Noisy A/C

[apbtpetey]

So now on to the newest problem with my 97 Disco,

Every once in awhile (not all the time) I get a squeal sound coming from the engine compartment. Kind of sounds like a belt or pulley going bad type of squeal. It is being caused by the a/c. I know this because once it starts making the noise and I turn off te a/c the noise stops right away. So far it has happened 4-5 times and all during this past week. If I leave the a/c on the noise does stop after a few mins. It does it at what seems random times. The noise also seems to happen more when I hit the gas or at least it gets louder when I hit the gas. It did make the sound once while at idle as well. Anybody have I clue what I am looking at as far as repair and cost?

[FelixLockhart]

Check the belt and the tensioner, mine did this forever and I thought it was the compressor clutch, but it was the tensioner.

[Rovin4life]

check belt routing, quite common to put the belts on wrong on a 4.0

[pavel]

had a similar noise in my wife's 96 D1 - turned out to be just a worn belt.

[apbtpetey]

The belt routing is correct. I will check the tensioner and have a look at the belt. I just did my head gaskets a few months back and the belt was in great shape. I have put about 4,000 miles since than.

[me.guevara]

It sounds like something on the belt, perhaps the tensioner or even the compressor pulley. Check out each part with a long screwdriver (I like to use the bottle jack rods - they're long, metal and hollow - perfect for listening to the engine and all it's parts).

FWIW: A few years ago, the a/c fan (the one inside the dash that blows air around the vehicle) bearing self-destructed over a period of several months. It never sounded like it was coming from the engine compartment, but the description you gave of your issue reminded me of my fan going out (it still isn't working perfectly).

Happy hunting!

[apbtpetey]

Well I looked at it last night it appears that I have a pretty good power steering leak that is coming from the hose under the power steering compressor and it looks like fluid got all over the place including on the belt. When I ran my fingers over part of the belt I had dirty fluid all over them. So I will be getting a new power steering hose and might as well replace the belt at the same time.