Aircon pump squeak / chirp.

Pump on my car has suddenly become noisy as hell after a mere 200 miles, squeak can be heard quite a distance from the car, anyone else had the same issue ?
If you put your hand on the pump when running there's a vibration in time with the chirp, not sure it's long for this world
The oil leak has begun at the other end so I guess I'll be killing 2 birds with one stone when I give them a bell after Christmas

 

[PristDean]

Makes you wonder how many of MG's management have actually driven an MG or have one as a company car.

Lol... I bet the senior managers are driving BMW's or Mercs... the rest are scooting around in petrol & diesel peanut cars.

 

[Kithmo]

Checked mine today blowing as cold as it goes on full setting hardly any noise

Depends on the ambient temperature outside, the more work the compressor has to do the noisier it will be. E.g if it's 35 deg C and you have it set to the lowest setting it will be noisy, if it's 19 deg outside and you set the AC to 16 deg then it will be fairly quiet.

 

[Yandards]

I wonder how much it would cost just to take it to a local garage for it to be done can’t be that much

Been digging around for Aircon regas specs and info - it looks like about £130 for a regas but the snag factor appears to be the specified lubricant required isn't listed anywhere I can find.

 

[PristDean]

Been digging around for Aircon regas specs and info - it looks like about £130 for a regas but the snag factor appears to be the specified lubricant required isn't listed anywhere I can find.

As above.... For r1234yf... If the compressor requires heavier weight oil, such as PAG 150, but PAG 46, which is a lighter weight, is used, the result could be noisy compressor operation and premature wear.

 

[lbdsg]

Does anyone know if this is still an issue with new deliveries - was it limited to a certain batch of compressors or a certain batch of oil…or is this continuing to happen with recently delivered cars?

 

[Richmorr]

Does anyone know if this is still an issue with new deliveries - was it limited to a certain batch of compressors or a certain batch of oil…or is this continuing to happen with recently delivered cars?

According to MG, customer service Gary Smart it’s every car as there is nothing wrong

 

[Yandards]

Does anyone know if this is still an issue with new deliveries - was it limited to a certain batch of compressors or a certain batch of oil…or is this continuing to happen with recently delivered cars?

It's not confirmed this is the issue but I'm convinced enough that it might be I'd look for a regas if MG won't do it.

As a bit of extra info I've been a mechanical aerospace engineer for over 25 years in various aircraft and the noise this is making isn't 'normal' to my ear.

Be interesting to see how many people have a 'chirping' AC pump in operation versus those that don't - I'd be surprised if the various press cars reviewed made this racket.

 

[Deleted member 10041]

According to MG, customer service Gary Smart it’s every car as there is nothing wrong

To be fair to our Gary he has said that about every single defect on the MG4 the boy is steadfast in his beliefs that all faults are just "characteristics" of the 4.
I think he has been brainwashed after dealing with years of issues with the MG3 and not realised MG have moved on a bit and there is now more of an expectation of quality, consistency and reliability.

 

[Deleted member 10041]

It's not confirmed this is the issue but I'm convinced enough that it might be I'd look for a regas if MG won't do it.

As a bit of extra info I've been a mechanical aerospace engineer for over 25 years in various aircraft and the noise this is making isn't 'normal' to my ear.

Be interesting to see how many people have a 'chirping' AC pump in operation versus those that don't - I'd be surprised if the various press cars reviewed made this racket.

I'm not sure it needs a regas it seems it's actually more an issue with the compressor oil.

Finally, for electric vehicles, there is the e-compressor, which also utilises scroll technology, but rather than being driven by an auxiliary belt, it incorporates an electric motor that can be modulated on demand.

In addition to their function, the other common factor between these compressors is their requirement for lubrication and contrary to the prevailing and, often price driven, view that any compressor oil will do, the specification of the oil is, in fact, absolutely critical.

PAG 46 oil is the correct specification lubricant for both reciprocating and rotary compressors, although there are even differences with this designation, as the formulation will vary slightly depending on whether the system uses R134a or the newer, more environmentally friendly, R1234yf refrigerant.

PAG 100 on the other hand, is exclusively for through-vane compressors. POE oil is for e-compressors because its electric motor is cooled by the combination of the refrigerant and the oil, so the lubricant must be a non-electrically conductive, insulator.

In short, there is no such thing as universal compressor oil, instead its formulation depends on the mechanism the compressor employs and the refrigerant it compresses.

Certainly at least one member said a change of oil solved his problem, I am wondering if some cars got the wrong oil in on the production line, as EVs would appear to need a specific oil, could be they mixed up compressor oil from there ice cars

 

[Richmorr]

To be fair to our Gary he has said that about every single defect on the MG4 the boy is steadfast in his beliefs that all faults are just "characteristics" of the 4.
I think he has been brainwashed after dealing with years of issues with the MG3 and not realised MG have moved on a bit and there is now more of an expectation of quality, consistency and reliability.

He is very confident in, he challenged me to take my MG4 to any dealer and do side by side test

 

[domsim]

As a reminder, regassing made no difference to my trophy’s chirp.

The holy grail of getting the dealer to replace the lubricant with the appropriate one seems to be the only solution we’ve any evidence of.

 

[Yandards]

@Leni16 it'll need a regas to enable the correct oil to be initially added. The oil isn't separate from the gas, it's has properties that help it stay where it's required but it goes through the whole system.

Despite lots of copy and pasted articles reference 'the correct oil' for an EV AC pump system there is still no clarification regarding the HS1 specification as per the underbonnet sticker for the lubricant.

The consistent point from various manufacturers of AC pumps like Denso is that the correct oil is vital in electrically driven AC pumps. I've also found data stating that R-1234yf requires specific oil - basically it depends on who makes the pump as to quantity and type of oil required.

Might pop the underbonnet plastic tray off today to see if I can work out who makes the AC pump.

 

[PristDean]

@Leni16 it'll need a regas to enable the correct oil to be initially added. The oil isn't separate from the gas, it's has properties that help it stay where it's required but it goes through the whole system.

Despite lots of copy and pasted articles reference 'the correct oil' for an EV AC pump system there is still no clarification regarding the HS1 specification as per the underbonnet sticker for the lubricant.

The consistent point from various manufacturers of AC pumps like Denso is that the correct oil is vital in electrically driven AC pumps. I've also found data stating that R-1234yf requires specific oil - basically it depends on who makes the pump as to quantity and type of oil required.

Might pop the underbonnet plastic tray off today to see if I can work out who makes the AC pump.

Given the type R-1234yf, my understanding is that it can take PAG 46 or PAG 100 oil. The latter has a higher viscosity so if used, will quieten the mechanics of the pump.
So I believe MG has just put PAG 46 into all the compressors.

 

[Yandards]

Had the plastic bonnet liner cover thing off and got various photos of the Aircon system.

No details on the pump sadly but the controller is badged SAIC, although it could be a third party item and they have just stuck a sticker on it.

One of the AC parts had a Mahle sticker on it - I'd stick some money on the the pump being a Mahle unit too as its easier to outsource this sort of component/system to specialists. Looks like the power steering setup is Bosch judging by some stickers there too.

Sadly the 3D barcode on the pump isn't kicking anything out aside from a part number, 1781A000A.

I've been into Mahle's aftermarket parts catalogue but the 4 isn't listed yet.

 

[bowfer]

Does anyone know if this is still an issue with new deliveries - was it limited to a certain batch of compressors or a certain batch of oil…or is this continuing to happen with recently delivered cars?

I’m sure I read someone test driving an X-power and hearing the chirp.
Or maybe it was a foreign X-power owner saying they have it.
Either way, it tells you MG are just blindly continuing with the issue.

 

[domsim]

I’m sure I read someone test driving an X-power and hearing the chirp.
Or maybe it was a foreign X-power owner saying they have it.
Either way, it tells you MG are just blindly continuing with the issue.

It was me, and I am in the uk. It didn’t seem as obvious on the xpower compared with my trophy but it was definitely there.

Both my wife and I could hear it in the car when the AC was turned on.

 

[zagreus]

Mine have the same noise car in Denmark

 

[bookcrash]

My brand new MG4 also has this annoying chirping noise when running the AC, will try talking to the dealer, but not hopeful

After some googling the compressor seems to be made by Sanden Huayu

This based on some product pictures from a norwegian second hand parts seller, I've attached their photo with the part sticker. Bonus is they also list a bunch of other parts salvaged from a wrecked MG4 if you're curious about product numbers etc from hard-to-reach parts