2011 equinox ac noise

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I have an 11 equinox out of warranty with low miles (salvaged hit in rear. No engine damage.) I have a intermittent clacking or rattle when the heat or ac is on. It seems only to occur when the recirculation or snowflake is lit. . Comes and goes. Sounds harsh outside the car. If the sound appears and i turn ac off it goes away. Some are saying its the timing chain. I already had the cam actuator problem and fixed it myself, but i cant to the chain and tensioner myself .if thats what it is how much would it be?. I lost faith in gm. I had a saturn vue that ate transmissions. Now this... what could it be? Please help! Here is the vid. http://youtu.be/E_7xZWNkk-k
 
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Belt tensioner or A/C compressor clutch.

That is not the timing chain. Mileage?

Your Vue had a Honda Transmission or an Aisin. Depends on the motor.
 
Sure sounds like the tensioner to me. My Malibu had one going bad for a long time and I went crazy trying to find what was wrong. When I finally found it, I had taken the belt off and grabbed the pulley on the tensioner and rocked it back and forth. The rolly bits had become grumbly bits. Put a new tensioner on and it was good to go.

How many miles on that beast?
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
It sounds more like the tensioner for your serpentine belt.


This. Does this engine use the separate belt for the AC or is it all on one serpentine?
 
Originally Posted By: hardcore302
36000. COULD it be thechain tensioner?

No it would do it all the time, not just when the A/C compressor activated.
 
Get an automotive stethoscope and use it on all items driven off the serpentine belt.

Sometimes if the sound changes when the A/C compressor is engaged, you can get away with just replacing the clutch. However, sometimes you have to go through the whole process of replacing the compressor, drier, and expansion device.

Once the Saturn Vue was gone, GM went back to putting their own engines in the Chevy Equinox. I'm not sure which GM engine you have.

Good luck!
 
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