A/C started making rough noises today. What should I check?

[Walkerio]

It seems to be working fine but it's running very rough. I am currently in a very rural area and didn't plan on leaving for a week or two. Any ideas on what to check? It seems to be producing cool air but it sounds like a loud engine running or something along those lines.

[Walkerio]

The first picture is a closeup of the motor's label, there are some more pictures of the whole unit on the link below. I'm trying to get by without having to replace the whole unit. At this point it just seems like it's motor or bearings? I am not knowledgeable with this kind of stuff. Again, the shaft that's holding the fan is wobbling/vibrating so much that I cannot run the unit. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the fan itself. Thanks so much for the help.

The make of the A/C I believe is a Coleman. My thermostat says Coleman-Mach on it. I'm in a 2001 Jayco Eagle fifth wheel.




More images here:
http://imgur.com/a/2FbzO

[j-d]

Even if the fan motor, bearings, shaft, indoor blower and outdoor fan are all "in balance" the assembly's probably on rubber mounts to quiet it still further. When you say "wobble" is it just the shaft OF the motor or the motor itself? They don't wear bearings out, as much as bearings go dry or get contaminated. If it has knocked out a bearing, I'd guess some deposit (like bug nests) or damage (like bad fan hub or lost fan blade) has caused it.

The compressor is also on rubber mounts and the compressor in our old Coleman got out of one of them. I got it back and figured the repair wouldn't last but we never had the problem again.

Yes, if motor shaft is loose where it enters the motor bearings, you probably need a motor. We had one get "sticky." No matter how I cleaned and lubed it, the thing'd stick after running a few hours. There IS a thread here where somebody replaced the sleeve bearings these motors come with, with ball bearings. That really sounds good, but sleeve bearings (simple bushings) are inherently quieter than ball bearings. So the manufacturers get Quieter AND Cheaper all at once. I ended up replacing ours, cost around $100, no labor charge since I do all this stuff myself.

What's Make/Model of this A/C? can you post a picture of the label on the motor?

[Walkerio]

I was able to get up there today when the rain let up and it's not looking as easy as I suspected it might be. There are no nests are any obstructions. The noise seems to be coming from the vibration that the fan is giving off, although it doesn't seem lose in any parts. The rod that the fan is secured to that goes into the fan motor starts to wobble and the sounds gets louder the longer it's on. Is this an indication of a bad fan motor?

[Dick_B]

WD40 strikes again. I wish I had had stock in that company.
Better to spray Silicone or Lithium and use WD40 to loosen bolts or dry wires in your engine (WD = wire drier).

[Walkerio]

Thanks for the replies! I'll be working on it today whenever I can. Great timing for 3 days worth of storms in the forecast! 🙂

[therink]

Aside from nests, another thing to check is the fan motor. Mine starting making growling sounds when running. I determined bad bearings in the motor.
I bought a new motor (did a part # search online) from Amazon for $115. Easy install, now is quiet.

[mockybird]

Look for the nests like r luver suggested, mine was same, and I took a wooden ruler to knock it loose without removing cover . Then I shot something like wd40 in there and took the ruler and gave it a hard spin yturn. Removed ruler n turned it back on and it ran like a charm. I also have heard of small squirrel nests too in there

[rvluversnc93]

Remove the cover and I will lay money on the table that you will see a mud-daubers nest on the fan hub. Same thing has happened to me. Once at home the other on arrival in Charleston SC. It's a quick fix if that's what it is. They will build one Especially if it's been sitting unattended and off.

[Dandy_Dan]

Depending on the AC model, you might check the distribution fan. The Carrier Air V have had problems and no parts available.