sky jumper

AC compressor/clutch started howling/screeching. it is getting worse. the noise goes away when the AC is turned on (clutch engaged). Noise returns when AC turned off (clutch disengaged).

I've read the FSM, but it doesn't provide good diagnostics for compressor noise. has anyone had experience with this type/mode of compressor noise?

I'm wondering, with AC off the compressor does not turn (right?). so this isn't a bearing inside the compressor making the noise? could it be the clutch partially engaging/sticking/slipping, etc?

PhillyDonut

iTrader: (3)

Don’t have an answer for you but I think I also having the same problem. I don’t have the link at the moment but I recall seeing a Nissan/Infiniti bulletin about AC compressor noise and that if Freon or oil is low can cause the compressor to make noise. You can buy a gauge from Walmart and check and add (if necessary) yourself to see if this fixes it.

Unfortunate this is not my problem I’ve replace my idler and it is still howling. Suspect it is either my compressor going bad (more likely) or rusty aftermarket UDP (did not apply coating of antiseize b/c different metals = corrosion)..


EDIT: here ya go.
http://www.jatan.net/tsbs/043211.pdf

kcryan

iTrader: (1)

not that you'd be likely to be able to find it, but make sure you dont use R-12 (what most call freon) as these cars and all newer cars use R-134a very different

THEJEFFERATOR

i have the same problem, its been doing it since i had to drive across a flooded road. the next day it started. it's definatly the clutch on mine, ive tried spraying it many times but its not any better. i might make a trough type rig and submerse it in oil and see if that helps, or just tell people it's the supercharger ... j/k

tlrmax

iTrader: (10)

Mine was making noise and then it got to the point to where the pulley quit spinning and my belt starting smoking b/c it quit spinning. It is the clutch bearing on the pulley on the ac compressor. They dont sell the pulley and bearing separately. I found a used ac compr. and removed the pulley with bearing and replaced it with mine. My engine is a lot quieter now. You can replace it without disconnecting the ac lines so you dont have to recharge the ac. Just loosen the bolts and remove the belt and replace the parts from under the car.

4x4Max

iTrader: (12)

Mine had the same problem. I solved it by removing all the A/C components. Dont need A/C...free solution to the problem, and weight reduction.

sky jumper

thanks for the replies.

I've done a bit more investigation on this. I'm now pretty sure it's the pulley bearing. with the belt disconnected, I can hear the noise when spinning the pulley freely, but when spinning the clutch it is silent.
here's a video/audio clip...
http://media.putfile.com/AC-compr-pulley-spin

and here's a clip of the car running with the AC turned on/off...
http://media.putfile.com/Maxima-AC-Comp-running

Autozone apparently does sell the bearing separately (not the clutch or pulley, though) so I may be able to pull of the clutch and pulley, press out the bearing, put the new one in and be on my way. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

Philly - thanks for the TSB link -- some good info there. I think I may have a leak at the joint connector they talk about (oil on the case)...

4x4Max

iTrader: (12)

Let me know if it fixes it, i might consider putting my A/C back in.

WhiteMaxima9600

Make sure it has enough oil in it, had to replace my entire compressor due to lack of oil....... bearings finally siezed up

PhillyDonut

iTrader: (3)

Good info on this thread.

Based on your video clips, it looks/sounds like exactly what I have…
Please keep us up-to-date on this b/c I will need to address it come spring (no garage). Can you keep track of the part number from AutoZone and the cost of material/supplies if you are attempting to replace the bearings? I am a firm believer in rebuilding > remanufactured when at all possible. But I can’t image how you’ll be able to “press” in new bearings (not sure if it actually require a press) without having to disconnect the compressor from the AC lines.

Here’s a how-to that touches removing the idler/belt/AC compressor/alternator for anyone interested.
http://www.infinitihelp.com/Ownershi...Alternator.htm

sky jumper

well, if all goes as planned, it'll work very much like this guy who rebuilt his hummer AC clutch...
http://flashoffroad.com/Maintenance/...llyService.htm
he got a new clutch/pulley/bearing assembly for $50. nice.

what i do not know is if the bearing on the Calsonic unit is pressed into the pulley like on the GM unit -- if not (and it is instead pressed on to the compressor case) then you are right - I would likely have to remove the compressor to do it.

parts america sells the bearing separately...
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=450&ptset=A

here's the FSM instructions on how to replace the clutch assembly
(notably it does not address the bearing issue)...

sky jumper

Oh, and BTW -- in the meantime while I'm finding out where to get the parts, etc I'm going to bypass the AC compressor with a shorter serpentine belt. a 36" belt will get around the crank pulley and alternator, and will run right past the AC compressor. so no noise (but no defrost either).

EDIT: If I had to do this again I'd use a 37" belt to bypass the AC compressor. the 36" was a bit too small and I had to manually turn the crank so as to "pry" the belt around the Alternator pulley. it does work though.

Also -- I'm amazed at how much quieter the engine runs w/o the AC compressor in the loop. even compared to having AC "on" in the above video clip.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

Did you notice any performance improvement by removing the AC?

Thanks everyone for the info in this thread. I've had a non-functioning AC for over 2 years. The $tealer ran the leak test and found the refrigerant leaking on the compressor, so they told me the compressor needed to be replaced. But after looking at the TSB posted in this thread, I'm wondering if it's just that O-ring at the joint connector? If so, I could replace it myself, although I'm not sure about the refrigerant. Is there any way to obtain R134a and the means to put it into the AC system?

BTW, I never noticed ANY noise coming from my AC. Either when it was working or not working. To the best of my knowledge, the compressor works fine but it can't cool the car without refrigerant.

If not, it sounds like replacing the compressor itself is pretty easy. There was an Org member selling a 95-96 compressor for cheap but I realized it's a different part from the 97-99 compressor. (Unless someone here thinks they might be compatible?)

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

How easy is it to install the bypass belt? I might do that for the time being if it's not hard. Are there any details about the belt other than 37" I would need to know?

And what year Maxima do you have?

PhillyDonut

iTrader: (3)

Recharging R134a is very easy and you can buy all the equipment (charge hose, refrigerant, oils) needed from WalMart. Since your system had a leak you will need to fix the leak and evacuate the system first before you recharge it. You can either by a vacuum machine online for $10-$20 and do it yourself or take it to a shop and have them vacuum the system. You can then recharge it yourself.

These two links should get you started:
http://www.id-usa.com/how_to_videos.asp
http://www.autoclimas.com/Refrigerant%20charge.php


sky jumper – Quick question for you. Do you still get the ac compressor noise/howling if the car is in idling in ‘Neutral’?

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

Philly, thanks so much! That's exactly what I needed and I've never seen good do-it-yourself AC information on the Org. A moderator ought to put your post in the sticky "How-Tos" thread IMO.

EAD

I don't think it is terribly difficult to bypass the a/c compressor. I am having the same problem, I didn't take care of the noise and the pulley actually ended up snapping and rolling off out from under the car when I pulled into my drive way. Unfortunately, with the shorter belt on, it squeeks consistenly and when I do adjust the tensioner, it stops or is minimal for a day or two at most. For the other members who have this problem, do you ever expirence the car wanting to stall when it is idle, like upon starting and stopping (when the engine is cold). This seems to be a problem with the shorter belt (Not positive but that is what I attribute the behavior to.). To prevent the motor from seizing I usually have to feather the gas. It is a pain and I am looking for a new compressor, unfortunately I do not have the authority to start a thread in the classified nor can I search. Something else I would watch for that I attribute to the malfunctioning compressor, the weld actually broke where the pipe comming from the cat converter (y pipe?) meets the pipe that comes from the muffler unit, I really have a feeling that was due to the "shaking" motion that I expirenced when the a compressor was freezing.
***For those who do think they have a problem in this area should pay close attention to it, as you can see from my expirence, ignoring the slight rattle (which is started with) can ultimately cost you a bundle repairing.

If anyone knows of current ac compressors for sale (until I get privledges on the forum) and you can PM me that'd be great.

sky jumper

no, the noise was not dependent on gear selection.

mine is a '99. it is very easy to install the bypass belt. it's just like changing a belt, only use a smaller one. for instructions on how to change the belt consult a haynes manual, download the FSM, or I think it may even be covered in the owner's manual in diy maintenance. any 6-groove 37" serpentine belt will work - NAPA is a good place to get them. autozone didn't seem to understand what i was trying to do and kept telling me they needed to know the make/model car in order to find the belt I needed. the hassle was not worth the 3 bucks I would've saved compared to NAPA.

General Update on this issue:
I have talked with a compressor rebuilder in Florida. they will sell me a rebuilt clutch/pulley/bearing assembly for $80 w/exchange or they will rebuild my entire compressor for $150. they seem like real honest guys on the phone -- provided a ton of useful info without any pressure to buy their services. I'm now convinced the noise is from the bearing and I could probably replace it myself and reassemble, but I might just send the clutch/pulley/bearing assembly to the guys in Florida and do it right. I do not want to break open the system and evacuate/recharge, so for now I'm just going to do the bearing/clutch and see if that solves all problems. if I find any problems after the repair then I'll just send them the entire compressor (they said they'd credit me the $80 toward a full rebuild if the clutch/pulley/bearing doesn't fix the problems). they also suspect I may have a leaky seal based on the pictures above (that I sent them) -- but they could not say for sure, but gave me some tips on how to detect it after I put the new clutch/bearing on.

Mr.Duck

iTrader: (8)

do these guys have a website? can you link me? also are you going to be rebuilding it under the car with everything still assembled? or are you going to take it apart?

sky jumper

yes, their website is..
http://www.autoaircompressors.com/
the guy I talked to was Earl. he was very good.
I'll be leaving the compressor on the vehicle when I pull off the clutch/pulley/bearing (I just picked up the loaner tools from Autozone). if i continue to have problems after those parts are replaced then I'll take the whole compressor off and send it in for a rebuild.

1chewabacha1

iTrader: (6)

Bump.... this should be part of the DIY stickies

BluFlame

iTrader: (2)

So, what was the NAPA part no for the bypass belt?
and how do you discharge AC system?

sky jumper

you don't need to know the P/N - just go to NAPA and ask for a 36.5" or 37" 6-groove serpentine belt. it will take them all of 30 seconds to find one. at autozone you'll be there all day trying to explain why you want something different than their computer tells them.

note - it may behoove you to buy more than one belt (e.g. get a 36", a 36.5", and a 37") just in-case you have fitment issues - then return the rest. i used a 36" and it was tough to get around the pulley.

sky jumper

Update:

So I pulled the clutch and pulley off (while leaving the compressor itself on the vehicle and attached to the lines).

As I suspected above, the bearing is indeed pressed into the pulley, and the noise is definitely a bad bearing. here's an audio/video clip of me spinning the inner bearing race with the pulley removed from the compressor...
http://media.putfile.com/AC-Pulley-and-Bearing-

I cannot explain why the noise goes away when the AC is turned on -- I can only guess that either torque forces, or the electromagnet somehow cause the thing spin quieter. doesn't make much sense, but it is what it is.

The trick now is to press out that bearing without damaging the pulley, and then pressing in the new bearing. If I can't do it, or find a shop around here to do it cheap, then I'll send it to the guys in florida.

NOTE: I got LUCKY in that I did not need to use a puller to get the clutch disc or the pulley off. I just pulled on them, and the came right off. if you need to use a puller you are SOL b/c there's a piece of the frame in the way, and you will not be able to get a puller on it -- so you'll have to take the compressor off the vehicle (thereby opening the system and necessitating a full evac & recharge).

To get the clutch disc off you need to use the special clutch disc holder (as shown above). then you need snap ring pliers (as show above) to get the pulley off.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

Dude, why don't you save yourself the trouble and buy a used compressor from a salvage yard? Wouldn't that be much easier and probably cheaper too?

sky jumper

dude - the bearing is $30, and doesn't require an evac/recharge to replace. there is no way possible to swap an entire compressor, replace the drier (which by itself is $30+, and you have to replace it anytime you open the system), evac the system, and then recharge it for anywhere near the cost of just the bearing.

but aside from the cost, would you really trust a junkyard compressor to work for more than a month? you shouldn't. the 2nd most common cause of compressor failure is lack of use (insufficient lube is #1) so to buy a junkyard compressor that has been sitting out in the elements unused is not a wise decision at all - when it inevitably fails, you'll have to evac/recharge + new drier all over again. no thanks, I'll take a new bearing instead.

and all that work to replace/evac/rechrg takes much more time than you realize - far more work than I have put into this thus far. so no, I wouldn't save trouble, time, or $$ on junkyard parts.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

I sit corrected! Sounds like you've done your research.

PhillyDonut

iTrader: (3)

I have a feeling more and more people will be having problems with the AC compressor (or leaks in general) since the 4th gen is approaching a decade old... The correct way to say it is that the ONLY options should be either to buy a new/rebuilt unit or rebulid it yourself.

I really hope you are successful in replacing the bearings b/c this will be a great service to all of us

If you are going to open the system, mind as well rebuild it yourself since you can buy an O-ring kit for ~$6.
http://www.ackits.com/merchant.mvc?S...ehiclespecific

Here's an online forum that was referred to me from someone who used it to fix his R12 system.
http://acsource.net/acforum/

hotimportnight9

i think i have the same problem but im going to switch the pulley to a performance one would i still get the same noise if i just switch the entire pulley?

BluFlame

iTrader: (2)

Sky jumper, i thought you bought the pulley/bearing as an assembly from Florida guys, why do you need to press-in the bearings?

sky jumper

I decided to just buy the bearing and press it in myself. $30 vs $80+shipping. I recommend the Florida guys to anyone who doesn't want to mess with it -- but half the fun for me is figuring out how to do this stuff myself. plus it's a little cheaper. I have the bearing on-order and should get it next week.

davey6693

Totally agree

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

PM a mod and tell them to sticky it.

maximus_pr

iTrader: (3)

its not the compressor this very same problem happen to me once on my maxima and now its happening again on my I30t the fault is the A/C Idler Pulley Assembly its a pulley with a bearing on the center that when its get stuck because of the bearing fail it makes a whining noise and on top of that it won't let the belt spin freely thus your alternator won't turn efficiently also your a/c don function properly this is the part you need and for that price buying a non oem part its ridiculous

and another thing you don't have to remove no compressor no nothing just relieve tension on the belt from the top bolt on the tensioner and remove the center bolt replace the pulley from the assembly with the new one also comes with new bolt reinstall and thats it should take no more than half hour

here is the part you need
http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchan...de=11925-ACPUL

what you just bough its not the right part you bough a a/c compressor clutch bearing thats not what you need the the pulley comes with the bearing already i don't think theres even a replacement part if so what bother with it when oem part is cheap also remember the center bolt itself wear due to the pulley rolling on it so it maybe wise to replace it too and the oem kit comes with it.


i was trying to find the thread i started 2 years ago on the same situation so you can see for yourself it even have some pics but can't find it

sky jumper

dude, did you not even read the thread? I have already removed the AC pulley and confirmed the bad bearing -- I even posted audio/video of it all and it clearly shows the problem -- plus I still have the old idler pulley in there and the thing is absolutely silent.

read a little before you jump to wrong conclusions.

maximus_pr

iTrader: (3)

sorry all i wanted was to help

sky jumper

it's cool. I didn't mean to come down on you so hard. there's a lot of people on here that like to argue & nit-pick for no good reason and my patience with them is running low -- but you are obviously not one of them.

to those reading this thread - maximus does make a good point about the idler pulley -- if you can eliminate the AC compressor as the source of noise (e.g. bypassing it with a shorter belt as described earlier - the noise should remain if the AC comp is ok) then the idler pulley is the next logical place to look (or the Alt).

Maximus_95

iTrader: (8)

man, this has been the best thread for me in the past 2 weeks.
I actually got it replaced, i still have my old one, and thinking about rebuilding that up like i saw on this page. thanx guys...

zeeman

iTrader: (3)

any updatesss Sky_Jumper?

sky jumper

yeah I got the bearing. I just haven't had time to press it in yet, and it's way too d@mn cold out to install the thing! I will say this -- the new bearing spins silky smooth and quiet compared to the old one, which is really a lot worse than I even realized.