VW AC: Foggy vents and whale noises, WTH is this?

[Jiggerachi]

Driving the inlaws Volkswagen Jetta this week, circa '98 or something. First thing I noticed is the AC while really cold has steady stream of fog blowing out of the vents. Has happened everytime I get in the car, doesn't go away and seems unrelated to the outside humidity.

Also every now and then i'm greeted with a peaceful mmmriinngggg...mmmmeooorrrrmmmm from behind the dash. Sounds exactly like a couple of mating whales. If I hit the throttle or the AC button it immediately goes away, the sound does not return with the AC off. Not related to speed or engine RPM.

I've searched but came up with things that didn't fit my situation. Doesn't smell like coolant, don't think it smells like freon (don't know if there's a smell).

Any ideas? AC still works great, and aside from driving like Top Gear's "Reasonably Priced Car" it's not a bad little grocery getter, but the clutch pedal and shift lever are both a freaking mile long. Not kidding, i'm 6'2" and I literally run out of reach going into 3rd & 5th, while my knees are almost at the dash.

[SixAce]

The car is obviously from the future. It generates fog as a cloaking device while searching for George and Gracie. Simply drive the car as fast as possible around the sun and all will be well again. Problem solved. Live long and prosper.

[HudsonHawk]

The fog is condensation from warm moist air blowing over the condensor coils. My Dodge ram used to do that then would freeze the coils over and air would stop blowing. Turned out the orifice tube was partially clogged and this resulted in the little bit of freon that got past the blockage would overexpand and drop the temp below freezing on the coil. The system showed a full charge on freon while this was happening. It never made any weird sounds.

Are you experiencing any loss of air flow? The ram did it even on hot days even with relatively low humidity.

[HudsonHawk]

Also check for frost on the AC lines. If frost is forming after the oriface tube then that would be the problem.

[Flyin96M]

It's a VW and an old one at that, enough said.

[POS Racing]

It's a VW and an old one at that, enough said.

And it isn't yours!

NMC FTW!!

[Flyin96M]

The phrase "If it isn't broke don't fix it" comes to mind. I promise you if you try to "fix" the AC it will no longer work and the cause will be just as mysterious as why it worked before.

[POS Racing]

Or you try and fix it and then give it back to the in-laws.

Then have them bitch for years that it worked just fine until Jiggerachi screwed it up.......

Actually photo of disapointed in-laws:

[VFR750]

What HHawk said about the fog. That model year VW probably has an expansion valve to control freon flow rather than an orifice tube, maybe the valve is making the noise but I have never heard of such a thing.

[Jiggerachi]

Haha, you're nuts Mick.

So driving to work today the Volkswagen's shifter linkage decided it would rather be a 4spd. "Yea, I don't like 5th gear, i'm...not gonna go anymore."

It goes, first > second > third > fourth > fif...nope, third.

I checked to make sure it wasn't something with the goofy oops-thats-reverse-not-1st push down to shift system, but nope...the gate for 3rd is just suddenly reeeally wide.

This car, hahaha. Queue the disappointed in-laws.