[Jr Godzilla]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Its low gas level, sss sound is basically the refrigerant moving inside the system. Your AC system requires a top up and also do check for any leaks while at this.

this ssssssss sound is there in my vehicle too and it cools damn perfect for the Gulf Summer.
this sssss sound is there everytime the thermostat gets the system to go on / off.
As youve said its the refrigerant moving inside the system but it cannot indicate that the refrigerant is low.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Jr Godzilla

this ssssssss sound is there in my vehicle too and it cools damn perfect for the Gulf Summer.
this sssss sound is there everytime the thermostat gets the system to go on / off.
As youve said its the refrigerant moving inside the system but it cannot indicate that the refrigerant is low.

Yes i agree and i clarified, it doesnt mean gas is low. The earlier post second sentence should have been a separate paragraph, and read as: Ignore the sss sound and in your case.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

This sounds more like a bearing issue or a something stuck inside the blower unit issue.

Thanks for the reply Jaggu. Could the groaning noise be due to the belt slipping? Would a worn out belt cause such a sound?

If the issue is with the bearing, how much would it cost to rectify considering the car is an esteem?

[anupmathur]

Tanveer, is the airflow normal at all times? Or is it reduced when the hissing sound comes?
I'm suspecting there is moisture in the system and perhaps the expansion valve/orifice is getting iced up.
Alternatively, is your cooling coil/evaporator getting iced up?
Both cases would involve a ssssshhh sound and drastically reduced cooling.
Does the Indica have a wee glass on the accumulator in the liquid line to show gas flow?

If it is only gas reaching the expansion valve/orifice the sound can come. Normally it is liquid that must reach here.

[tsk1979]

This is not bearing sound. and airflow is same at all times. It indeed sounds like "gas" noise. Its not the flutter inside the blower type noise.
I will go to AC guy and get gas pressure checked and filled I guess.
So I think that gas is reaching the evaporator instead of liquid?
What does that mean? Low gas pressure or compressor gone kaput?

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Thanks for the reply Jaggu. Could the groaning noise be due to the belt slipping? Would a worn out belt cause such a sound?

If the issue is with the bearing, how much would it cost to rectify considering the car is an esteem?

No, belt slip will be screeching sound, groan is more of bearing issue. You never know the blower unit might be just misaligned also. Cost i have no idea.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

This is not bearing sound. and airflow is same at all times. It indeed sounds like "gas" noise. Its not the flutter inside the blower type noise.
I will go to AC guy and get gas pressure checked and filled I guess.
So I think that gas is reaching the evaporator instead of liquid?
What does that mean? Low gas pressure or compressor gone kaput?

No no no, its refrigerant aka gas, when pressurized it becomes liquid refrigerant (thats the way it has to be) moving inside. Just check the gas levels, thats all. Your problem should be solved by then.

Icing is too much cooling, can be due to excess refregirant OR poor grill temp transfer / clogged blower, which results in less transfer of the chilling and the refregirant freezes ups, and the system stops pumping the way it should. To trouble shoot, just cut off the compressor for sometime with blower at full blast. Then switch ON compressor, AC should go back to normal cooiling.

When was the last time the AC was serviced, as in the blower grill and all? Hope they are clean.

[tsk1979]

I recently got the bearings changed. But gas filling was done at a horrible place.
I think I better go to a better shop.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I recently got the bearings changed. But gas filling was done at a horrible place.
I think I better go to a better shop.

This could be the culprit. Gas filling has to be done through a filter/dryer unit and after purging out residual air from the AC system pipelines and coils. Idea being that there should not be ANY moisture in the system. If there is, this will go and freeze in the expansion valve/orifice (at the inlet to the evaporator coil) and the AC will be rendered 'useless'.
No damage is caused to the compressor by any of these faults.

[varunroy]

The best way to find that out is by doing a pressure test. If the pressure is low, which is a possibility , then there is a leak in your system. Ask the AC Man to check for leaks with soap water after loading the system with nitrogen first. I suggest that you run your car for a couple of days with Nitro, recheck for lost pressure and only after everything is fine , stuff the recommended Gas and then just chill

BTW, the SSSSS sound could be from a worn out or slack V-belt and not the gas leak sound. Another piece of advise is to run your AC everyday for 2 minutes atleast. This helps in the rotation of the gas and retains all the rubber seals in good shape and also prevents them from hardening.

So long....

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I recently got the bearings changed. But gas filling was done at a horrible place.
I think I better go to a better shop.

You nailed it i guess, just get a good refill done. Ensure they use the required amount of oil for compressor also to give long term peace of mind.

[tsk1979]

I went to a good shop today.
He topped up the gas for 400rs(it was half the required quantity) and then checked the pressure too.
He checked the compressor backpressure etc., and said "Compressor is slightly weak" since its 100,000+ old, so cooling will be slightly less than a brand new car.
After the topup, I heard the AC cutout after a long long time.
There was fogging on the glass too on the outside, again after ages.
So I have a chilled indica again. There are no sssss sounds also
So long folks and thanks for all the fish

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

groan is more of bearing issue. You never know the blower unit might be just misaligned also. Cost i have no idea.

Got the car serviced over the weekend and the groaning noise was attributed to worn bearings. The M.A.S.S. said it'll cost me 15k to get the compressor overhauled. The service guy said the unit will be sent to Delhi (H.O.) for repairs and will take about a fortnight or a month to complete the job.

I guess I can buy a brand new one for around that price.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I recently got the bearings changed. But gas filling was done at a horrible place.

How much did it cost Tanveer? Was the job carried out at the A.S.S. or at a local mechanic?

[esteem_lover]

M.A.S.S give the comps to pudupet for overhauling. He even comes back & fits it in the car for them at the A.S.S

[RedMM340]

My guess is that your expansion valve is choked. This is a valve just before the evaporator inside the passenger compartment.

Chances are that when you had the ac serviced at the 3rd rate shop, they put in dirt along with the gas re-charge and this clogged your expansion valve.

The way to fix this is to replace the expansion valve, fully evacuate the ac system and recharge with pure gas/oil.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of a/c charging shops use diluted gas to increase their profit margins, so be careful who you get the gas from.

Regards,

Gaurav

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

M.A.S.S give the comps to pudupet for overhauling. He even comes back & fits it in the car for them at the A.S.S

Thanks for the info John. I had been to MSM and they said the part will have to be sent to Delhi as it is their HO. But when the need arises I will get it done locally. Spending such an amount for just overhauling is not justified. I guess it should cost way lesser if a local techinican can fix the issue.