# Bogging down, no power, dim lights, squealing belts and front main is gone again!



## DonaldHays (Jul 22, 2004)

so has anyone lost there alternator due to the front main seal leak? 

I had my front seal replaced back around Halloween 2005, I don't drive the car much now days. The front main seal has started leaking again already and of course they wont cover the repair as its been too long ago now. 

My belts have started squealing at start up and would stop if I reved the car up a bit. then they went to a once and awhile type squeal and now its mainly when I am sitting at idle at a light or stop sign while running the ac or lights only (if no lights or ac no squeals) Anyway my dash lights seem to be really really dim at night when the car is first started until its been driven for a few miles. 

Also the ac is acting crazy now been blowing hot air for like the first 10-15 minutes and its never done that before (it gets cold as ice after about the first 10 minutes.)

Only other wild crazy thing is the car gets stuck at like 4500-500rpms and unless you floor it she likes to hang there like its bogging down. I noticed on the freeway with the ac and headlights on the cruise at 80mph on a very very tiny hill shifted a total of 5 times. she has always changed gears before on hills but not as wildly as its doing now (fluid is great also) she does seem to be bogging down like crazy tho (all services are current and such) 

on my old Z31(300) the high pressure hose got a pin hole and killed the alt on her and I was wondering if maybe it would do the same on my sentra with the front main (or just get the belts messy and make me think its going out?) 

I haven't seen the brake light stay on this far so I am excited about that (bad fact is my Battery light burnt out awhile back ago) guess I will crack it open and install a new one in the am

Thanks for the help and ideals

Donnie


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

sounds like the drive belts are slipping really bad due to contamination, or not having the right tension at all. i'd start off at the drive belts. also make sure that your crank pulley is on correctly and it's not loose. i know it sounds odd, but you never know, anything can go wrong.


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## DonaldHays (Jul 22, 2004)

*Ac clutch is bad or going bad, can you replace or just whole new compressor?*

Yeah I had the pulley fall off once already (last year) the one that guides the ac belt. 

Changed the belts today, as soon as we put the new ones on and started the car and turned the ac on it made the belt jump over a notch and killed the new belt. 

we replaced the belt and haven't use the ac again and all seems to be fine now. when the ac is running the compressor seems to make a rattling sound (and the clutch part should spin freely when the cars not running right?) if so then I think I have figured out the issue at hand. 

when you turn the ac clutch its a little free but not very much and it makes a clicking sound as if its contacting something. 

I was told not to replace the whole Compressor since the air is ice freezing cold but just the clutch unit if its bad (where would one find this at?)

Thanks again 

Donnie


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## 2littletime (Jun 11, 2006)

On many compressors the clutch surrounds the drive pulley. A spring friction disc on the outside and a coil pack on the inside. The AC system has a pressure switch that prevents the compressor from running if the R134a pressure is too low. 12VDC is feed to the compressor clutch on the single wire that goes in behind the pully. Check for that voltage. While you are in there check for a good engine ground too. A system in need of topping off or a bad pressure switch can cause the chatter . Changing the switch will open the closed system and should be done by a professional that can recover the R134a. Done quickly enough and there will be no need for a new drier. I'm wondering if your main seal problem might be due to a clogged breather or worse, you engine making oil. By that I mean one that the oil level increases over time. i.e., gasoline contamination or coolant.


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