Slight 'whirring' Sound Under Acceleration From Front Of Engin

[cruisermark]

Cheapest AC compressor I found online was around £400. I've phoned my local Lexus dealer to get a price by way of a comparison. May wait until the spring if it is around that money. There's no chance of getting too warm around here over winter!

dont forget the windscreen defrost function will not work without a working AC

[jpjsavage]

Cheapest AC compressor I found online was around £400. I've phoned my local Lexus dealer to get a price by way of a comparison. May wait until the spring if it is around that money. There's no chance of getting too warm around here over winter!

Hi Jonathan.

Is the AC working?

Mike

Yes, but it is not that efficient. I can live with it though.

[jpjsavage]

Cheapest AC compressor I found online was around £400. I've phoned my local Lexus dealer to get a price by way of a comparison. May wait until the spring if it is around that money. There's no chance of getting too warm around here over winter!

dont forget the windscreen defrost function will not work without a working AC

Oh, didn't realise that. Presumably I can still fire hot air up at it without the AC unit on?

[cruisermark]

Yes - but you will only get hot air once the engine has warmed up sufficiently - the defrost function works very well on cold winters morning and will clear the screen in about 30 seconds - i dont know about others but i leave my AC on all year round even with the heat on - this means the cabin air is dryer therfore less sweaty hands and definatley more fresher as apposed to just the heat function. Also you dont get misted windows when its raining.

[Bluesman]

Yes - but you will only get hot air once the engine has warmed up sufficiently - the defrost function works very well on cold winters morning and will clear the screen in about 30 seconds - i dont know about others but i leave my AC on all year round even with the heat on - this means the cabin air is dryer therfore less sweaty hands and definatley more fresher as apposed to just the heat function. Also you dont get misted windows when its raining.

Yes I do the same. The engine is so powerful that I doubt it costs anymore for keeping it on full time.

Mike

[ambermarine]

Yes - but you will only get hot air once the engine has warmed up sufficiently - the defrost function works very well on cold winters morning and will clear the screen in about 30 seconds - i dont know about others but i leave my AC on all year round even with the heat on - this means the cabin air is dryer therfore less sweaty hands and definatley more fresher as apposed to just the heat function. Also you dont get misted windows when its raining.

Yes I do the same. The engine is so powerful that I doubt it costs anymore for keeping it on full time.

Mike

There is a lot of sense in that procedure as I found, My mark 1 LS A/C eventually leaked through lack of use and it is lack of use that is the worst enemy of any A/C system .The seals dry out as the lubrication that travels round the system when it is working does not when it is'nt.

A lesson learned and not to be repeated on my Mark 4.

[ManicMark]

I run my air con most of the time its a case of use it or loose it,

[jpjsavage]

So, what's the consensus, given that I've got this light whining sound coming from the a/c compressor?

1. Get the compressor changed ASAP.

2. Use the a/c all the time until the compressor fails completely.

3. Use the a/c occasionally to keep the system in working order and change the compressor in the spring.

I'm presuming that if it fails completely the car is going to be out of action until it is replaced.

[ambermarine]

So, what's the consensus, given that I've got this light whining sound coming from the a/c compressor?

1. Get the compressor changed ASAP.

2. Use the a/c all the time until the compressor fails completely.

3. Use the a/c occasionally to keep the system in working order and change the compressor in the spring.

I'm presuming that if it fails completely the car is going to be out of action until it is replaced.

The compressor is only running when the A/C is on .The system as to have enough pressure in it for this to happen the compressor drive is operated via a magnetic clutch from the serpentine belt pulley,that pulley rotates all the time the engine is running so if the compressor fails, it will not disable the engine.The issue for you is the bearing on the pulley on its way out or is it the compressor bearings .The way to check is run the engine with the A/C off if the whirring noise ceases then it is the bearings in the compressor if the noise continues then the bearing in the serpentine pulley is suspect.

[jpjsavage]

Thanks. When I switch off the a/c the noise stops completely. Given that I don't have an unlimited budget, I'm just wondering if it is safe to leave the repair til next spring? I've got a small repair for the LPG system next week but everything else is looking good :)

[ambermarine]

Hi

Well now you have established it is the compressor that is faulty you can illminate its use by not using your A/C .

That now leaves the repair to be done when you choose.

[mikeyv]

I had a very noisy pump on an old Accord aerodeck, with a lot of play on the bearing.

As I prefer sunroof to be open anyway in summer, I just replaced the drive belt with a shorter one, thus effectively taking the A/C pump out of service.