1997 Chevy Lumina Noise

1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA

115,000 MILES • 6 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC

PDLADY88101

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My car when cranked makes weird noise, someone told me it was a/c compressor. would it make that noise even if a/c is not on? They said it sounded llike the bearing is gone. If I buy a compressor/ with clutch, what kind of time are we talking about for a mechanic to replace. The air conditioner didn't run too well last year. I had to keep replacing freon.Do mechanic's have a time manual to let me know how many hours it would take?The noise that it makes is continual when car is running and driving.

Jun 2, 2010 at 6:59 PM

FACTORYJACK

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If someone has said it is the bearing, all I can do at this point is to agree. It can make the noise with the A/C on or off, if it is the pulley bearing. It is turning whenever the belt is turning it. One way to rule that it is an accessory noise, is to remove the belt and run it. To replace the compressor, you are first going to have an evacuate and recharge addition that usually is approximately 1.4 hours flat rate. To replace the compressor, for a 3.4L is 2.2 hours flat rate, and for a 3.1L it is 1.1 hours. You may have a recommendation to replace the expansion device(orifice tube) at the same time, which will add some time to the estimate. These times are approximate, and will calculate to the dollars a shop charges per flat rate hour. The times are taken from ALLDATA.

Jun 2, 2010 at 10:16 PM

PDLADY88101

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what pulley are you refering to?Can the pulley be replaced and not the compressor, if indeed it is the pulley or are the compressor and pulley combined?

Jun 3, 2010 at 8:45 AM

FACTORYJACK

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4,159 POSTS

I would be referring to the compressor drive pulley. In some cases it can be replaced seperately, but if you state that performance has been degraded and the compressor may be at fault, you would replace it as an assembly.

Jun 3, 2010 at 9:01 AM