Sounds like someone hits the frontj of the truck grill when I turn on the A/C! Anyone else having this problem? What causes it?

 

Does it do it all the time or just when the trucks cold.
Hows the cooling ability. It might be just a sensitive clutch or some internal problems. Also check to see if a mountng braket is loose or broken.

 

Does it when cold everytime so far but I quit turning it on even tho it worked quite well with no noticeable noise during operation, because I didn' want to jerk the belt off or anything.

 

More than likely this noise is happening after the truck sits for an extended period of time? Does it do it after it sits overnight? More than likely what is happening is if the mode switch is left in any position where the a/c compresor runs it will do it. This happens to many ford vehicles but not all. When you shut off the truck and it sits the liquid refrigerant migrates back to the evaporator inside the vehicle. Then when it gets cold out and you start the truck and turn on the defroster(which runs the compressor) the liquid refrigernt hits the compressor and makes the noise. I have a copy of this special service message from Ford at work, so this isn't a exact quote from it. But if you put hte mode switch on panel before turning the truck off it should help cut down on the noise happening. Also don't turn on the defroster or a/c for a couple minutes till the refrigerant warms up. It has worked on my truck.

 

fordfixer.....You're right about the bulletin and the rep is gonna look it over next time he's in the area. Naturally, it didn"t do it when I arrived @ dealers and turned it on for 'em. Never fails! Guess it warmed up driving 40 miles. Thanks for the heads up.

 

fordfixer is right. It's called SLUGGING. It is normal,and therefore I know of no fix available. But I don't have the tsb number on me. The Windstars seem to be the number one culprits. Very rarely do I hear it on an F-series truck.

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1997 F-150, 4.6, automatic, Dark Toreador Red, Supercab, Flareside, 4X4 Off-Road, Towing Package, Ford hvy dty rubber floor mats, Kenwood 10-disk cd changer, Ford bugshield, Chrome Grizzly Wrap Around Push Bar with 2 KC 100w Daylighters, Ventshades, Ford bedliner, Lund Premier tonneau cover, cab and bed professionally undercoated, Code Alarm Sure Start RVS remote starter, Ford alarm, Realistic CB with Wilson Little Wil antenna and Astatic power mic, ported MAF sensor, and Lots of TLC!! (Besides being an F-150 nut, I am a Ford auto technician.)

 

sycoholic........I've never owned any vehicle that banged like this when cold or otherwise. It literally sounds like something hits the fan and you can feel the impact inside the cab. Should such a high priced purchase sound worse than a 30-yr old worn out piece of crap? My friend's 97 F-150 A/C doesn't do this, and I haven't seen any other posts about it either. A/C refridgerant isn't so thick when cold it would cause this is it?....and why just mine, then?