Hey guys what's up, just last night, I started to hear this swinging sound when I run over speed humps. My neighborhood is a gated community so there's speed humps that we have to slow down to in order to go over them softly/smoothly. Well anyways, last night I was headin to work, I reversed, then put it in drive (heard no sound as of yet) and just as I go over this speed hump, some where underneath starts to make a sound as if there's a metal part lose. At first I thought it was my exhaust, but I thought, that's not possible because the exhaust would be a lot louder, especially when accelerating. So I parked my car on the side of the street, got out and placed my hand in front of my tail pipe, and I felt exhaust. I thought alright so it's not my exaust so maybe it's not that bad. When I got off of work, I quickly went underneath my car, just enough to place my hand on the excaust pipe and try to swing it back and forth. Nothing.... didn't budge, I looked around under my car and I didn't see anything "look" loose or anything hangin from underneath.

My question is... what could this possibly be? It literally sounds like aluminum metal swingin and I think I can hear like a chain... ugh I can't even explain what the heck I'm hearing, it's just mind boggling. My final conclusion is... because my A/C stopped working about a month ago (doesn't push out cold air) that maybe a chain snapped and I'm just now realizing the sound? But then again I don't think the A/C pulley is chained, it's belted right?

I'm already at the point of sellin it for $4k, I'm scared this car's gonna leave me stranded.

 

Bumping this!

 

AC pully is belt driven. The system probably just needs a recharge. You can pick up a recharge kit for $20 from an auto parts store... real easy to use.

My guess on the noise is an exhaust bracket or hanger is loose.

I would not worry about you car stranding you.

 

I had the same thing happen to me with my old car.. it turned out to be the cat shielding that had rusted loose and was banging against the cat.

 

Oh crap... I never thought of this, thanks bro!

Do I just take it off? or have it welded on again or replace it? What should I do if it's the cat shield?

 

Take it off.

 

Might be the strut, mines blown and makes that annoying sound when ever it goes over the smallest bumps

 

Naw I just recently replaced my struts front/rear.

And i30ds, as soon as my A/C went out on me, I went and got a recharge kit and did what I had to, but it's still not blowin cold A/C. Someone mentioned it might be the gate? I forgot the term they used but something that lifts or drops... I've never had a A/C problem with my other cars, so I don't know how to exactly trouble shoot my A/C. And just to get a mechanic to take a look at it costs quite a bit... so I'm in a sticky situation with that. But tomorrow morning I'm gonna take a look at it and see if it's the shield, if so, I'll just take it off

 

if you recharged it and the system is still not working, then you might be looking at a new ac compressor.

 

It might be a simple fix for the A/C. Mine was out for almost 3 months I think before I figured out it was just the relay died. 12 bucks...

 

I had the same thing on my SAAB... And this was after I replaced the compressor. Woops. At least I know I can replace an A/C compressor now.

 

first and most important--can you hear the clutch lock up and the compressor turn on and off?
if so with a/c on full blast for a minute or so feel the lines at the a/c condensor, are they warm?

there's not to much you can self diagnose on a/c systems without high & low gauges, accept for electrical or compressor/clutch problems. we need to know if your compressor is coming on first, if it's not there could be many problems even a low charge won't allow the clutch for the compressor to engage........

 

What I hear when I turn on he A/C is a small click/pop, and you can hear something mechanical turn on, sounds a a bit hollow? When the car's off, and I turn the A/C on, it doesn't make a sound of any sort, so I'm assuming that the compressor is activating when the A/C is turned on.

Update:

Ok... this is going to sound insanely weird. I turn the A/C on full blast, get out of the car, shut the door. I open up my hood and wait a few minutes, as I'm waiting, I'm hearing a ticking sound... I mean a clear ticking sound coming from the rear, I open my door, the ticking sound stops, I close it... and it starts again. So I go behind my car and notice it's coming from right behind my tire, I look underneath and I try to light my lighter, the lighter keeps blowin out, I stick my hand under the area that my lighter was... and I feel air blowing. I shut the A/C off, close the door, the ticking is gone, I stick my hand in the same area... no more air blowing.

Ok I turn on the A/C again give it a few minutes, and I noticed that where the windshield gaurd is (where the windshield wipers are connected) with the hood down, air is blowing full blast, I thought... ok maybe it's just the fans that are blowing so powerful I can feel it coming out of my hood onto my windshield. I pop the hood again, feel the condessor/aluminum lines (L)/(H) and they become warm. This car has totally convinced me that the A/C problem is on such a horrible scale, that fixin it would be useless... Unless it's normal to have air blowing undernear your car and behind the rear tire, then nevermind.... but that's honestly mind boggling.

 

Sounds like the compressor is turning on and off. So, more than likely, you are looking at a new one. Nobody can really say for sure though, so just live with out ac for a while until you have the cash to have system diagnosed.

 

L pressure lines should actually be cold. You confused me on the air blowing, is it cold? could you possibly have just a stuck flapper behind your dash or a little vacuum line popped off, broken or disconnected? You live in florida, you need a/c.

 

.. cound the air blowing be because your cooling fans (radiator) turn on when u turn on the AC.. so thats why you felt air...

 

Same exact problem here. I just thought it was me driving to fast over the bumps. Did the problem turn out to be the Cat Shield??

 

Yeah it was the Cat shield.

As for the air blowing, only when the A/C is on, I can feel air blowing from the top of the hood (between the window and the hood). I can also feel air blowing at the rear end of my ride, behind the tire, and right above the lip of the rear bumper on the driver side.

It's mind boggling... I don't know what to do.

And yes I know I live in Florida... I'm either gonna have to take it to a mechanic/ A/C Repair shop (if it's cheap) or try to sell my car before next year's hot summer weather.

 

1) Any ideas guys. I took my car to the dealer as it is still under warranty and suggested to them the noise I heard was coming from the cat shield. They stated that it wasn't that after they "looked". They said it was due to my aftermarket rims. Problem is.... I have heard this and complained about it prior to purchasing the rims and I showed them the receipts. They still said that had to be the problem. Any ideas guys? What can I do??

2) Was gonna purchase the extended warranty but after this issue, I don't think I should. What do you guys suggest?

 

Yes it's the compressor after all. Let me ask you, is it safe to just buy a used compressor and use my current clutch with it? Or should I buy with clutch? I honestly cannot spend $500+ on A/C right now just for parts and installation.

 

You could just get a used one and use it with your current clutch.

 

Any chance you also just replaced the CV joints with aftermarket units?

I have another idea if so.