Squealing noise at start up and it's not the belts
 

My G35 sedan has 110K miles on it and I have a Squealing noise that happens at start up on most morning that's driving me nutz. It have replaced the belts and both idler pulleys already.
No, the belts aren't loose. If fact, they are tighter than I would like.
I have a feeling that the AC compressor is locking up since I can turn off the AC and it will stop(most of the time- sometimes it's not on) Sometimes I can drive a small block or two and then it will start. I usually turn it off and re-start it and it goes away for the day.

Has anyone had this happen to you? I would like to fix it since I use my car for work everyday and can't afford to have it break down.
Let me know if you have any input.
Thanks!

YES sounds like its the AC condensor going out.
my integra had the same problem. squeeling when the AC is turned on.

from what i can understand, it is the AC clutch burning out. it cant engage the condensor correctly, and is burning itself out.

you should be losing R134A. check the low pressure side of the AC. is the AC still cool? if you are losing the gas, it is time to replace the condensor.

The condenser is located next to the radiator in front. Are you talking about the compressor? It blows cold and doesn't need a recharge. If the clutch was burnt out it wouldn't engage from I have seen. This is a belt squeal for sure, I just don't know what is seizing at start up. I guess I'll find out when it finally breaks:eek:

Are you sure you haven't overtightened your belts? That would cause the issue you have described. Also, some aftermarket belts will do this as well.

What belts did you use? The only ones I have had luck with were gator belts from Goodyear and OEM nissan ones (whoever makes those). Whatever brand Advance sells would always squeal even with spot on deflection.

Kind of sounds like what I'm having issues with currently...i just hit 41k on my G mt and it sounds like the belt but i know it isn't which is why im going to go ahead and replace my clutch and flywheel and do all that fun transmission stuff to completely rule that out. I have to ask though, are you smelling something like sulfur?? There is hear say suggestions on my cats possibly going bad or just flushing out my injection system....this is driving me nuts!! help!!

It have tried a couple of things with the belts. I put aftermarket goodyear brand on and had them adjusted correctly. It still made the noise so I tightened
them a bit without any difference.
I them purchased new belts from Infiniti and those are on there now. I have had them tight, normal , or loose and it still does it.

The AC compressor is the only thing I could think that would do it but I would hate to spend the money and not fix it. At 110K miles and absolutely no repairs needed until now, this car is owed a little love:D I just don't want to throw the money away.

keep us updated. my car makes the same noise at 50k miles

My '03 has 110k miles. I've replaced my compressor before because of a "whirring" noise that got pretty bad. (3 years later it's getting bad again). I know it's the compressor because the AC button turns the noise on and off very nicely - or the old screw driver to the ear trick under the hood works too. Our compressors have a variable swash plate rather than a clutch so there is no real hope for an easy fix.

On the topic of squeals, the car is quiet at start up but makes a high pitch squeal on the first gear engagement of the day for about 10 seconds. I love the thought of a dry torque converter thrust bearing screaming at me first thing in the morning. You'd think it would have either shut up or failed after 5 years.

Trying to determine if belt or compressor
 

While my car squeals in accordance to when I turn the heater on, I don't recall it doing it in the summer when I turn the ac on. Also it makes the noise when Its cold period from times. How can I be sure.

Any solution?
 

Sorry if an answer was posted somewhere else. New to this site and did a search and this is the closest post to my problem. I am having the same issue. Cold start in the morning and it squeals for 5 to 10 seconds than stops. I have an 05 G35 Coupe 6MT. Changed the belts at 60K and it's about time to change it again since it just hit 100K. Has anyone determine if it is the AC Compressor or the belts?

Tub, in your case I'd bet it was your belts. Having read the thread you can tell our member is having issues with after market belts. It's worth the cost difference to buy OE belts from Nissan, their quality is very good....Gary

I had my compressor go out - it was more of a squeak and only when I engaged the AC.

If you get a squeal 95% of the time its the belts, 4.999% of the time its the idler pulleys, and every once in a while you'll have a compressor go bad like mine did. I had 180K miles on mine at the time.

Isolate the noise by using a long metal extension to your ear. You'll know when you are at the problem.

Bad idler pulleys can make the belts go out as well. If you take the belt off and spin the pulley by hand you will know whether its good or not.

if it is a quick squeak at start up it is your starter gap.
I know crazy haha.
at least that's what an instructor told me at WyoTech.
that the starter to flywheel gap will cause a quick squeak at start up.

I'm having the squeak at startup, just replaced the belts. I guess I'll try tightening them up a bit, and if that doesn't work, check the starter gap. How do we diagnose that one?