Clattering Noise When Air Con Off

[BMurr]

Common enough problem I guess. A clattering noise from auxiliary belt area. More pronounced if at low revs such as when pulling away, is cured by having air con on but that doesn't address the underlying issue. I was going to replace the pulley as suspecting worn bearing but through a bit of further research figured it could be the rubber bushes in the pulley. Anyway I think I've found the culprit. In tbe video I am rotating the centre front part of the air con pulley while it is still on the car with belt fitted. You can see that the centre part rotates back and forth until it hits the inside of the pulley with a metallic sound. It seems clear to me now that the rubber dampers have completely disintegrated as the noise is not a rubber on metal sound but a metal on metal sound. I'm hoping to get that centre part unscrewed while still on the car, fit rubber bushes and put back in pulley. No need to remove the pulley or compressor. Any rubber bits I've seen online cost nearly same as a pulley hence likelihood of me just cutting up some bit of rubber and putting it in place. When I mentioned the noise to a mechanic he suggested replacing the whole compressor, I hardly ever used the air con so I suspect compressor has very little wear and that the no load state of my compressor for most of its life has put wear on the rubbers as that's when the pulley isn't damped by the load.


Hopefully this video will save some from a bit of expense.

[arman123]

this happened to mine back in 2014 have a look at the thread

Please Help Rattle when air con turned off - Page 2

[BMurr]

this happened to mine back in 2014 have a look at the thread

Please Help Rattle when air con turned off - Page 2

Ah, yes that's a good thread alright. Interesting to see that the rubbers aren't symmetrical too, which I'll have to take into account if making my own.

Edit: Found a set of rubbers for £9 delivered, hardly worth faffing about making my own at that price.