This is brand new compressor you hear, just put on last week by my highly qualified mechanic, and this was a replacement for a new Delco that he put on a few months ago.

Quick history; 1999 with 116k. Original compressor took a dump around 2007. Mechanic threw in an aftermarket new one with the orifice and accumulator. That bit the dust in 2011 after making noise for about 8 months. A hack mechanic put in a new compressor without flushing the system (said he did) and that lasted about 3 months. My new mechanic, who is the best I've had since I've been in the used car biz, did the WHOLE system around April 2013. Everything except the evaporator. Used two gallons of this special cleaner to blow ALL the crap out of the system, we even did a new condenser.

Well the first compressor he put in was starting to make a bearing noise, so he just put this one in. When doing the swap he tested the orifice tube and it was clean, so the system is not contaminated!

WHY do I keep going through compressors?!? Could it be that I have a Powerbond underdrive pulley (harmonic balancer) that spins the a/c compressor at a slightly slower rate?

 

You can hear at the end it **** and hiss.

I would have filmed more but it completely locked up and I ran to turn it off. Car runs fine with the a/c off. All belts are turning smooth, even the a/c one after the lockup.

This mechanic is so meticulous he even put on new tensioners for the lower cause one of the bearings was making a light noise. And he found the exact mm belt for the lower. It was running super smooth and quiet for a week, then BAM!

 

Were you the camera man for The Blair Witch Project?
Maybe try a different brand compressor?
How are the pressures on the high and low side?

 

I was planning on doing a steady 30 second video until the compressor locked up and started hissing.

I've made a note to have my mechanic check the pressures and will report back.