Toyota Repair: 2003 Toyota Solara - Air Compressor Noise, toyota solara, metal particles

Question
03 Solara V6 122,000 Auto :: A couple of months ago I begin hearing a "whining" noise when I would take off.  However, I realized that the noise stopped when I turned the AC off.  I recently recharged my AC, it quit cooling after I first noticed the noise.  Now the noise sounds more like a knocking/rattling from the air compressor that only happens when the clutch kicks in with the AC on.  It still sounds like a whine when the hood is down and I am driving, but if you rev the engine while under the hood it sounds more like a rattle or knock. The noise settles out as you get to 2000 RPM or so at least enough that the engine is louder than the noise.  Sounds similar to a bad bearing in the motors I deal with at work, but I was wondering if it might be something else?

Thanks in advance

Answer
The A/C compressor is the cause of the noise I would recommend replacing it and the clutch as well as the receiver drier unit, if the old compressor has a lot of metal particles in it then the system may have to be cleaned out and the expansion valve replaced.