Ford FX-15 A/C compressor noise - already dead?

[tomluoma]

The A/C cools just fine but there is a noise coming from the compressor.
This noise occurs only when the A/C compressor clutch is engaged. I have put a stethoscope on it and it seems to be coming from the front end of the compressor.
At idle it seems to be clicking once per compressor rev. The noise is very similar to a sticky lifter noise.

If this is an indication it has already caught the black death then I'll just I'll just run it until it realizes it's dead and replace everything.

If not what should I do at this stage?

92, F250, 460, E4OD, FX-15 A/C compressor still running R-12, 210K miles

 

[Chris142]

Very few compressors make it to 200K regardles of car make or model. Yours did great!

 

[NHGUY]

AC is a very high maintenance item.If you went 200K and didnt spend a dime,you did very well.

 

[Roadkingnc]

Change it before the black death happens, much cheaper unless you just want to replace everything. The only things you can flush are the evaporator and condenser.

 

[punisher]

Agree with above. If you can replace it sooner than later you can keep a lot of teflon and aluminum garbage out of your disharge line/muffler, condenser, and liquid line. I can absolutely assure you no AC flush solution will get the garbage out of a system with a completely shelled FX15/FS10. If you want to replace everything, run it till it locks.

Also, those steel accumulators have a nasty habit of corroding/rusting to the evap core. Budget accordingly.

 

[tomluoma]

Thanks for the inputs.
My concern is that it has already generated junk. It has been doing this for some time.

From what I have read here, other forums and from compressor suppliers it is nearly impossible to flush these systems well enough.

 

[mechtech2]

Yes - it's tough to flush an AC system right.
People get SOME crud out, but it is tedious and involved to really clean things.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Roadkingnc
Change it before the black death happens, much cheaper unless you just want to replace everything. The only things you can flush are the evaporator and condenser.

That only works if the condenser is serpentine flow.

Condensers built during the last days of R-12 were often parallel flow, which can't be flushed.

Also, parallel flow cools better than serpentine flow, that is why certain people prefer to replace the condenser when converting to R-134a. It compensates for the reduced effectiveness of R-134a

 

[Colt45ws]

Mine clatters too, sometimes. I dont know what model it is, but I only have 65k on it now. I think I first noticed it 20k miles ago? Somewhere around there. I have not noticed it lately but it comes and goes. I dont know why it does that.