Third problem just popped up on my new Expy (Not new, 2005, new to me :P). When the AC is on, and only the compressor, you can hear a light ticking sound outside. I verified it is coming from the compressor.

It's literally like a "tick tick tick tick tick tick tick", once the compressor shuts off, it goes away. Tried looking it up online and the best thing I found was replace the compressor? HAH. Hoping there might be some other known fix for this?

 

When my F-150 A/C compressor started ticking I changed the compressor, o tube and accumulator. It started ticking and continued to get louder with warmer vent temps. I ended up changing the compressor and flushing the system but it all started with crud stopping up the orifice tube. you may be able to head off a complete compressor failure buy changing the o tube and recharging.

 

Thank you! So the orifice tube being clogged up would cause ticking noises? Found one online already for $7. What ballpark estimate should I look for when I find a shop to install it? As in $50-$100 or $100+? Excluding the recharge. Thanks!

 

Heard an addition. When the compressor turns on or off i can hear a sort of squeel/squeek type sound, it's almost unnoticeable, but definitely there. Only when it turns on and off.

 

If you are paying someone else to do the labor you may want to weigh the cost of labor and the cost of flushing and replacing the compressor while they have the system open. May be cheaper to fix it all while you are in there than having to open the system again and replace all of the parts if the compressor craps out.

I buy parts and tools from AC Kits in Phoenex, AZ. They have the cheapest prices I have found (even after paying for shipping) with a knowledgable and helpful staff. They also have a great forum of information on how to do just about everything A/C related. I now have a set of tools and do all of my own A/C work.

 

Wait a minute. You can do the orifice tube yourself? I thought you needed to be some certified blah blah to do AC work? Lol!

So it's safe to assume the squeel is because the compressor has a strain with the orifice tube plugged up?

 

That's a mighty big leap of guesswork with zero data other than a vague description of symptoms.

That reported crud in the o-tube was probably from the compressor failing, not the other way around.

 

The compressor works great! Cold wise. I live in the desert and it was 105 las night and it was blowing damn cold air!

 

Based on answers You found and what was given here...chalk it up to an annoying noise and fix it when it fails. Mine has been chirping when it cycles on and off and I assume its serpentine belt related but works just fine.