How Loud Is Your A/c Compressor?

[John Malkovich]

My V2 is equipped with fully automatic temperature control which turns the A/C on soon after the engine start. I can clearly hear the compressor in the engine compartment starting. It is a faint sound like an old cooling fan, although very regular and not showing signs of strain or fault. In other words, when listening from the driver position, it is weak but distinct from the sound of idle engine.
Do you experience the same and if not, would the gas refill remove the "symptom"?
Thank you in advance.

[Ciaran]

The only noise I can hear when my aircon starts in the S1 is the cooling fans starting up, never heard a peep from the compressor, so I couldn't even tell what its supposed to sound like.

Ciarán

[John Malkovich]

Ciaran, thank you for your response. Do you refer to the cooling fans in the passenger cabin ventilation or some other ones because those could also produce noise.

This post has been edited by John Malkovich on March 20, 2008 01:05 pm

[Ciaran]

Hi John,

The fans I hear are the main radiator cooling ones in the engine bay.

Ciarán

[citroenxm]

Any air con system should start up with an auduable click from the compressor as the electro magnetic clutch kicks in.. along with the cooling Fans on the Rads starting up in slow speed..

The compressor should be silent in running, and will ONLY start up if theres sufficient R134a Gas (Or R12 in early systems to 1994) in the system for the pressure switch to activate the compressor.

The cooling fans will start up even if the compressor doesn't due to lack of gas..

My 24v and 12v V6's are like that, then when I got the 24v gassed the compressor kicked in with a good click, and it was ................ well

Cold!


Rgds


C

[aengus-xmv6]

if it's a whining noise you are hearing then the bearings are a possible cause, compressor overhaul would be required when it worsens. Will wear the shaft seals more too, chances are.

When was it last re-gased and was the oil topped up at the time?

rgds
Dave

[John Malkovich]

It was last year but the mentioned sound has been there ever since.