A/C clutch chirps at idle in D?

[pishta]

2002 T&C A/C sounds like its squeaking/chirping at idle in D only. Doesnt do it while under speed or in N I just threw in a medium can of R-134 w/oil charge but it didnt help, although it is blowing colder now...Do the electric clutches make this noise? Its not internal, deffinantly down there where the compressor is and when you turn the A/C off, it stops. I also suspected the alternator decoupler last week and welded it solid, no change.. is that causing the chirp? That decoupler is good for nothing in my opinion. The Gates site tells you to replace the decoupler with every belt change! Uh, thats a $45 part and takes a special tool to unscrew it.

 

[nm9stheham]

The one clutch I have had go bad made a grinding/whirring noise....the new ones are metal-to-metal. A belt maybe?

 

[AJ/FormS]

Yeah I've heard chirping belts. Easy to prove, just spray some water on the belts,while it's chirping. If it goes away, it's the belts.Some guys have tried belt dressings.But in the end a new high-quality matched set of belts is the way to go. If your system has too much refrigerant in it, it can overwork the belts, especially at idle

 

[pishta]

Thanks the level is good per the guage on the filler, I'll try some water and maybe a new belt.

 

[BillGrissom]

First, only you SoCal guys are fussing with AC in February, and some Minnesotan would love to kick your butt.

Ditto. Look for the Gates video on youtube showing them spraying water on the belt. They say that serpentine pulleys (multi-V) must be aligned within 1/16" to avoid squeals and possibly throwing a belt. That is a big problem with many engines, including at least the earlier Chrysler V-6 minivans (don't like puddles). Older V-belts can tolerate 1/8" mis-alignment.

Ditto on over-filling. Our 2002 T&C 3.8L smoked the AC clutch on a 108 F day. My fault because I had measured the low side a bit low (~40 psig) for that ambient temperature so added another can of R-134A and must have pushed her over the edge. Best the AC could cool that day was to ~70 F at the vents so I should have been happy. I still recall that suffering 20 mi drive back into the sun w/ no AC. With the new compressor, I converted to Duracool which cools better (lower pressures).