Hit ac button, immediate squealing

This screams the second i hit the ac. Ok actually just tried again. No screaming now, but ac light begins blinking and no cold air

 

Yep!

Don't sweat it, it's just normal maintenance. I'm at 220,000 miles.

 

no cold air seems the clutch not engaging, hopefully the rest will be good like the compressor that's big buck item

 

https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/p...VAC&group=AIR CONDITIONER&subgroup=COMPRESSOR

 

Just got home. Hit the button and center spins for a second then stops. Pully around it spins. Ac light begins to blink. It isnt squealing anymore.

 

sounds like the clutch isn't engaging

 

I would think the next step is to see if you have a good charge in the system. Unfortunately with the squealing noise I think you'll be replacing the clutch/pulley or possibly the whole compressor.

 

When the center spins, is that the clutch engaging, and disengaging whem it stops?

 

Great! Having it looked at in the am.

 

I think so, when its fully engaging I think that the compressor will be turning(running) if the center stops I think its not running pumping cool air

 

The compressor doesn't pump air

 

refrigerant

 

https://www.autozone.com/landing/page.jsp?name=diagnose-auto-ac-problem

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ac-clutch-failure-how-to-fix-blinking-light-squealing.448009/

 

FYI if the clutch is bad, most shops will want to replace the compressor also at a much higher cost, but it's not necessary.

 

How do we know specifically if its the clutch or compressor? Was that squealing sound that stopped something in the clutch wearing away?

 

Exactly. You can turn the AC on and you'll see the compressor cycle by the center spinning along with the pulley.

 

What's it mean when the center spins, then stops and ac light flashes?

 

The starting and stopping is part of the normal cycle. The blinking light is telling you there's something wrong. That's all.
As an example: you turn the AC on and no cold air. Fan works as does everything else. No cold air, no change in the engine. We'll say the clutch is bad... The system is expecting to see pressure changes and it doesn't. So it causes the light to blink.

To me, the squealing is indicative of a seizure. The clutch locks up on the pulley, but being siezed it can't spin and sqeals like a banshee as the belt gets pulled around a now locked up pulley.

Being on the wrong side of an idler pulley will also make the belt scream. Nothing like waking up the neighbors at O'dark thirty.

It was soooooooofaking loud. Lol