A/C Clutch

[TheBU]

Hello i have a 99 malibu and my A/C is beining bad when i start my car it makes a loud noise like metal hitting together and when i change the speed of the air from like off to 1 it will somtimes go away and other times it will not does this mean my A/C is dieing or can i do somthing simple to make the problem go away and is it hard to Repalce the A/C unit?

[johnschmitt]

Being an electromagnetic clutch made of metal, the little pieces of rust that inherently fall off of metal objects in cars gets magnetized and hangs around in there. I'm not sure if it's the rust making the noise or if the rust keeps the clutch from fully retracting and that makes the noise, but when my car did it the sound would completely stop if the compressor clutch was engaged. If you spray some wd-40 in there (keep it off the drivebelt) it should quiet it down.

That worked for me anyway.

[TheBU]

i will try that but also i have noticed when my air is set to off ...the COld//hot air still comes out of the vent ....is this noraml?

[bermis519]

Mine was doing the same thing...i turned out that the alternator was making all the noise because the belt was loose....

mike