Hey gang. I have a 97 4.6 truck that runs great. Only problem I'm having is when I turn on the AC I hear a "wobbling" sound from under the hood. I have 110k miles so have been replacing parts here and there. The only time I hear the noise is when I switch the AC on. Plenty of cold air but figure it's going out. How difficult would this be to replace myself or would I be better off taking it to the dealership?

 

Check your A/C clutch.

 

Remove your serp belt and check all your pullies.

 

Here is a video.
You should do it yourself, unless you want to pay $1,000 for the job.
Go to youtube and enter "replace Ford ac compressor" and there are a series of how to videos you can watch that show it from start to finish.
It will be an expedition, but it is the same.

 

dude, if your air blows hard and cold, who cares?

don't fix it, if it ain't broke .........

 

Wobbling sound is difficult to guess. I haven't heard about AC compressor going wobbly before failing. If the bearing is loose enough to give wobbly sound, I suspect it will have seized before reaching that point. YOu may want to check out ac belt pulley or clutch.

 

That compressor/cluth seizes when it breaks, pops the serpentine belt, and leaves you on the side of the road. Then you cannot drive the truck until you either put a new compressor on it or new non/ac pulley and non/AC belt. There is even a name from Ford drivers for that event, it is called "the black death".
So everyone should care if their compressor is making strange sounds.

 

Ok, let him spend $1200 on a new compressor job, and when the noise still persists, I'll tell you I told you so.

 

Throwing new parts at the truck is NEVER going to work. He has to pintpoint the noise first....not spend a butt load of money on a new compressor job ....