1992 tercel a/c trouble shooting

Did the grinding noise come from the dashboard area or from under the hood?

Is the drive belt for the AC compressor still in place?

AC systems benefit from occasional use because the seals and compressor stay lubricated. If you apply 12 volts to the compressor clutch, does it engage?

look for ac oil leaking out the front of the ac compressor.had this same problem with a car (not toyota) and the same noise. oil was leaking out making the belt slip and making this sort of noise. had to get a new seal for the front of the compressor plus a refill. was like 150.00 but was many years ago.

I believe it came from the engine area. I can tell you that the blower motor still works, as I used it on cool mornings, and the heat works as well. There was actual black material that blew out of the defroster vents. It left some on the dash. I guess that could have been belt material. I did a quick visual, and I see two belts. Am I missing a belt?

\thanks

It is highly unlikely that any belt material can get in to the defroster ductwork. More likely, a rodent tore up some foam from under the dashboard or that is used to seal the joints in the ductwork and made a nest. If the nest or rodent was in the blower when you turned it on, then the rodent is history but its remains may smell a little.

I am not sure how many belts are under the hood for your car. Take a look at the air conditioner compressor and see if there is a belt on the pulley.

Thanks all. I must say, this car is not as fun as working on the 04 Cobra! I agree, it was something, lucky for me, no rodent, no smell. Will look again at the belts