97 Vectra B AC Compressor Noise

I have recently started to hear a whooshing noise coming from the AC
compressor. There is no gas in the system, it leaks so dont charge it up and
dont use it. However now its making a whooshing noise as if its on. The lamp
in the car is off, turning it on make no difference to the noise.

The only thing I have done to the car is went through a really deep puddle
(Well more like a flood), maybe 2 feet deep (Air Intake is a K&N on the
top). Could the water have done something to it? I am thinking maybe the
clutch is locked on and the compressor is now stuck on with no way to turn
it off.

I have tried giving it a good tap with a hammer but no difference. #

Any suggestions? Or can I just leave it and hope it will go away on its
own??

 

Why would you take your air filter off and fit a K&N? They do nothing
for performance and do not even filter the air to the same standard as a
paper
element. A K&N held up shows daylight through the huge holes and the
surface
area is about 3ft squared. A paper element is around 12ft square when
unfolded.
The holes are much smaller but there are thousands more so the same volume
of
air goes through, but it IS filtered to an acceptable standard. You will
get better
performance and economy from a paper element within the original air filter
box. They are designed that way for a reason, to take account of air
velocity,
turbulance and vacuum. Lots of people are still fooled in to thinking
induction
noise means power when it doesn't. It's usually people with a 1.2corsa or
1.6 vectra that buy them - if you want it to make a noise just cut the
exhaust off!
As for the aircon unit, you can have it removed completely to stop the
problem.
The clutch should not be engaging, so take the fuses out for aircon to
prevent
anything switching on and engaging the pump.

 

Which fuse is it?? There are many Air Con fuses displayed in the box

 

Have had another bash, disengaged the belt run the engine, no noise.

So tried to turn the AC wheel by hand, I would expect some resistance is its
engaged, but nothing. Perfectly smooth. So back to the drawing board.

Oiled all the bearings, Power steering pump, tensioner pully and alternator.
When the belt is back on the noise comes back.
The noise is now either the power steering pump, or the tensioner pully.

There is a large shroud around the AC pully wheel, whats this for? or is
there another device the belt runs?
In order clockwise from top back. Alternator, Steering pump, tensioner
pully, AC compressor, engine driver wheel, back to alternator.

Anyone offer any guidance?

The car has done 86k miles

 

Cancel fuse Question, disconnected the clutch connector so it could not be
getting power.
See other post also, the AC wheel runs perfectly smooth, no resistance, si
its not engaged

 

Did the front of the pulley turn as well? If it's anything like the one
on my Omega the pulley has the clutch inside it and the centre section
at the front is connected to the compressor drive shaft. The pulley
should rotate freely without the centre bit turning. The centre
shouldn't rotate at all with the engine running and no gas in the
system. If it is rotating it's sticking and if it's rotating but slower
than the pulley it will be slipping and making the noise. Did you oil
behind the front plate so that some went inside the pulley to the
clutch plate?

With it getting a soaking something could have rusted and my A/C clutch
did once but stopped making the noise after a while, presumably when it
had worn away the rust.

You could try a short length of hose pipe and carefully move it around
to see if you can tell what's making the noise, stick the other end to
your ear.

Can't say but could it be to keep spray away from the A/C clutch?

I don't very often agree with Roger but I share his sentiments about
the K&N. The original filter draws it's air from outside the engine
compartment so that it's cool. Unless you have the K&N ducted outside
also it's pulling air in that has come through the radiator and is hot.
This makes it expand and you really want the coldest air possible going
into the engine so that the ecu will inject a larger amount of fuel to
give you the power. Since the development of ecu controlled engines the
lambda sensor is used to control the amount of fuel injected so that
it's in the correct ratio with the oxygen and since warmer air contains
less oxygen, because it's expanded, less fuel is injected and you get a
smaller bang and thus less power.

 

Tensioner pulley has a bearing inside that doesn't like to get soaked - seen
them be ruined by over excited people with a pressure washer. Just run the
engine and rest a long screw driver on the tensioner body and rest your ear
on the other end - you will hear it howl if it is knackered.

 

Some good advice here.

Will try the hose pipe trick, to pin point the area of the noise.

The K&N does have a cold air duct from under the bottom of the radiator, but
it has a gap between it and the filter itself as per the instructions.

Cold air is forced over the filter when moving

After several days of running the noise is getting no worse, as I would
expect if something is worn out, so now just to find what is making it.

I did put some oil over the clutch housing, but its difficult to get at,
will take the belt off on the weekend and use a spray oil to penetrate
inside the clutch. Will also have a go at removing the tensioner pully, but
its a real pain due to the tension. I will not be beaten by it though.

 

Well still trying to find the noise. Next is to replace the entire tensioner
assembly to see if that make it quiet again.

Is the tensioner assembly easy to remove?? I figure not as that spring is
mighty strong

 

Why not just change the pulley part of the tensioner as that has the bearing
in it ? Only the 15 mm bolt to take off after the belt is off.

 

Thats exactly what I did in the end. I was told they had to be replaced as
an assenbly in the Haynes manual. What a load of hastle for something that
should have took 10 mins