Air Conditioning - Loud clanking noise

:eek: I wonder if anyone might have an idea concerning what is going on? My air conditioner ran well all day, the house was cool. Then later this evening it began to make this loud clanking noise. I quickly shut it off for fear of causing damage. I have tried to turn it back on but the noise remains. Thank-you

Hi Christine:

Is the noise at the indoor section or the outdoor section? A clanging type noise suggests to me that perhaps one of the fans is hitting against it's adjacent shroud.

Hi Christine:

Is the noise at the indoor section or the outdoor section? A clanging type noise suggests to me that perhaps one of the fans is hitting against it's adjacent shroud.
Im sorry but Im not sure and the family member that took a look at it is not here. I called the company to come out and they will be here today. Im going to post the results afterward so I can share the info. The service call alone is $79.00 dollars.... :eek: but it is going to be a hot one today, soooo, Im sure that won't matter as much as soon as I start sweating! One thing I would like to mention.....While I was browsing this site, I read where someone said the freon should last the life of the unit? Well, I mentioned that while on the phone with them, and they said that that is not so as there can be a leak in the line etc. They did service it once before while it was still on warranty and had to put freon in it at that time. Please forgive spelling errors, I just woke up and no coffee yet..... :rolleyes:

If it leaked they should have found the leak and repaired it. Not just gas-n-go

If it leaked they should have found the leak and repaired it. Not just gas-n-go Thanks Iam now aware of that and if he said it is low on freon again, Im going to bring that up. He is on his way now and I will post the results.

Thanks Iam now aware of that and if he said it is low on freon again, Im going to bring that up. He is on his way now and I will post the results. Well Im back with the results....Get this, the company that sold me the unit for two thousand dollars has now informed me the compresser is shot...so the whole unit is gone. I just paid them 79 more dollars to tell me this! The unit is eight years old!!!! Iam so angry!

Whenever you get a failed compressor diagnosis it's always a good idea to get a second opinion.

Did they give you any kind of explanation of what caused the failure?

Did they give you any kind of explanation of what caused the failure? No, they did not, in fact it was likened to buying a car and once in a while you get one that does not last!!! I have been on the phone with the install company and Carrier, whom made the unit and have gotton nothing but the same results. Sometimes they last and sometimes they don't! There is no protection for those that don't past a five year warranty, for the unit we bought. Can you imagine? I guess that is Capitalism....nothing is made to last! One thing for sure is we will not buy another Carrier, but look into buying a train or Lenox. Oh yes they did mention power surges, yet when I asked for a device which could prevent that, I was told they are about two hundered dollars but rarely did they see the need for one. We are in the trades and know how these things work, and if they really cared about the customer, they would have accommodated us in some way. Even if there had been a offer to split the difference, or something! It was clear and simple from the onset....Oh well, it is your problem! This is likened to my friend whom works in plumbing and they have stopped recommending Kohlor products as they have went down hill in product performance and back up. The workers have to deal with the unhappy customers, which the product has reflected upon them. Carrier is now on that list by word of mouth.

That's to bad that they will not work with you at all. Out of warranty is out of warranty but seems like they could cut you some kind of deal to keep you as a customer. Not knowing how well you kept it maintained "which is imperitive for longevity" you only got 1/2 the life out of it.

Now that "they" say it's dead have you gotten a 2nd opinion? Can you run it and tell where the loud clanking noise is coming from?

That's to bad that they will not work with you at all. Out of warranty is out of warranty but seems like they could cut you some kind of deal to keep you as a customer. Not knowing how well you kept it maintained "which is imperitive for longevity" you only got 1/2 the life out of it.

Now that "they" say it's dead have you gotten a 2nd opinion? Can you run it and tell where the loud clanking noise is coming from? Actually, we have spoken with alot of people and the opinion is that the compressor is gone. We have spoken to someone that gave us a good quote on a Arco Air. Does anyone know about this brand? The installer is local and said he would install it himself. It is a ten year warranty on the compressor. He gave us a price of twelve hundred but then as we spoke to him longer he brought the price down to one thousand. The first dealer did say he would install a Traine for twelve hundred. Some have told me that they have alot of problems with the warranties with Traine. Others suggested Rheem, but then we were told that they are pretty difficult for the homeowner to keep clean. Ours was a 10 seer, I found out. From what I have been told, a 10 is pretty common in our area since we only use it two to three months out of the year. I have read where by 2006 restrictions of a 13 will be put in force, along with the new type of freon they call puron?

Compressors do not make a loud clanking noise, they either run or they don't. While it's true some are louder than others, still they either work or not.

Sounds to me that someone is trying to sell you something you don't need, Get a second opinion!

Rheem is ok but cheap, Arco air is even cheaper. Keep in mind that the outdoor unit (A/C) consists of a coil, a compressor, and a control of some type. It's really very simple stuff once you have the basics in hand.