A/C whistling when button is pressed...

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Gruz7

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Hey guys just a quick question, no matter if my 2003's manual air system is on hot or cool or high or low, as long as the a/c button is pressed and engaged there is a quite annoying whistle from behind the glove box in the blower motor area. If the a/c button is not pressed and no orange indicator light that it is turned on then the regular air controls work on all settings perfectly fine without any whistle.

I should also mention that the a/c works fine it just makes an annoying noise whenever it is turned on so I try to keep it turned off but that is hard to do in 80 degree weather.

If anyone has any idea on a fix for this or anything I could need to get serviced please feel free to reply ASAP.

Thanks guys,
Jared
.....might respond later tonight because I'm at work all day and my phone doesn't work too good until next week when i upgrade.
 
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Gruz7

Gruz7

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Well for an update, the A/C no longer works at all this afternoon it just blows out room temperature air... this seemed to go from a "maybe I can fix it" to definitely bring it to the dealer ASAP
 

stamp11127

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I suggest that you learn how to work on your vehicle for a couple of reasons:
1) save money
2) if you repair it correctly you know it is repaired and not band aided.
3) learn how these things work so that you are not dependant on others.

Are you interested in learning? I teach electrical/electronics at a local technical college and can walk you through it.
 
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Gruz7

Gruz7

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I suggest that you learn how to work on your vehicle for a couple of reasons:
1) save money
2) if you repair it correctly you know it is repaired and not band aided.
3) learn how these things work so that you are not dependant on others.

Are you interested in learning? I teach electrical/electronics at a local technical college and can walk you through it.

Just having trouble diagnosing the problem and was looking for someone on here to give me some input if possible. I was hoping that this may have been a common and had some sort of quick-fix or repair but if not I will just have to take it to my dealer to see if I can't have the A/C serviced so they can find and troubleshoot the issue. Maybe I should have just worded it differently.
 

stamp11127

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Usually noise from the blower motor is due to the squirrel cage rubbing against the housing or a failing bearing. Normally a motor replacement is all that is needed. The noise may change pitch with a change in fan speed.

Check your a/c lines when the compressor is on, you should see the one coming from the accumulator sweating and getting cold. That side of the system may still be working and just the fan has failed.

Electrical and a/c problems are common on all vehicles - a/c in summer and heat & blower motors in winter
 
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Gruz7

Gruz7

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Usually noise from the blower motor is due to the squirrel cage rubbing against the housing or a failing bearing. Normally a motor replacement is all that is needed. The noise may change pitch with a change in fan speed.

Check your a/c lines when the compressor is on, you should see the one coming from the accumulator sweating and getting cold. That side of the system may still be working and just the fan has failed.

Electrical and a/c problems are common on all vehicles - a/c in summer and heat & blower motors in winter

Thank you.. I'll check the lines in the morning and also listen for the increase in pitch of the noise... Also I'm going to look at the blower motor for replacement
 
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Gruz7

Gruz7

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Lines seem ok IMO so i may go ahead an replace the blower motor when I find some free time and when it ships... I'll post on here when I replace it if the problem is fixed or not.
 

retrogarage6

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does the whistling sound sound like an air sucking whistle?? or a rubbing, metal plastic abrasive whistle?? That will determine if it's the motor or not.. if it'
s an air sucking whistle then it's probably something else in the box, maybe even blocked. Since the start of AC season where I work we are seeing a whole lot of clogged lines and hvac units and that could mean you're getting cold air but the blower motor isn't suctioning it thru the blender or something like that.
 
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Gruz7

Gruz7

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does the whistling sound sound like an air sucking whistle?? or a rubbing, metal plastic abrasive whistle?? That will determine if it's the motor or not.. if it'
s an air sucking whistle then it's probably something else in the box, maybe even blocked. Since the start of AC season where I work we are seeing a whole lot of clogged lines and hvac units and that could mean you're getting cold air but the blower motor isn't suctioning it thru the blender or something like that.

Yeah it is like an air sucking whistle... the blower will work on hot and blow out hot air but then with the ac button pressed on its coldest setting i get room temperature even after a thirty minute warm up... really leaning towards just doing the blower motor myself but at that point i would just be praying that the motor is the issue
 

stamp11127

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Take the motor out and look for signs of wear on the cage. Also spin it, it should rotate freely without any noise or roughness. If the harness is long enough you can test it out of the plenum.
 
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Gruz7

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The motor sounds fine at all times now but the a/c just does not work... may need a recharge or a new compressor?
 

stamp11127

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By the a/c not working do you mean it is only blowing warm/hot air?

First thing to check is the static pressure of the system. You will need a set of gauges for r134a.
Usually a low side pressure of around 22psi will open the circuit and cut power to the compressor. If the pressure is above 30 psi then you should check fuses.
 
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Gruz7

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By the a/c not working do you mean it is only blowing warm/hot air?

First thing to check is the static pressure of the system. You will need a set of gauges for r134a.
Usually a low side pressure of around 22psi will open the circuit and cut power to the compressor. If the pressure is above 30 psi then you should check fuses.

Thanks stamp before i have it checked by the mechanic I will borrow my grandpas gauges if i can and check the pressure... and yes it will only blow out room temperature - hot air.... no cold or even cool for that matter
 
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Gruz7

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Turned out that this problem was the condenser having gone bad... The lines were also showing a few leaks and the whole unit needed a recharge... Problem is to get the condenser out the dealer says that they would need to take apart a cross member on the frame and it is way too rotted to go ahead with doing that so they want me to fix the rust and rot first then they will go from there...


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stamp11127

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Sounds like a line of bs to me unless the rad support is shot.

From the manual:

Recover the refrigerant. For additional information, refer to Section 412-00 .
Remove the upper radiator sight shield.
Remove the nuts and disconnect the condenser line fittings.
Discard the O-ring seals.

NOTE: LH radiator bracket shown, RH similar.

Remove the bolts and the RH and LH radiator brackets.

NOTE: RH condenser core bracket shown, LH similar.

Remove the bolt and the RH and LH condenser core brackets.

Remove the condenser core.
If a new condenser core is to be installed, transfer the air deflectors from the old unit to the new unit.
 
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Gruz7

Gruz7

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Sounds like a line of bs to me unless the rad support is shot.



From the manual:



Recover the refrigerant. For additional information, refer to Section 412-00 .

Remove the upper radiator sight shield.

Remove the nuts and disconnect the condenser line fittings.

Discard the O-ring seals.



NOTE: LH radiator bracket shown, RH similar.



Remove the bolts and the RH and LH radiator brackets.



NOTE: RH condenser core bracket shown, LH similar.



Remove the bolt and the RH and LH condenser core brackets.



Remove the condenser core.

If a new condenser core is to be installed, transfer the air deflectors from the old unit to the new unit.


Could be... but the dealer up here was really adamant in not changing the condenser and rad support because they though both things would not stay attached to the vehicle... I guess they know best but it seemed to me that the truck was just fine until the ac stopped working so now I'm having the body shop take a peek today kind of bummed out because I DO NOT want to get rid of this truck


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