Nissan Repair: air conditioner, ac compressor, pully

Question
AC on my 1997 Nissan p/u truck 4 cyl 4wd 97000 miles is making noise like a bearing is gone. I am not sure if it is the idler pulley or the compressor. AC cools fine. How do I determine what it is? And how do I loosen belt for idler pulley and compressor?

Answer
Lois,

check your clutch.  the ac compressor has a clutch on it.

when the clutch kicks in, does the noise get louder or goes away?

IF GETS LOUDER or goes away
YOUR clutch is going out.  You need a new a/c compressor or have it rebuilt.

but either way it sounds as if you need a new one.

IF THE NOISE STAYS THE SAME:

it could be the belt tensioner pully.

There should be a bolt on the idler pully. Loosen it to pull it off.  Your tensioner should be dead center on the front of the block.


Should be

Darrel
you