Weird A/C issue

[dotMoe]

Hey,
For a while my car has been making a nasty grinding noise when the A/C is OFF, and the noise isn't ther when I turn the A/C on. Please advice me on what I can do... thank you!

-dotMoe

[shakewell]

It's probably the A/C compressor clutch. Basically, you need either a new clutch installed (more labor/work), or a new compressor (more $ for part, less work) even if you don't plan on using the A/C. That's what I had to do and I had the same issue.

[anomaly_va_1976]

Had the same problem.. not sure what engine/year you have, but there is an a/c idler bypass pulley available for 87-95 3.1s that will bolt in place of the a/c compressor if you don't want to spend $600-900 to replace the compressor/clutch assembly. Found out by accident that you don't necessarily even have to do that, on the 90 Lumina I had I simply ran a belt that was 11-13 inches shorter.... didn't have as firm of a grip on the water pump pulley, but I never had any problems with it... car ran fine for over 8000 miles this way until the timing chain broke