Weird Sound From AC....?

[WarriorCC22]

Occasionally, when I turn on the Air Conditioner on my 93' N/T, something squeels like crazy. It sounds like a rubber belt or something is chirping REALLY loud, and when I turn it off you feel the car pull forward a little bit and the sound quits immediately. I then turn the A/C back on and the car pulls back just slightly. Other times, I turn on the A/C and everything is fine- no sound. What the heck is going on here? Everytime I want to have some air it's a game of Russian Roulette.

 

[skinnyt]

sounds like ac clutch is goin bad.

 

[Defiant]

How old are your belts?

My guess is more at belt noise than the AC clutch. If they're reasonably new, try snugging up the AC belt just a bit. If they're old, replace them all.... and then re-adjust after a couple of weeks.

 

[WarriorCC22]

They might be the originals. I've had the car for about 4 months now. What would a new AC clutch cost?

 

[Defiant]

It's usually not practical to replace an AC clutch, they're sold as a part with the compressor. They're pressed-on with 6.2 billion tons of force.

Replace those belts, first.

 

[Slipstream]

and if after new belts and proper tension it still squeals occasionally when you fire up the ac go get a can of belt dressing and that should fix it. (but get new belts and have them properly adjusted first, otherwise appyling belt dressing will just cover up the symptoms (squealing) of a failing belt.