Tried searching, couldn't find much.

2001 Maxima, automatic - I hear bird chirping noises when the A/C is on, chirping stops when the AC is off (chirping isn't coming from the blower motor).

Sounds like the noise is coming from the driver's side of the engine which makes me think it isn't the belts - but I did just have the oil changed at the "deal"ership and I'm just noticing the noise now. Dealership checked my belts as part of their complimentary bajillion point check of the car and they checked out well... apparently.

What should I be checking? Compressor/alternator/oily belt/belt tension...?

 

Could be as simple as a worn belt. A/C adds an extra load which stresses the belt.

 

compressor pulley bearing, they all fail

 

difficult to r/r?

 

I'm not an expert on the Maxima specifically, but that usually means it's time for a new compressor.

 

Found a write up for the 4th gen:
http://www.vqpower.com/v3/content/no...pulley-bearing

not sure how similar it is to 5th gen, but seems straightforward.

 

would you happen to know of a replacement clutch?

 

I don't - from what I've read your best bet is to get a junkyard compressor and pull the clutch from it.

 

Thanks Korn - I gave it another listen today and I think you are right about the bearing going bad.

Any idea what bearing size I need? I see two sizes that 'fit' a 2001 max on autozone - "early production" and "late production" for the CVW618 compressor. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of taking out the bearing to measure it before ordering a replacement.

 

Idk, but it takes a special tool to get the pulley off from what I remember. I never replaced them.

 

I tried this yesterday and I was able to remove the center bolt from the clutch with a pair of curved needle nose pliers - it was easier than I thought it would be (not that it was easy- I'm just crap mechanically ). I was unable to remove the clutch itself though and I'm wishing I had that special tool... and also wishing that tool didn't cost $200+

Looking at this again... I think I may have been prying on the wrong thing as I was trying to remove all 3 'discs' and after researching the part again, I think the bottom discs inside the pulley are the friction material that the clutch engages with. I probably would have figured this out if I had some better lighting when I was investigating and spinning the clutch.

Maybe I should just replace the entire compressor... but I don't feel like giving up on it just yet

 

I found this (clutch, pulley and coil):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/auto...989565302.html

 

So I managed to get the clutch off with some penetrating fluid and "wiggling" the clutch off. I got the circlip off after an hour or so of fighting with it - who invented circlips and why didn't their parents love them more?

I had a shop press out the bearing (I wasn't able to beat it out with a hammer, even after grinding out the peens) - ended up costing me $50! (nothing is reasonably priced in Vancouver). For the total cost I would have been better off just ordering a whole new clutch assembly- live and learn I guess.

It seems better but I am still hearing some noise in the belt area... might be the idler pulley which appears to be wobbling a bit.

 

Braver than I As long as the noise doesn't start like before it should be fixed.

If you remove the idler I'm sure the bearings will be dry and you can make it wobble.

 

If I can do it - anyone can. Provided they are either stubborn enough (or mechanically adept).

Unfortunately after driving the car a bit there is definitely still a chirp coming from the belt area with the AC on, stops when the AC is off. Haven't determined if it comes/goes with engine speed yet but I'm guess it happens at lower RPMs which is why I only heard it after driving the car long enough to warm it up and the idle to lower.

I'll check my belt tension again then I guess I'm pulling the belt and checking the pulleys.

 

Hmmm. I'm 4 out of 6 (for sure by 150k miles, ones that didn't fail were low miles) on that bearing failing. Idlers were replaced. I wouldn't think that it could make any noise just from spinning another accessory. I guess it was unnecessary, but you don't want to hear the racket they make when they go. It turns into constant screeching.

 

Actually I think it was bad, or going bad, as before I did the replacement I was hearing a grinding noise with the AC enabled which I presume was the bearing going bad. I don't hear that anymore so I think it was needed... just not everything that is needed

 

Good, I was feeling a bit guilty

 

I pulled the idler pulley and it still spins smoothly. It was pain to put back as the bolt that it sits on isn't fixed in place so placing the pulley on it would push the bolt back so there wasn't enough thread to put the washer/shield and nut on. My "pro-tip" was to just put the nut on without the washer/shield, tighten it down to pull the bolt forward, wedge something behind the pulley assembly from above then remove the nut and add the washer/shield back and tighten down.

So it's either the crank pulley or the alternator bearing. When the noise first started up my wife said she thought it was the alternator and somehow she's pretty accurate with her diagnoses- maybe I should have listened to her in the first place.