2003 Yukon..Weird Grinding sound when I turn AC on for the first after a cold start.

[OR VietVet]

Best shot but make sure the compressor you get matches exactly.

Like this kit: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5537724&cc=1415551&jsn=2226

And this flush solvent: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8320853&jsn=2282

You can use the air from a compressor to force the flush solvent thru the system when it is completely open and the compressor is off and the orifice is off and the accumulator is off.

Then take it back to shop and have them evac and recharge.

Use PAG oil like this to put back in the system to lube the compressor. Follow assembly instructions that likely come with the compressor about the oil.

I highly recommend joining ALLDATAdiy.com for one year for your rig and it will have directions for the whole job and will tell you the amount of oil to put in if the compressor directions don't.

 

[Doubeleive]

4 season's has been around for a while you can probably find them at most parts stores, oem one is going to be almost twice as much

 

[mdmcinti]

Best shot but make sure the compressor you get matches exactly.

Like this kit: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5537724&cc=1415551&jsn=2226

And this flush solvent: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8320853&jsn=2282

You can use the air from a compressor to force the flush solvent thru the system when it is completely open and the compressor is off and the orifice is off and the accumulator is off.

Then take it back to shop and have them evac and recharge.

Use PAG oil like this to put back in the system to lube the compressor. Follow assembly instructions that likely come with the compressor about the oil.

I highly recommend joining ALLDATAdiy.com for one year for your rig and it will have directions for the whole job and will tell you the amount of oil to put in if the compressor directions don't.

4 season's has been around for a while you can probably find them at most parts stores, oem one is going to be almost twice as much

Thanks for the input guys. I hope to convince the wifey and get this fixed soon so we don’t grenade the whole system if I let it go too long. I will probably try to do this next month. But, then again I have an oil pan gasket that needs to be fixed and either a bad tie rod or idler arm/pitman that needs to be addressed too.

 

[OR VietVet]

Make sure to do the inspections first though to 100% verify what we have talked about. Post about the other concerns you listed in other threads to get opinions, if you haven't already.

 

[trailblazer]

Robinair 3CFM vacuum pump $118 (probably cheaper on eBay even for new). Robinair (15310) VacuMaster Single Stage Vacuum Pump - Single-Stage, 3 CFM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CO9GX6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6R-TEbHR9PJ6Y

Buy some extra pump oil: MASTERCOOL 90032 Vacuum Pump Oil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A4BKYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_US-TEbF9HGX3H (search eBay and other vendors too including your local parts store)

Gauge set from Harbor Fright is like $59 before 20-25% off coupon.
https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-r134a-manifold-gauge-set-60806.html

I’d get a UV flashlight and some leak detector oil (can buy the precharged oil injector bottles that directly blast it into the low pressure port).

I believe Four Seasons sells a plug-n-play “Deslugger” unit that apparently soft starts the compressor? Our compressors are mounted low and apparently get clogged up with oil and makes the compressor start up with problems. Hell, maybe that alone will solve your issue.

I worked at an auto shop in high school in the 90’s and our average A/C job back then was $500-1000 minimum. In today’s money that would be like $1-2k. If you’re handy, you can do it for a fraction of the cost. You could rebuild your entire A/C system for peanuts. New compressor kits with condenser, oriface, seals, accumulator, etc are about $206-241 plus shipping on RockAuto ( don’t forget to use the 5% off coupon codes). While you got sh*t torn up, consider replacing the A/C hoses too (prices
Liquid Line: $25
Discharge Line: $26
Suction Line: $30
Expansion Valve: $15

And yes, if you have rear A/C (I can’t remember if you have a SUV or pickup), you can block it off if you don’t want to replace the rear hoses.

 

[mdmcinti]

Robinair 3CFM vacuum pump $118 (probably cheaper on eBay even for new). Robinair (15310) VacuMaster Single Stage Vacuum Pump - Single-Stage, 3 CFM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CO9GX6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6R-TEbHR9PJ6Y

Buy some extra pump oil: MASTERCOOL 90032 Vacuum Pump Oil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A4BKYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_US-TEbF9HGX3H (search eBay and other vendors too including your local parts store)

Gauge set from Harbor Fright is like $59 before 20-25% off coupon.
https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-r134a-manifold-gauge-set-60806.html

I’d get a UV flashlight and some leak detector oil (can buy the precharged oil injector bottles that directly blast it into the low pressure port).

I believe Four Seasons sells a plug-n-play “Deslugger” unit that apparently soft starts the compressor? Our compressors are mounted low and apparently get clogged up with oil and makes the compressor start up with problems. Hell, maybe that alone will solve your issue.

I worked at an auto shop in high school in the 90’s and our average A/C job back then was $500-1000 minimum. In today’s money that would be like $1-2k. If you’re handy, you can do it for a fraction of the cost. You could rebuild your entire A/C system for peanuts. New compressor kits with condenser, oriface, seals, accumulator, etc are about $206-241 plus shipping on RockAuto ( don’t forget to use the 5% off coupon codes). While you got sh*t torn up, consider replacing the A/C hoses too (prices
Liquid Line: $25
Discharge Line: $26
Suction Line: $30
Expansion Valve: $15

And yes, if you have rear A/C (I can’t remember if you have a SUV or pickup), you can block it off if you don’t want to replace the rear hoses.

Now that you mentioned about the the oil settling in the compressor and causing hard start issues, I think that this might be it. Sometimes when I run the truck, it be a a while between the last time I ran the ac depending on how hot or nice out it is or what time of day I drive it, I think it’s giving the oil enough time settle in the compressor and cause resistance in it. So when it’s high cold start idle and I turn on the ac, the engine is spinning fast and I think the clutch/ pulley want to spin and get going, but the compressor does not want to at first. Once it’s been running and the oil has circulated throughout the system and thinned out from heat, you can turn the ac clutch on and off and every time you kick the compressor on, it starts up normal with not grinding noises like it should.

 

[BaMaDuDe87]

Weird, mine just started this this past week. It seems to only happen when first started, cold, and I switch the fan speed to high quickly. Sounds like death to something. Haven't let it go on long enough to see where it's coming from yet.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[George B]

My 2003 did this a few times over the 5 years I owned it. Always the first time the compressor would kick on. Never a second time in the same day. I assumed it was an issue with the clutch and would deal with it if it did it more often. I think it did it 3 or 4 times total. It seemed to me that the clutch was slipping and I considered trying to pull it off with the compressor on the truck. Never looked into it much.

 

[trailblazer]

From a publication,
“Standard Motor Products Inc. says that with the Four Seasons Deslugger, professional technicians can strike out the slugging that occurs when excess oil and/or liquid refrigerant collects in the compressor after the system has been idle or parked over a period of time.

“Unless the oil is purged, the slugs of liquid can cause vibration, noise, clutch failure, and/or damage to internal mechanism of the compressor and A/C system,” said Benny Araujo, marketing manager for Four Seasons.

“The new Four Seasons Deslugger has a timer that cycles the compressor multiple times prior to normal operation to gradually push oil and liquid refrigerant out of the compressor before it fully engages.”