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Air Conditioning Squeel / Steaming up windscreen

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Old May 12, 2008 | 09:24 PM
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Question Air Conditioning Squeel / Steaming up windscreen

Help please guys.

Id noticed that when ever i was out at night in the scoob the front windscreen would mist up and be very hard to clear (Would have to have air con on full tilt on widscreen only) This pointed me to a leak somewhere and water getting in behind the dash maybe??

Then, yesterday i was out all day in her and noticed a squeel at low speed, throughout the day it got worse, and just so happened stopped as i turned the a/c off. So after testing it i identified that the noice was definatly something to do with the air cos but im not sure what.

Im guessing that there could be a split in a pipe somewhere and the gas is leaking in behind the dahs but not sure.

So, before stripping half the dash out to investigate, i am hoping someone can give me any advice or share a similar experiance to give me some sort of idea what the problem could be??

Thanks guys
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Old May 12, 2008 | 09:33 PM
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I'm think the compressor run off the ribbed belt, is seizing causing the noise. Look at the belt while aircon is on can you see something weird? ie slipping belt or clutch on compressor.
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Old May 12, 2008 | 09:59 PM
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Would that cause the steaming up of the windscreen too or are these two seperate problems?
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Old May 13, 2008 | 08:24 PM
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Any further advice guys?
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Old May 13, 2008 | 10:57 PM
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Originally Posted by h4rry
Would that cause the steaming up of the windscreen too or are these two seperate problems?
Hi, yeah if your compressor is seizing or seized or loose belt on compressor this can cause this also.
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Old May 14, 2008 | 01:20 AM
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Steaming windshield is often coolant leak from the heater core. How is your coolant level? Does the moisture smell like your coolant? The squealing could be a loose belt. It could also be a failing bearing in the fan for the A/C. To test that turn off the A/C (the compressor will be off as well) and use only the heater. Same fan, so if it is bad it will still squeal, if no more squealing then it is the compressor belt. Spraying the belt with fan belt dressing should also quiet it down... for a while at least.
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Old May 14, 2008 | 05:23 PM
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It does seem to use a bit of coolant latley tbh. Where would the heater core be?? How do i check if its leaking??

It is definatly only squeeling when the a/c is on. Does it run off the cam belt or has it got its own belt. Ill use a bit of wd40 for the mean time so it does not annoy me.

Thanks for the help so far guys.
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Old May 14, 2008 | 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by h4rry
It does seem to use a bit of coolant latley tbh. Where would the heater core be?? How do i check if its leaking??

It is definatly only squeeling when the a/c is on. Does it run off the cam belt or has it got its own belt. Ill use a bit of wd40 for the mean time so it does not annoy me.

Thanks for the help so far guys.
a/c has got its own belt and probably just needs re tensioning or changing,wd40 will not keep noise away or long.

have a good feel around the carpet in front foot wells for damp,the heater matrix is up behind the dash.
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Old May 14, 2008 | 08:34 PM
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I'm having to do my heater matrix this weekend after having the same symptoms as you. My passenger footwell is sopping wet. I have bypassed the matrix for the time being.
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Old May 14, 2008 | 09:00 PM
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I have just been out to check the footwells and cannot find a drop of water anywhere???
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Old May 14, 2008 | 09:03 PM
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definatly sounds like the clutch in the compressor seizing/slipping to me mate, I'd give an air con specialist a call to check/repair.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 02:05 AM
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Most often when the foot wells are wet the drain for the A/C evaporator is plugged causing the condesate to overflow and leak into the car. Dry foot wells simply means your evaporator box is draining properly. The heater matrix is usually in the same box as the A/C evaporator. You might also want to check A/C condensate to see if there is any coolant in it. If there is, that would be another sign your heater matrix is leaking, lack of coolant does not exclude it.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 10:14 AM
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I think there are two seperate problems here:

When you said turned off a/c..Was that everything or by pressing the a/c button?

You don't say where the squeel was comming from, so it If it was everything, you might have a interior fan problem, as well as compressor, rad fan, and belt.

If the interior fan is squeeling then maybe water is getting into the fan due to blocked drain holes in the scuttle panel intake and corroded the fan bearings.

If it was just the a/c button, then belt/compressor or rad fan problem. An easy way to cure/diagnose belt noise is just to run some chalk on the ribbed side of both belts with the engine running (watch your fingers ).

When you turn off a/c when its being used for some time, the car can steam up - this is due to condesation that collects on the evaporator unit evaporating into the interior. This is normal, but if excessive there is a problem. There are drain holes to drain off excess condensate, these can become blocked. Also a leaky heater matrix will cause the same issue - check for wet footwell carpets - a sweet antifreeze smell and loss of coolant.
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