So I was driving home from trick-or-treating with my boy tonight and started hearing this mad chirping under the hood and thought maybe a belt was making noise from all the rain. Well it wasn't that.... I was about a mile from home and accelerated to about 3500 and BOOM! followed by something banging its way down the underbody. Thought for sure I threw a belt the way it sounded but everything kept right on working and I limped my way home. Only thing I noticed was my windows starting to fog up. So I pull in the garage and pop the hood and sure enough, the 2 belts are in place and there where the clutch should be is only a brass looking shaft and a free-spinning wheel.... Now I'm afraid to drive the thing for fear of the wheel falling off too because obviously that would be a little more torublesome... Am I assuming I am going to need a full compressor replacement here??

 

Yup

 

The clutch can be replaced, it is a separate service item. Most places will just want to replace the whole compressor & clutch assembly, though. Pricewise, I don't know. Higher parts cost on the one side versus higher labor costs on the other side.

But in the meantime, you could get a smaller fan belt and bypass the a/c unit. The bypass belt is 36 1/4 inches (920mm). FYI, the normal belt is 43 1/5 inches (1100mm).

 

12 year old vehicle, usually hard to find a clutch, I would just do a whole new compressor. Not worth the labor to just to the clutch.

 

Thanks guys. Is this one of those parts that really needs to be Genuine Nissan, or can I get a reman from somewhere else?

 

If the 02 is the same compressor I have one that you can pick up for $50. ~87K miles

 

Looks like the part numbers are slightly different. They are very similar, but it looks like there is a slightly different pulley diameter and it uses a slightly different compressor, but it does look like it would mount up. Just not sure.

 

Looks like I can get a new, not reman'ed, Calsonic compressor/clutch for around 340. Hopefully there is not any other damage to the system...