[jimvw57]

Saturday I turned on the AC and heard a loud grumbling from the front end. I gathered it was from the AC cooling fan behind the radiator. Since I was on the way to a wedding, I just turned off the AC and no more noise.

Sunday I took a look and didn't see anything wrong, other than the broken belly pan cover, (which I fixed) and with the fan on, a lot of vibration and subsequent noise. I tried flexing the plastic to make sure it wasn't hitting anything and it isn't. Just a vibration. After running for about 1/2 hour, it seems to have settled down. Maybe just a dry bearing in the fan from not being used all winter??

Engine temp never got above 192, and usually was around 188, same as always.never noticed the noise when the temp cooling fan comes on, not that it does too often.

Any ideas??

 

[BB Benz]

Sounds like you hit an old lady who had become stuck in the grille. That makes for a lot of loud grumbling. Make sure she doesn't have an umbrella or big purse to hit you with before releasing her. Might be dangerous.

 

[jimvw57]

:smartje.zw.zw:

Come to think of it, she never did come out the back after I hit her...

 

[BB Benz]

Roflmao!

 

[hihosilver]

Low on refrigerant?

Your ac system may be low on refrigerant.

 

[Kermit]

You said what my guess would be. Sitting dormant over the winter it got a little dry. If I had to take a wild guess without seeing/hearing it that's what my blind guess is.

 

[a2jack]

Your ac system may be low on refrigerant.

My guess too. Have it checked at an AC house. A2Jack

 

[Brabus007]

Sounds like your going to be putting in a new Fan... You would not be the first...

 

[jimvw57]

My only ?? is, what drives the AC compressor? Electric?? direct drive motor or a belt? Just wondering if it could be the compressor instead of the fan. As far as I can tell, the cooling fan comes out the bottom (?)

It would be nice to have a LOCAL DEALER or service center to go to......

 

[ca smartone]

My only ?? is, what drives the AC compressor? Electric?? direct drive motor or a belt? Just wondering if it could be the compressor instead of the fan. As far as I can tell, the cooling fan comes out the bottom (?)

It would be nice to have a LOCAL DEALER or service center to go to......

Belt drive ..

 

[Kermit]

My only ?? is, what drives the AC compressor? Electric?? direct drive motor or a belt? Just wondering if it could be the compressor instead of the fan. As far as I can tell, the cooling fan comes out the bottom (?)

It would be nice to have a LOCAL DEALER or service center to go to......

Compressor is back by your right rear wheel (that's coincidentally at the rear of the car :wink It's driven by a belt.

 

[a2jack]

My only ?? is, what drives the AC compressor? Electric?? direct drive motor or a belt? Just wondering if it could be the compressor instead of the fan. As far as I can tell, the cooling fan comes out the bottom (?)

It would be nice to have a LOCAL DEALER or service center to go to......

Agreed, No local dealer would be a giant PIA, but think how much money you save.

The Compressor is mounted on the engine and long ac gas lines run up to the radiator and back. Sound can be telegraphed to the front of the car via the lines.


The telegraph effect drove us nuts, early, when we were trying to find the "Tat, Tat, Tat," from the old purge valves. Just A thought, Good luck. A2Jack.

 

[BB Benz]

I've had rattly things (tools) in the luggage area, and you would swear you were hearing rattles coming from the front end of the car until you turned your head and the direction of the sound would change. I suspect the large windshield with it's curvature focuses and reflects sound like a dish disorienting the sound's origin.
With the added foam insulation under the tatting valve, I still hear a sound, when it is functioning, but it is no longer a tat, tat, tat, but just more engine noise.

I'm glad tat's over.

 

[jimvw57]

coming from the front, I can see the back side of the radiator/condensor moving around when the noise starts up. I would say it sounds like plastic scraping on plastic but it feels like plenty of room around the fan

 

[Kermit]

What # in line is hearing on the list of things to go first?

Working around jets, large prop aircraft, aircraft generators and APU's for a very long time you'd think I'd be deaf but I came through a hearing test with flying colors. Only the ringing bothers me and then of course the voices too.

 

[jimvw57]

OK, I made a video so you can get an idea of how loud this is.
***WARNING*** not for the weak of heart!!

Smart :: DSCN0943.mp4 video by jimvw - Photobucket

I only get this when I run the AC and the outside temp is above 50 degrees. Doesn't make noise with the defrosters running.

I'm thinking I may need to pull the front apart to see what is happening. Radiator seems to be tight, as does everything else. from underneath, I can see the plastic struts holding the fan motor and they vibrate like crazy when I hear the noise.

Maybe a broken fan blade??

 

[chieftmc]

OK, I made a video so you can get an idea of how loud this is.
***WARNING*** not for the weak of heart!!

Smart :: DSCN0943.mp4 video by jimvw - Photobucket

I only get this when I run the AC and the outside temp is above 50 degrees. Doesn't make noise with the defrosters running.

I'm thinking I may need to pull the front apart to see what is happening. Radiator seems to be tight, as does everything else. from underneath, I can see the plastic struts holding the fan motor and they vibrate like crazy when I hear the noise.

Maybe a broken fan blade??

WOW that's BAD

Definitely sounds like the fan is hitting "something" !!

 

[a2jack]

OMG. I had no idea it was that BAD!

Pull the fan. Either the blade is loose on the motor shaft. Or maybe the fan motor is shifting position when the gas pressure from the AC hits the radiator.

This one is for the record books. I'd call "Click And Clack The Tappet Brothers"

I still can't believe how loud that is, it ought be easy to find what's hitting what. Get someone to listen under there while you cycle the AC. Good luck A2Jack.

 

[Kermit]

Good video. Something is stuck by the blade, no doubt about it. Dying to know what it is. In our guest house/pool house I have a window A/C, when my daughter moved in there I was prepping it and one of the checks was the A/C. Once the fan kicked on it made a racket similar to yours. Turned out a frog died by the blade.

Time to pull it apart to see what the blade is hitting.....unless it somehow fell apart itself.

 

[jimvw57]

See.. I told you it was a lot of noise. Is there an easier way to get in there? I can reach in from underneath if I take the lower skid plate loose but it is tough to get a look up in there. I thought about taking the front off but don't know if I can see in any better. Might have to jack the car up so I can get under easier.

If I put the AC on high, it cycles on and off (cooler temp outside right now) and as it runs for a bit it does get quieter, not much, If I leave the AC off, it doesn't make noise. I am guessing the fan isn't running. I suppose it could be a 'critter in there. It is raining out so I will have to wait a bit. Stay tuned....