A/C compressor noise?

[nonstop]

I just got my car into the dealer for a fan noise complaint. I've noticed a slight click/gear noise as I accelerate mildy from a stop. Noise comes from the front passenger side and disappears before second gear. Fan controls must have the air compressor running (in my case defrost). Happens with any fan speed. Service advisor heard it. Intermittent for sure. Dealer ordered a TXV valve part 52845. Advisor says mine is the second car they've seen. Says they tore the first one apart and changed everything to figure it out. Waiting for the part .....

[04BlkVibe]

nonstop: has the issue been resolved w/ the new TXV valve? Please update us once the parts are in.

[ColonelPanic]

Yep, do keep us updated... And what the heck is the TXV valve? Where does it go, and what does it do?

[nonstop]

The dealer just called, part is in. I'll be booking for next week. Expect an update then.

[nonstop]

The part came in and was installed this morning. So far so good, no noise. Here's the scoop, hats off to my service advisor for getting details from the tech who worked on my Vibe. Follow the line from the air compressor along the engine as it enters the firewall. There are 2 lines, the one you want is the upper line (larger diameter). Apparently the TXV valve # 88970274 is in-line just inside the firewall. It is actually just inside under the dash. That's why it ticks in the front but not any louder under the hood. Advisor says the repair is so new that GM does not have a job time assigned to it and pays actual time. Repair order shows .1 lbs of refrigerant because the line was serviced. Labor says zero, but the advisor says it's pretty basic. Advisor gave me a copy of GM document ID# 816756 (5 pages) that cover the air temp systems. TVX is described on the last page as the expansion control device (TVX or valve) at the evaporator inlet. "The device is the dividing point for high and low sides of the A/C system." Seems like it all fits, although I am not a mechanic. Apparently the first car they tore down for this issue belonged to one of the shuttle drivers who was kind enough to let the techs get to the bottom of it.

[04BlkVibe]

nonstop: what's the dealer that you went to in Windsor. What is your service advisor's name? I need to get my dealer to talk to them to find out what they do to fix this issue. Can I also get your name? Please PM me if you're not comfortable w/ posting your name. Thanks.

[glassman]

i am startingto hear the same thing 03 70000kmhow did the txv vale work out still no problems?

[ColonelPanic]

Sadly, the noise seems to have appeared yet again. I noticed a bit of abnormal noise this morning when the defrost was on at idle. As soon as I took it out of defrost, the noise went away.Strange though, as I've read the compressor won't kick on below 40F, but the outside temp was 34 and it was running. It's the same exact noise as before, but at this point it is nowhere near as bad as it previously was with the old compressor...So, either I've got a brand new compressor that is developing problems... Or, something else that runs off the serpentine belt is putting undue stress on everything that runs off of it, and has damaged this compressor in the process. I dunno... I'll keep listening for it, and get the thing back into the shop if the noise doesn't go away.

[nonstop]

My vibe is fine, no repeat of the noise after a new tvx valve!!

[simon]

Hi,I printed off the information that you posted about the fan noise, took it to the dealer. They can't hear the noise! They told me the information you'd posted was for a sunfire!Got the car back, nothing done plus a bill for $34.50.

[Train]

I didn't read all of these post because it just got to be too much. and seperating off into too many topics. So could someone one sum it up for me and tell me if there has been a solution found. i have the problem that was 1st described at the beginning of this message board.

[Kari]

Replacing the compressor fixed it. The noise has somewhat returned but he thinks it's normal because it's not grinding anymore. He is going to keep an eye on it. There have been a couple of times where it's still there, but for the most part it's gone since the compressor was replaced.

[nonstop]

The noise continues to be gone after the new valve. The previous information was the complete set of documents released by my dealer. Apparently results vary by individual dealer and service advisor.

[simon]

I was at the dealer again today. The Service Manager is going to take my car for a week and give me a loaner to see if he can hear the sound that we all know is there!!Hopefully once he hears it he will replace the valve and I'll finally be happy

[ColonelPanic]

Woo hoo, the noise that initially prompted the compressor replacement has returned... I wonder if my crapped out power steering pump could have contributed to killing this compressor? Could that be why the first compressor died, I wonder?Here we go again... I'll see if the new P/S pump makes any difference, maybe the broken pump puts too much strain on everything else running off the belt?

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Woo hoo, the noise that initially prompted the compressor replacement has returned... I wonder if my crapped out power steering pump could have contributed to killing this compressor? Could that be why the first compressor died, I wonder?Here we go again... I'll see if the new P/S pump makes any difference, maybe the broken pump puts too much strain on everything else running off the belt? [ragingfish] wonders if maybe there's something with the BELT or the associated belt-driving systems that's the problem? Seeing how you've had issues with P/S and A/C, the big common thread here is that belt and it's drive system...hmmm....

[ColonelPanic]

That could be.... It does have a new belt installed a few days after the new compressor, but maybe the tensioner is jacked... We'll see what gets destroyed after the p/s pump. Hello alternator failure!

[ColonelPanic]

What rotten luck! I took the Vibe in for an oil change, getting it ready to drive to Ohio. When I left the dealer, I started hearing more noises.With the A/C on, the compressor is making a rather pronounced, low-pitched groan directly proportional to engine speed. Switch off the A/C and it's fine. If you have the A/C on and kick the revs up to 2,000 and hold them there, not only does it moan and groan, but the compressor is also rattling.I brought it to back to the dealer to see what they could do - I really was hoping to have them take a quick look to see if it was safe to drive. Unfortunately, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place - two of their guys were out, and they had three people ahead of me who had appointments. Either way, they would have screwed a customer. Bummer. I set up an appointment for Wednesday... I'm hoping the car will hold up well enough to get me to Kari's and back. Sir Knocksalot can't make it to the meet, I'm not comfortable driving it all that way. At least I can call '1-800-roadsid' and take it to any Pontiac dealer if anything happens - that will suck royally but at least that's somewhat a feeling of comfort.So, here I am, the temp display shows 101 degrees and I'm afraid to use the A/C for fear of the compressor dying a violent death, taking out god knows what else in the process thereby rendering me stranded and completely SOfriggin'L.Man, it sure would be nice if I had a car I could have enough trust in that I could actually take the trip and not having to worry about the car letting me down..... This is utterly pathetic.

[ColonelPanic]

Hmm, an update, not like anybody gives a ratts (removed) 'bout this horrid beast, but heh... Kari pointed out that it really did sound quite familiar to that sound in the recordings I made way back when. And the more I listen to it, sure enough it's sounding just like the noise that prompted the compressor to be replaced in the first place, oh so many months ago. I tried to not use the A/C today but doing that almost made me sick. The Vibe's temp gauge said 101 degrees, my thermometer inside the car read 96. So I just decided that my health is more important than the health of my car, so the A/C went back on. Noisy and doesn't work worth a crap anymore but at least it sorta cooled down a bit. Felt good to have the somewhat cool air blowing on me. Any ideas why the second compressor is failing with the exact same noise as before? What gives?

[ColonelPanic]

Alright, compressor #3 has been ordered! The service manager thinks that whatever blew the original compressor up may have left fragments of something in the system that they weren't able to get completely flushed out... Thus, the second compressor was destroyed by the contaminants. He's ordered a new compressor, and some sort of filter to go along with it to try to catch debris before it makes it to the compressor. No ETA on part availability, but it didn't take too terribly long the last time to get it in.

[ColonelPanic]

The second replacement A/C compressor has arrived and will be installed on Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed. Please, for the love of god, make this fix last longer than a few months! I'm also hoping the A/C doesn't suck as much once the new compressor has been installed.We'll see.

[zionzr2]

i'll continue to be praying for ya

[ColonelPanic]

Thanks.

[ColonelPanic]

Went down to the dealer this (er, yesterday) morning and had them go to town on the ol' rascal. About 2.5 hours later, this thing emerged with a new A/C compressor. Quote »CUSTOMER STATES THAT A/C COMPRESSOR IS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE*snipped* to give the Reader's Digest condensed version. Quote »CAUSE: INTERNAL MALFUNCTIOND4440 COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACE1 88972202 W-COMPRESSOR1 89016656 FILTER1 12356150 R134FREON1 12378526 LUBRICANTFOUND NOISE COMING FROM A/C COMPRESSOR DUE TO INTERNAL MALFUNCTION. RECOVERED FREON. R&R A/C COMPRESSOR. R&R A/C SUCTION SCREEN. VACUUM. Let's hope this lasts longer: The previous compressor was replaced in December at slightly before 39,000 miles, and now at almost 54,000. Note to self, damn you've done a (removed) load of driving between then and now! The weird part about this go'round- I now have a GM Limited Lifetime warranty page stapled to the repair invoice. On that page, it lists the components that can be covered, and the compressor is circled. This is good news - in the event I still have this thing when the magic 88,000 mile mark hits and my GMPP goes bye-bye, I am guessing I am still going to be covered when this compressor dies. Or I hope so. lol!The noise is gone and the A/C appears to be working pretty decent. I've noticed another odd improvement for another condition that the car has had for a while. I'll post some speculation over there in a minute. Please, let this be the last of it.

[ColonelPanic]

Well, now this lovely, finely engineered and carefully crafted Vibe is making a nasty screeeeeeeeech upon acceleration when the engine is cold and the air is particularly damp - such as when it's rainy or the like. Goes away when it warms up. Not present if it isn't damp outside.Something pertaining to the belt, I guess. I dunno. Only 16,000 miles on the belt, but the stupid thing has been off and on several times in that 16,000 miles it's probably stretched out and all discombobulated or something. heh. If that isn't the problem, and it's actually another component around there, good god, what the hell did I do to deserve this? Youse guys think it could be the belt screeeeeeeeeechin'? Should I worry about it or just keep driving the damn thing, making a point that when I eventually get to the point that I trade it in, that it's a dry day or at least the engine is warm? lol I still have the original belt, but it kinda has 39,000 miles on it.

[ColonelPanic]

It's baaaaaaaaaaack........ Stupid, stupid, stupid noise.

[ColonelPanic]

I swear I have read from umpteen different people here on this site that the A/C compressor WILL NOT ENGAGE if the outside temperature is colder, i.e. somewhere below 35-40 degrees or so. Is that correct? Can someone show me in a service manual or other technical document where that is supposed to happen, because if it is, that makes this car even more dysfunctional as mine has no problem with running when it is cold...It was 28 degrees the other day and I had defrost running. Came to a stop and heard nothing but this god awful grind, grind, grind, grind, groan, rattle, vibrate noise coming from under the right side of the hood... Giving it a little bit of gas, the noise was proportional to engine speed. Turned the defrost off, the A/C compressor clicked off and it then made no noise. Turned the A/C switch on and it started the noise all over again. Turned it off, it was gone. Switched back to defrost and it started making the noise again. I kept cycling the A/C off and on, the compressor kept cycling with it. Uh, ok. The noise has been intermittent for a few months, but now is pretty much constant and sounds as bad as it was last summer when the last one went kaput. Kinda makes me scared to drive the car (again.)It sure would have been swell if I could still be on the original compressor like most of you guys. But that wasn't meant to be, that one puked. I can accept that, stuff happens. Install the new part and move on, that's all you can do. But when the second one dies, you get frustrated. And when the third one dies, it makes one want to slam their head into the wall... Especially considering how every compressor has developed the SAME EXACT PROBLEM over time! I'm far from convinced that another trip to the dealer to throw yet another new compressor on it will make things all better and I'll be able to continue on my happy way. Well, the new one may last for another 6 months, I guess I should give it credit where credit is due. Thank goodness for that warranty, these pieces of junk are like $500 a pop!It feels like this car just doesn't WANT to be fixed - you can throw new parts on it left and right, and it will NEVER be right. I wish I could afford something to drive that I could actually trust, for all of you that do have that, you'd better not take that for granted!!!!! *sobbing*Oh well. Back to the dealer. Again.