Hi guys

See if you can tell me if I am right and how to put this problem right. My car was running fine before it sat for about two weeks of the Christmas period. When I got back I started the car and all seamed well. Then about 2 days later I started the car after a day at work to hear a banging/knocking under the hood.

To me it sounds like it was coming from the lower left front of the Engine it stopped when I either turned off or put the AC into ECON mode. To me it sounds like the bearing on the AC compressor is either dry, gone or about to go.

Well I had to ship the car that meant it was stood for another 10 days. Now when I put the climate control into Auto mode there is a squealing sound like a slipping fan belt. It does not matter how long I leave the AC off or in ECON mode the squealing comes back and is worse if the car is been drive at speed.

Does anyone know if you can replace the AC compressor pulley bearing or is it a replacement of the whole compressor?

Is it an easy job or it is best left to a mechanic?

 

Best left to a mechanic. Recharging the A/C requires special tools.

Bob

 

The bearings on your compressor or water pump are bad.

 

What makes you say Compressor or water pump and not just compressor?

Reason I ask is that the water pump was changed at 75K and I am now at 100K I would think it would last longer than 25K

 

You could remove the serpentine belt and fire it up briefly. AC is run by the serpentine belt and water pump runs from the timing belt so that's a way to eliminate one or the other.

 

I don't think you can replace the pulley. It has a riveted face plate on it and no undoable bolt/s. It's a "whole unit" sort of deal - at least on my C4.
Unless they changed the compressor design, you look at replacing the whole unit.