sirmike68

Previous owner replaced the condenser but never put enough refrigerant back into the system to satisfy the LP switch which is what I did. Over the past few months I have noticed a slight film of oil on the belt tensioner which I assume is coming off the compressor. Always blows ice cold but yesterday the compressor started rattling big time when engaged. Still blows cool air but not like before. Free wheeling the pulley is smooth. When I free wheel the compressor I can feel "dead" spots where there is some expected resistance then less resistance. Comparing this to my truck AC, my truck has equal resistance all through the rotation. Would this be a compressor failure, bearing, or clutch. I suspect the compressor.

qws

I was just reading about compressor noise. One possible culprit is a clogged discharged line from the compressor.

Below was quoted from an article from Four Seasons

To test for a restriction, use a digital pyrometer to check the temperature at both ends of the line. A temperature drop of 5° F or more indicates the line is restricted and must be replaced.