Frontier 2002 Compressor Problem.

[tbirdtbird]

The air gap of the clutch is too big. It should be about .020. You can use feeler gauges to check this. As the clutch wears the gap increases.

The front part of the clutch hub can be removed and a shim taken out to close up the gap. This is written up here in several places, do a search now that you know the problem.

Go here:
https://www.autoacforum.com/search.php? ... st+air+gap

[Cusser]

I've been having a problem for about 5 months with my 2002 Nissan Frontier Extra-Cab. It's the one with the KA24 engine, I'm not sure which compressor it has but the AC is working good.

The problem comes when it's hot outside, from like 10AM to 3PM. The compressor starts to disengage by itself. To get the clutch engage again, you have to turn off the AC button, let the system rest for some minutes and then it would turn on again for another time, and you have to repeat this process. Another way to make the clutch engage again is to rev up the engine to like 4,000rpm for a second in neutral and like magic the clutch engages again.

Some people has told me that it could be an overheating problem in the compressor or clutch coil. But I don't know how to identify the problem.

I have both 1998 and 2004 Frontiers with same engine, same compressor as you. I had the same issue on my 1998 a few years ago. I took out a compressor shim to fix mine, didn't even need to take the belt off the AC compressor. Fortunately, for you - I wrote this up and included photos, go to https://www.clubfrontier.org/threads/19 ... 905/page-4 (see posts 72 and 73)

I'll try to paste that here, but if that doesn't work, go to that link above.

Post 72:
I knew I would jinx myself if I wrote/posted about "good news".

This morning, in Phoenix, about 95F, it happened a few more times. I was able to pull over and confirm that the AC clutch was disengaged when the power light on my dashboard was lit. When I got home, I jumped that AC clutch wire to engage the clutch, and wiggled/jiggled the short wire to the AC clutch, and there was no break/open in that wire. This does seem to occur more when the outside temperature is hotter.

So next step will be to pull off the AC clutch drive plate to take a look/look for any grease there. And my fan clutch is lifetime-warrantied so likely will swap in new one.

Post 73:
OK, got to this today. I bought some 5mm x 0.8mm x 25mm long hex head screws to pull the AC clutch drive plate off, after removing the 6mm bolt in the center of the AC clutch with a 10mm socket. Then I threaded in the 5mm x 25mm hex head screws evenly to pull the clutch drive plate off. The official service manual shows a way to do this that's either tougher or impossible.
https://www.clubfrontier.org/cdn-cgi/im ... pg.306714/

I cleaned up the steel surfaces with a piece of abrasive "tape". There were two shim washers under the drive plate, so I removed the thinner of the two, then re-installed the AC clutch drive plate and that will make the AC clutch "gap" narrower (yet not so narrow that it scrapes in the disengaged position).
https://www.clubfrontier.org/cdn-cgi/im ... c07136-jpg

I also replaced the fan clutch since it was lifetime warrantied and I had removed that for better access to the AC clutch. So I'll need to try this out and see if solves the problem.
https://www.clubfrontier.org/cdn-cgi/im ... c07135-jpg

I used my home-made 10mm long wrench to get the fan clutch nuts off easier.
https://www.clubfrontier.org/cdn-cgi/im ... wrench-jpg

[DetroitAC]

That compressor looks like it has a snap disk thermal switch, mounted on it's case. Thermal switch could be tripping in the wrong temperature but my bet is you are just undercharged. Have a good ac shop charge it to the weight shown on the under hood sticker.

Running undercharged causes abnormally high compressor exit superheat. I.e. compressor gets too hot.

[Cusser]

Thanks to all for you answers.

I have already buyed some geeler gauges to do what you say tbirdtbird and cusser, and also I'm gonna try to do it without removing the compressor or the belt.

And about what you say DetroitAC, yeah, after that I'm evacuate the system and charge it to spec.

I must confess that when I did this on my 1998 Frontier, I was too stooooopid to measure the gap, even though I have feeler gauges. But it still works great, several years later (I have replaced a seized compressor on my 2004 Frontier, same everything; that also got a new condenser and drier).

[tbirdtbird]

replaced

May be available from Tim, the site owner, ie ackits.com