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dhallworth

Member Since: 10 Oct 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 3106

2012 Range Rover Autobiography TDV8 Baltic Blue

Air Con Compressor

I noticed the other day when I was on the lanes around home that there was a very slight whine from the SC at between 1000 and 2000rpm. Above that it either wasn't there or I couldn't hear it.

Today, whilst waiting for SWMBO to come out of Asda I noticed the same whine with the car stationary (was a bit of a relief as I now know it isn't gearbox or drive train).

I switched the air con off on the HEVAC panel and the noise disappeared. When coming up the country lanes home I noticed the noise appearing again so I turned the air con off again and it disappeared.

Has anyone else had problems with the air con compressor? Is it likely to be the compressor itself or just the clutch that's noisy? Are they available separately?

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

12th Jul 2015 9:16pm

Zirconblue

Member Since: 16 Apr 2015
Location: Kent
Posts: 1277

2005 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8 Cairns Blue

it might just be the belt is slipping. I'd check that first, if it's worn it might just be it's slipping when the air con puts a load on it.

12th Jul 2015 9:52pm

dhallworth

Member Since: 10 Oct 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 3106

Thanks for the advice. Will have a look at it.

Getting the fan and stuff off the front of it looks to be a right pain so it's not something I'm looking forward to! 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

12th Jul 2015 9:53pm

johnboyairey

Member Since: 11 Jan 2013
Location: surrey
Posts: 2032

2012 Range Rover Westminster TDV8 Orkney Grey

These days a belt does not actually slip as it has a tensioner, this tensioner is a bearing with a mini gas shock absorber, set against a fixed position. and you set its tension, so that it maintains same tension as the belt wears -(a little) thus the belt(s) don't squeak. However, the bearing on the tensioner, can wear and whine, and they are much cheaper to replace than say the compressor. Had this exact thing happen on the missus' merc. Bearing and pulley was about £25 genuine.
If you you are able, you could just spray it a little with somepenetrating oil, (though it is a sealed bearing, but might offer some ingress) to see if it changes its 'tune' and diagnose it that way. Same on the compressor.

12th Jul 2015 10:59pm

crispy2

Member Since: 18 Aug 2013
Location: Mandurah
Posts: 102

2007 Range Rover Supercharged 4.2 SC V8 Zermatt Silver

Mine is making a similar AC related whine (car done 65,000 kilometers). I was more suspicious of the idler bearing than the ac compressor so I'll have a look at that after returning from 2 week caravan outing up north. '07 4.2 S/C
'13 X3M

12th Jul 2015 11:58pm

Zirconblue

Member Since: 16 Apr 2015
Location: Kent
Posts: 1277

johnboyairey wrote:
These days a belt does not actually slip as it has a tensioner, this tensioner is a bearing with a mini gas shock absorber, set against a fixed position. and you set its tension, so that it maintains same tension as the belt wears -(a little) thus the belt(s) don't squeak. However, the bearing on the tensioner, can wear and whine, and they are much cheaper to replace than say the compressor. Had this exact thing happen on the missus' merc. Bearing and pulley was about £25 genuine.
If you you are able, you could just spray it a little with somepenetrating oil, (though it is a sealed bearing, but might offer some ingress) to see if it changes its 'tune' and diagnose it that way. Same on the compressor.

It's depends how shot the belt is, if they're really old they can become very worn and no long be able to grip the pulleys so start to slip. But it's true, you rarely find one that squeals like a pig on modern polyvee belts, but under load you can get them start to have more of a whine from them slipping ever so slightly.

Of course there are other possibilities, such as the pulley bearings, compressor bearings, tired tensioner spring etc. However the belt is easy to check, having a good visual check of it, you can see if it's worn out or not, hence i said start with that. You can also look for wear in the tensioner/idler pulleys, i've seen them with big tracks worn out of them, it doesn't do anything for tension.

13th Jul 2015 12:21am

Zirconblue

Member Since: 16 Apr 2015
Location: Kent
Posts: 1277

dhallworth wrote:
Thanks for the advice. Will have a look at it.

Getting the fan and stuff off the front of it looks to be a right pain so it's not something I'm looking forward to!

Getting the fan off isn't too hard really, although it's fiddly. Much easier with the holding tool for the water pump, but even that's not essential.

The most awkward part is getting the thread started when you put the fan back on, because it's difficult to hold it square while turning it.

13th Jul 2015 12:23am

Cam-Tech-Craig

Member Since: 03 Aug 2011
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 16294

2015 Range Rover SVAutobiography SDV8 Loire Blue

Also bare in mind the abnormal temp at the moment and the fact your AC will be working extra hard so may sound a little different?

13th Jul 2015 4:17am

dhallworth

Member Since: 10 Oct 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 3106

I think I've heard it a couple of times before the temperature got warm unfortunately.

Although I think it's me being very pernickety. I tried to record the noise and can't hear it and neither of my folks or SWMBO can hear it.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

13th Jul 2015 9:32am

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