amc49 wrote: ↑

Sat May 25, 2019 9:43 pm

Cutting a slot in bolt is going backwards. A screwdriver slot cannot have as much torque applied to it as the original likely 8 mm. bolt head would. That bolt now likely destroyed and the entire clutch and maybe compressor coming up next, the clutch main bearing destroys with heat there and likely the front compressor seal as well. The WRONG way to go next. Normal direction to loosen is counter clockwise.

The only out left now is entire removal of the bolt head itself without damaging the clutch front faceplate. Drillbit or grind head off. And if done like the rest here (skills and the work) likely that will destroy more too.

Critta wrote: ↑

Wed May 29, 2019 6:54 am

amc49 wrote: ↑

Sat May 25, 2019 9:43 pm

Cutting a slot in bolt is going backwards. A screwdriver slot cannot have as much torque applied to it as the original likely 8 mm. bolt head would. That bolt now likely destroyed and the entire clutch and maybe compressor coming up next, the clutch main bearing destroys with heat there and likely the front compressor seal as well. The WRONG way to go next. Normal direction to loosen is counter clockwise.

The only out left now is entire removal of the bolt head itself without damaging the clutch front faceplate. Drillbit or grind head off. And if done like the rest here (skills and the work) likely that will destroy more too.

I said bolt but it’s not a true bolt with a head you can grab hold off with a socket. It’s a round bolt with a hex head center. The hex head got stripped trying to get it out. Thus the reason for cutting the slot in the head. Secondly - I was hoping for help from people who have actually gotten their clutch off. Based on your reply that everything is now ruined and I need to just replace the whole compressor - I’d wager you’ve never actually removed an AC clutch from a 2010 Altima before. I was asking for helpful advice from someone who had actually removed a clutch before - not armchair criticism. Now for those that may need to this in the future I’ll tell you exactly how to do it. Had I known all this before hand I would’ve had this done in an hour not 2 days.

It took a while but I got it finished. Nothing I could find online said how to do it. YouTube had videos but they were useless. They all skipped the part of exactly how to get the bolt out. Now here’s how to do it:

I think I could have gotten it off with the original hex head bolt without stripping the head of the bolt if I had just heated it with a propane torch to begin with. I didn’t and ended up stripping the head trying to get it out. I used a Ryobi cordless rotary tool to cut a slot in the head for a 3/8 inch flat head screwdriver you can attach a socket and ratchet to get more torque (from Harbor Freight). Tried turning the bolt like that and it would not budge. Tried a small butane torch to heat it and it would not budge. I figured it had to be red locktite used on the bolt from factory. Looked up online to see how hot I needed to get it to release – around 500 degrees was needed. Used a FLIR thermal camera to see how hot the bolt was getting after removing the small butane torch. Only about 200 degrees. So I tried a propane torch (the handheld blue tanks you can buy from Home Depot for like $20) and heated it. The FLIR camera only says >386 degrees so I was not sure about the exact temperature but let it heat about 1 minute and 45 seconds until it started to smoke a little bit. Let it cool a bit and tried the screwdriver with the ratchet and it turned about a ¼ of turn and then would not budge. Heated it again this time for about 30 seconds – did not let it cool and turned it again and it loosened some more and stopped. Each time I had to heat, turn the bolt and it would harden back up and repeat. Finally got it out after about 4-5 rounds of heating, loosening and repeating. Next was the clutch face plate. It should’ve just come right off no tools need like it showed on youtube. Nope. Tried pulling, tried prying, tried screwing in a bolt just into the threads of the plate itself and pulling with a wire wrapped around the bolt. Nothing it would not budge. Thought maybe it somehow got some of the Locktite behind it and it hardened back up so I heated the plate with the propane torch for 30 seconds and used to screwdrivers with little hooks on the end to try it and pry it off with. Came off with no problem whatsoever. Just slid right off. Carefully turned it over and removed the 2 spacers in the faceplate.

Removed the snap lock ring on the pulley easily. The snap lock ring holding the electromagnet was a problem to get off. Don’t even try the cheapy $5 snap lock pliers from Harbor Freight, or the $14 pair they sell. Also no 90 degree sets either unless the tips are long. The pair I had would hit the magnet and would not reach into the channel to grab the snap ring. I bought a pair of straight Channel Lock snap ring pliers from Lowe’s and finally got it off. The problem is the ring is very difficult to open enough to slide off the compressor to release the magnet. I’m going to order a different pair that opens wider to make the job easier if I ever have to take another snap ring off again. So if you plan on doing this – get the largest straight snap ring pliers you can. Once that was done just put all the new components on in reverse order. Been using the AC in Louisiana 90 degree heat the past 2 days with no problems. Works perfectly fine. Didn’t need a new $1400 compressor, drier, condenser or all that other crap mechanics were saying were neeed. Nothing was wrong with the compressor just needed a new electromagnet to help pull the clutch plate onto the pulley. Just a $45 AC clutch assembly off of Ebay and a little time and elbow grease.