does anyone know if your ac compressor makes sort of a knocking sound when it goes bad?
I just got my timing belt, water pump and seals changed, and a valve adjustment. The motor is quiet now, but it still makes this knocking sound that sounds like it isnt the motor at all.
The noise comes and goes, even if my car is warmed up. Its a really gross sound, but my car runs fine.
The mechanic said it was the AC compressor. Those are $500 and dont have that kind of money to be guessing


so i just checked youtube for bad ac compressors, and it sounds like that could be the problem.
how necessary is it to change it?

 

A bad A/C compressor can be noisy, for example when the clutch has excessive free play. By the way, you might want to verify that removal of the A/C belt eliminates the noise.

 

i changed the alternator belt, timing belt, and ac belt

 

I cant see a used ac compressor being much. Ebay all the way.

 

i can deal with the noise for now, as long as it wont damage anything.
what exactly does it do and how is it going to affect me?

 

I recommend that you remove the A/C belt because, if the compressor were to seize for some reason, then the A/C belt might possibly break and damage the alternator and PS belts in the process. Another benefit of removing the A/C belt should be the elimination of an annoying noise. You wouldn't have a functional A/C unit in your car, but I assume you won't need it until spring or summer anyway.