AC noise from hell

[runnyrunnerton]

Just replaced my engine, During the break in procedure, everything was humming along fine. Then i hit the AC. I have never heard anything so foul. I've searched the interweb and have yet to find a you tube video with this specific sound. Its a grinding sort of noise, that turns on instantly when the ac clutch turns on. It is almost deafening its so loud. It ends when the clutch turns off. I don't know if the idler pulley has bought the farm or the ac or both. I'm not above throwing a new one in, but I've never heard something so bad from an AC i was afraid to turn it on again.

Side note. The ac was working perfectly when I pulled the brackets etc off the old motor.

Also I noticed the adjustment of the idler seams to be indifferent to the adjustment screw. It still moves up and down but bottomed out and 10 turns in the effect on the belt is almost the same.

I have the feild service manual out and will start troubleshooting, just wanted to see if I fell into a common "everyone knows you do X before X".

 

[Konkordmusk]

A grinding noise from the AC compressor is typical of the clutch having bought the farm, or the bearings gone bad. What's weird is that it was fine just before, I don't really have a reason for that but its possible some clutch material worked its way loose and got into the clutch. Anyway, if you have a mechanics stethoscope, get someone to turn the AC on while you're probing the casing, to help you pinpoint the issue. A long screwdriver works as well if you're feeling bold.

 

[runnyrunnerton]

Hot it with some pb blaster and actuated the clutch with a 12 v power source a few times. Fired it up, engaged and the noise was gone but im getting squeeling at high speeds, i think the clutch and or bearings will give up the ghost soon. At full throttle if it screams, is that the belt or the clutch or what?