Q45 Air Conditioner Problem

[MikalKintner]

1997 Q45

Driving home in 105 degree heat with A/C cranked at 65 degrees, air pressure suddenly seems reduced and temperature slowly begins to increase. Also, a musty almost humid air comes through. I get home, take the family inside, go out to see how bad it is, and the air is blowing at ambient temperature. When I turn A/C off, it makes a quick almost grinding noise.

Any ideas?

Compressor, or leak maybe?

[maxnix]

First off, have you ever cahnged your cabin filter? If not, fan motor is laboring to push air through the clogged filter, and no thermal transfer is taking place, stressing the compressor more...perhaps to failure?

[Q45tech]

10-12 years is GREAT LIFE for an ac compressor that is stressed with a lack of system mainteance.

[Q451990]

I would guess compressor failure given the quick failure and grinding noise. Most leaks, even large ones, will take a while to go from cooling to warm.

Heath

[MikalKintner]

Yes. The noise got significantly louder and more consistant through a couple of test runs. Closer inspection shows the compressor is in bad shape. Next question. I'm aware that 96 and 97 Q45 are entirely different platform. Does anyone know if a compressor out of a 96 will work for a 97?