My 96 SE Maxima with 177,000 miles on it is making a grinding noise.
Metal shavings are coming off of the pulley which is attached to the air contioner compressor . I am wondering if I can remove the pulley and replace it with another. I don't want to have to buy a new air conditioner. Has anyone replace a pulley.

 

I had a similar episode. I had the problem diagnosed and waited a week to do something about it and then had some big problems.
the grinding that you hear is the ac compressor going bad. it's starting to freeze up and not turn so your belts, pulleys, and crankshaft are working against the compressor. what happen to me was I waited a couple of days till the weekend to get my car fixed. the ac compressor totally froze. the engine tore up the belts, the tesioner pulley was tweaked and the pulley off the crankshaft got warped too.... do yourself a favor and get it diagnosed quick and then treat the problem. btw when the engine tore up the belts there was a lot of burning rubber as you can imagine..... let me know if this is what is going on with you....

i have 179,000 miles and this happen 3000 miles ago...

 

That is exactly what is happening to me. I have not done any damage to the crank pulley or tensioner but I noticed that the belt on the tensioner was over to one side. I am currently trying to find a compressor at the junkyard. Thanks for the information.