My a/c compressor is going on and off more often and has gotten very loud. I did a search and it seems like I might need a new belt tensioner, but I can't find the part number. Does anyone have this, my car is an '04. Could I replace the belt myself?

Thanks!

 

31180-RCA-A01?? Might wanna call Acura/Honda and run the part number through them lol I got that info from acuraoemparts.com

 

The drive belt tensioner/pulley will not cause the a/c compressor to turn on and off at a different rate, regardless of its condition. If the noise is noticeable only when the compressor is energized, compressor bad and conversely if the noise is only noticeable when the compressor is off, clutch bearing. Now if it's noticeable at all times, look into the tensioner or idler pulley bearing.
Belt replacement not difficult, although tight quarters, but when the serpentine belt is removed, check the bearings for noise while spinning each one.

 

on my gen2, the ac tensioner made noise starting at 45kmiles and lasted until close to 80 by which time it sounded like a V8 engine rumble

I tride to get it from the top - no way with my fat hands
I believe the shop goes thru the passenger side fenderwell plastic panel
Then its easy to get
I paid a shop to do mine after losing some layers of skin

funny that a shop had replaced that belt just before car sold to me,,old owner got oil/belts changed etc so it was ready to drive
Except shop didnt bother to spin the pullies while belt was off to find the problem

That is something I was taught decades ago- and fell victim to on my own old truck when the air pump failed on a trip--should have ckd it when replaced the drive belts --
a long way from no-where when that happened of course,,
caused alternator to cut in and out as pump would sometimes spin until total lockup
What fun cross country trips in a beater ride were~

 

I'm due for my timing belt/water pump maintenance, so I'll have the shop look at it when I'm there. Thanks guys.

 

My a/c compressor has been cycling on louder than usual. I just had my timing belt/water pump maintenance done, and the stealership service guy told me the problem should be solved once they changed the compressor belt. I thought it was okay when I got the car back, however it's still making noise so now I have to bring it back again.

The a/c is working fine, it's just noisy. What else could be causing this problem?

 

threads merged.

 

Here's an update on the a/c -

The compressor isn't cycling on more often as I thought, it's just loud so I'm more aware of when it cycles on.

When I had the timing belt/water pump maintenance done last week, my Acura dealer also replaced the accessory belts. The a/c is still loud, so I brought the car in for them to look at. A technician came out to the lot and said the sound was normal. I was surprised that a car is supposed to sound like an airplane, so he offered to run the a/c in another car and compare the two. He couldn't find an '04 TL nearby, so he ran the a/c in an '06 and it was practically silent, even with the hood open. Then a woman drove in with an '04 TL, and after she dropped it off the tech ran her a/c. Sure enough, it sounded similar to mine.

He said the bearings on the fan are worn. Since the a/c works fine, he didn't suggest I replace the fan until the a/c stopped working. He said the fan is under the radiator, and it's a 2 hour job to replace it, so my guess is it probably runs over $400 (labor is $120 an hour). I asked if it broke, would the engine or anything would get damaged, and he said no, that the only thing that would happen is that the a/c would stop working. Do you think he's right about that?

I have 107,000 miles on the car now and drive 30,000 miles a year, so I figure I'll have this car another year or two the most. I guess I won't have the fan replaced now since the a/c works fine, and hopefully it will last until I get my next car.

 

Narnia, is the car running any better now?
.
.

 

I don't notice any difference since the timing belt maintenance work was done. I also had the spark plugs changed, and don't notice any difference from that either. Other than the a/c noise the car is fine.