My 2001 XJ has this "problem":

At idle speed, when the AC engages, the compressor seems too loud (louder than my old 96 XJ at least). It's a droning, non-metallic, non-cyclic noise, like "bwaaaaaaaaaaaa". Most definitely louder than the AC on my dad's 2001 Wrangler. Don't hear it at driving speeds, just when stopped at a light. Previous owner had the system recharged (with dye) due to over-cycling and weakly cooled air, no leak since detected, and the AC works great, blows ice cold (now one year later). Compressor cycles every 5 to 10 seconds if the outside temp is cool or the temp dial is set to the middle. Stays on a lot longer if it's hot and have the temp dial set all the way to cool. That seems right to me. I realize the coolant had to leak from somewhere, but I'm hoping it was a loose schrader valve in one of the ports. New belt is at 180lbs tension, per spec. Aux fan works, but the noise is not the aux fan since in 2000s/2001s it is not triggered by the AC like previous years.

Any thoughts? Or is it normal? Could a clutch going-bad drone at idle speed only? TIA

 

Sounds like the electric fan is kicking on. May have noisy bearings or one of the noisier blade designs.

 

As stated, it's definitely not the e fan. The e fan does not automatically come on with the ac in later cherokees. And when that comes on it sounds and works just fine.

Could a bad fan clutch be allowing the ac condenser to get too hot too fast? Would that make the compressor react in a way that would make more noise?