectively in summer. I have had Xantias that lasted 5 years on a recharge, until corrosion caused rapid gas loss.

[Mandrake]

Sounds like mine may be due for a recharge then as it hasn't been done since who knows when before I bought the car. I do notice that when I first get in the car and start driving with a cold engine the AC won't kick in immediately. Sometimes I have to be driving the car for a minute or two before it will start working - I'm guessing the gas pressure is marginal and it's not until there is some engine bay heat that the pressure switch closes ? It's been like that for at least a year.

[RichardW]

That's feasible, Simon. I've got a gauge here if you want to pop round sometime and we can stick it on and see what it says.