I have a 92 maxima SE. A/C only makes what sounds like a "bad bearing" noise when it is on - and it is LOUD - enough to annoy the crap out of anyone. Still cooled great, though, and believe it or not I drove it like that for 3 years, and then finally shelled out about $500 to replace the compressor and drier - I got the compressor and drier on ebay for around $100, and the rest was labor, I guess .... anyway, here I am less than a year later, and the new one is making the same freaking noise!!! The car is a bit of a beater, so I am "over" dumping cash into the A/C... I brought it by another place today - the guy put some oil in it, to no avail... he says that if I bring him another drier and compressor, he'll flush the system (which he claims was probably not done correctly or at all last time) and install the new parts for $400..... has anyone else had this problem?? Any advice, esp. any way to save some cash on this repair - I feel confident that I could replace the compressor and drier w/out a problem, I just have no idea how to flush and recharge the system..... thx for your input!!!! Mike

 

You could save $$ by putting the parts on yourself,then having them flush-n- fill it...

I have a 92 se compressor for sale if you want it $35 shipped...

 

just be sure to have the freon discharged at a licenced shop... the rest is as easy as a steering pump swap

 

cheap rebuilt or used compressors are a bad idea.
they fail pretty quickly next time get a quality compressor from a reputable company

 

mine has been Pretty darn loud for the llast 80 or so thousand miles... still cools great. Maybe its not quite to the point yours was, because it doesnt usually annoy me. But it does get quiet every once and a while.. there is no pulley play so im not all that worried about it.

 

That seems like a biased opinion!!!

 

Actually Brian has a good point. The only place I would possibly even thinking of getting a rebuilt compressor is Napa. They have a warranty, plus their A/C division is completely separate from the main division, they only share the name.

 

I've been selling parts for 10 years, and I have learned by now what works and what doesn't.
I've seen cheap rebuilts fail almost upon installation, Used I wouldn't trust unless it came off my own car.
The A/C system is pretty fussy about what it will put up with and crappy rebuilt tolerances are among them.
BTW I don't sell compressors because unless it's brand new, and even then, I don't trust them

 

No its call life experiance. I work at a hobby store that sells radio control cars and planes and the same thing applies. You buy cheap, it breaks easy, you buy quality stuff, and it lasts. You can also buy expensive bad quality parts too if your not careful. And Brians a very trust worthy guy.

~Alex

 

That's why I'm thinking of pulling it out when I do my rebuild... save me some power loss.