Aygo Aircon Squeals...Y.i.k.e.s !

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Hi guys

Ok, so we all know Great Britain is on fire right now.

I use my air con on and off even in winter just to keep it you know...working! Ive never had issues...always bang on...until this afternoon. It was absolutely fine yesterday!

Ok, so basically, i started the car after my lunch break today, pressed the air con button and i heard some terrible squeals...embarrassing to say the least...rev it a little and it stopped the squeals...it was like this for a few minutes and then disappeared! 

Popping the hood the belt seemed ok however i did notice looking at the pulley...i think its the air con one...it spins but when you rev it from inside the bay it looks like that particular pulley stops spinning. Ive attached a video of this.

Should i be concerned? All help appreciated guys. Thank you.

[furtula]

I'd say it's the serpentine belt, as the sound it makes is unique, and it usually goes away with a rev.

If the aircon clutch was slipping, it would not make any sound that noticeable.

You can "grease" the serpentine belt with a bit of dry soap, just press onto the inner side while running, it lubricates just enough to stop the squeak, and you can then be sure it's the belt, or AC.

To me the operation of the AC looks normal.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Cheers furtula.

I might try the soap trick. I hope its the belt and not the pulley or anything more serious. Saying that i replaced the belt at purchase over a year ago now. Hmmm

Re.my video...thats interesting...im wondering if i uploaded it correctly...i can see it above your reply.

[Mooly]

The belt looks a bit flappy and slack around the alternator. You can see it lifting and rippling slightly. 

The 'pulley' that seems to stop rotating is in fact the compressor input shaft and all you are seeing is the magnetic clutch disengaging the drive... so absolutely normal. The compressor cycles on and off in normal operation.

If the squealing continues during the time that 'pullley' is stopped then its not the compressor... could still be the clutch assembly but unlikely.

The belt is favourite just looking at that video. You could try turning headlights/foglights and heated window on immediately after starting. That would heavily load  the alternator and make it harder to turn so putting more load on the belt. See if that alters anything. Alternators can develop noisy bearings.

I have had the little intermediate idler pulley go noisy on my previous car (Corolla TSport) and it was a kind of rough bearing noise rather than a squeel... however... and this is at anyone's own risk but I found a quick way to silence it. That only made the noise at start up and for a few seconds thereafter. What I did was to use a long flat bladed screwdriver to allow me to trickle some engine oil onto the face of the pulley such that it would reach the bearing in the centre. Lots of paper towel to stop oil getting on the belt and pulley surface and the result was a super quiet pulley. This happened around 4 years into ownership and I kept the car for 8 years. It never squeaked again.

I'd look at the belt first on yours, it shouldn't visibly flap like that imo.    

    

 

 

[eygo]

normally the pulley on the aircon pump will continually rotate whether aircon is off or on,

once it engages the compressor starts working ,if the pulley stops rotating the belt will

prematurely wear out due to it rubbing on the pulley.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

7 hours ago, Mooly said:

The belt looks a bit flappy and slack around the alternator. You can see it lifting and rippling slightly. 

The 'pulley' that seems to stop rotating is in fact the compressor input shaft and all you are seeing is the magnetic clutch disengaging the drive... so absolutely normal. The compressor cycles on and off in normal operation.

If the squealing continues during the time that 'pullley' is stopped then its not the compressor... could still be the clutch assembly but unlikely.

The belt is favourite just looking at that video. You could try turning headlights/foglights and heated window on immediately after starting. That would heavily load  the alternator and make it harder to turn so putting more load on the belt. See if that alters anything. Alternators can develop noisy bearings.

I have had the little intermediate idler pulley go noisy on my previous car (Corolla TSport) and it was a kind of rough bearing noise rather than a squeel... however... and this is at anyone's own risk but I found a quick way to silence it. That only made the noise at start up and for a few seconds thereafter. What I did was to use a long flat bladed screwdriver to allow me to trickle some engine oil onto the face of the pulley such that it would reach the bearing in the centre. Lots of paper towel to stop oil getting on the belt and pulley surface and the result was a super quiet pulley. This happened around 4 years into ownership and I kept the car for 8 years. It never squeaked again.

I'd look at the belt first on yours, it shouldn't visibly flap like that imo.    

    

 

 

Thanks guys. Thank you mooly. So to clarify my compressor input shaft seems okay to you. Belt too. I must admit this sound only appeared yesterday for the 1st time ever and hasnt reapperared since even under load! It may just be a 1 off fingers crossed.

[Mooly]

I'm saying the belt looks flappy and it shouldn't. Play your video and watch it as it runs around the pulley nearest the camera (the alternator pulley). You can see it lift slightly along one edge, both around the pulley and along the long run of belt between pulleys. 

Compressor is fine. You can see the outer part of the clutch/pulley rotating all the time just as it should.

I would fit a new genuine belt and see where that gets you.

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Cheers mooly

 

Ill do just that...new belt...here we come.

Will report back shortly matey.

 

Thank you.