Volvo XC70 P3 AirCon compressor

[aaronh21]

Hi

I have a 2011 Volvo XC70 D5 that has a noisy a/c compressor, one question on the D5 244T15 engine where is the AC compressor hiding? I can see the alternator and what looks like a belt driven oil or power steering pump but no A/C compressor? I was expecting to see it at the front under the alternator but nope nothing. 🤔

Any advice on the location would be very much welcome.

Aaron.

[bananarama]

Take a picture of the area and show us...

[monkeh]

Take the arch liner out and it will be quite clear.

The aircon compressor should be run from its own stretch belt. First thing I had to remove when replacing my power steering pump.

It's either that, or your power steering pump will be run off that stretch belt and the air con compressor will be buried where the power steering pump would be.

For some reason volvo switch their places. I unfortunately needed to replace my steering pump. Removing the air con pump and positioning it for the PS pump removal helped its extraction.

[BigGreenThing]

Following!

Mine too has a slightly "noisier than it was before" a/c compressor. Sounds like a belt-based noise. No groaning/straining/crunching/banging noises etc. IT's the XC70 D3 5-pot diesel. A/c not quite as cold as it has been in the past ( or is that simply down to massively high temperatures we've had at moments over the last month!

I tried re-gas and leakage test last week - to see if the system was straining through shortage of gas (the system still had a lot of gas in it).

Based on this, leakage wasn't a culprit, but had a leakage test done anyway (no obvious leaks). Still no improvement in slightly nosier a/c sound nor cold air coming out.

For me, my hopeful guessing is it could be one of 4 things:

- a/c belt (I can see records of all other belts being changed in line with recommendations, but not the a/c specific one...so was never sure whether compressor ran off the aux belt or its own one!);

- compressor clutch is worn - and engagement isn't as efficient/effective as it should be;

- a/c control valve (aka pressure control switch) in the compressor is worn.

- a/c drainage tube blockage (to catch the condensate from the low pressure side of things). Still can't figure out if my Volvo a/c system has one!! I think it may be here:https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...tail&FORM=VIRE



Given the "belt noise" situation, the fact my aux belt needs changing as it's due in a few 1000 miles (and I'm doing some looooong road trips in September)...I'm reluctantly taking it for check-up on belts and a/c at Volvo next Monday. £98 for check and diagnosis!

[Bulleidboy]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but it is an aircon related question. I have a noise(?)
which is a higher tone than the engine, but seems to fluctuate when the accelerator is pressed. It is not the aircon fan, but the noise stops if I turn the aircon off. Could it be the bearing on the aircon compressor? My aircon is not brilliant even after a re-gas last year. Late 2010 XC70.

[Tannaton]

The a/c compressor lives under the alternator and as Monkeh said has its own stretch belt.

However…. The compressor is a very simple pump, ultra reliable and unless it’s a mechanical noise (like a bearing gone dry) usually quiet in operation.

Also…. On the 2012-2015 P3 platform there is a known issue with noise (whining) aircon which is down to the expansion valve or pipe connected to it, and the hotter the day is, the louder the noise. If affects my 2015 XC60 quite noticeably and my sisters 2013 XC70 less so.

The whine can also be caused by low gas, so a regas may be worth a try but if that doesn’t cure it, I’d stop there and try to live with it.

I believe the Volvo Technical Journal on this issue is TJ29474 - Google that for more context.

[BigGreenThing]

"The a/c compressor lives under the alternator and as Monkeh said has its own stretch belt.

However…. The compressor is a very simple pump, ultra reliable and unless it’s a mechanical noise (like a bearing gone dry) usually quiet in operation.

Also…. On the 2012-2015 P3 platform there is a known issue with noise (whining) aircon which is down to the expansion valve or pipe connected to it, and the hotter the day is, the louder the noise. If affects my 2015 XC60 quite noticeably and my sisters 2013 XC70 less so.

The whine can also be caused by low gas, so a regas may be worth a try but if that doesn’t cure it, I’d stop there and try to live with it.

I believe the Volvo Technical Journal on this issue is TJ29474 - Google that for more context".

Thanks for the feedback Tannaton. I'm currently sat in Volvo main dealer garage having both the Aux belt tensioner/idler replaced (slightly earlier than required, but due to large impending journey) alongside the a/c belt which, from what I and Volvo can see...has NEVER been changed since it was built in 2011!!

I took my car in because of the a/c whining/buzzing. Particularly when it was really hot (although I wasn't shifting the internal thermostat to "low" or anything). Typically, cooler today, not a whine to be had, but it is noisier than it once was. Was also told that the refrigerant gases used (R134a and the other one) have both changed to be more environmentally friendly. The offset is that it doesn't produce ice-cold a/c. Just cold. Really?

Anyways, 2 belts replaced...and I can hang on a bit longer for the cambelt change...

Fingers crossed nothing else major appears in their investigation of the car!!

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by BigGreenThing

"

.....Was also told that the refrigerant gases used (R134a and the other one) have both changed to be more environmentally friendly. The offset is that it doesn't produce ice-cold a/c. Just cold. Really?

I don't believe there is a recommended change interval for the stretch belt (AC) - could be wrong - so it doesn't surprise me it's the original.

I didn't think R134a had been banned yet (for refilling older cars) but there are a number of replacement gases out there which are being used, but from what I read they are supposed to be more efficient than 134 so I would be skeptical of that explanation....

I think KwikFit are still refilling with 134.

[Fitzy73]

My recent air conditioning problem turned out to be the failure of the fans, which were replaced at my local dealer.

They did tell me the compressor was now making a noise and recommend leaving it as replacement would be around £1,100. I assumed the noise couldn’t be that bad if they were suggesting ignore it.

On collection it whines like a supercharger and drowns out the engine.

[passenger]

Wow 1100 pounds for AC kompressor. Buy new 200-250, do by some AC mechs