AC compressor packed up at 170k+

[TriX5]

Ugh, in the middle of working on my F10 replacing tension struts, brakes and (unexpectedly) CV boots, my wife announced the E53 AC stopped working.... I am waiting for the special pliers to put the clamps on the boots of the F10 (why does no parts store stock these?). So, today I checked and the compressor is seized solid, I took the belt off as the pulley looked wobbly, I don't need it to get worse if the AC belt gets thrown.

This is of course only months after the engine was out....... I had noticed that the AC compressor is in an impossibly tight spot right next to the frame rails. I found a thread on XO for an E53 with the N62 (RHD) where it took the owner 2 weeks to get the swap done. Is this of equal complexity on the M62 engine??

It may take me until July to get around to this job (college semester is over and both kids graduate tomorrow!! Don't need to fix this car immediately :-) but I wonder if anyone on here has done the AC compressor swap and how you did it?

I am contemplating: 1. remove frame stiffening plate, 2. draining the coolant and disconnecting the hoses front and back, 3. loosening the exhaust flanges, 4. disconnect steering shaft, 5. disconnect engine ground, 6. remove fan/shroud then drop the sub-frame and engine/trans a few inches to get at the bolts holding the compressor on.

An alternative might be to "just" drop the sub-frame on the right enough to get access to the bolts and work around the remaining obstacles?

Am I overthinking this? Open to hearing simpler ways of doing this!

[andrewwynn]

From tis:

M62 AC Compressor.pdf


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[Henn28]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

From tis:

Attachment 84866


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Wow, TIS makes that look easy. Don’t think I didn’t download and save those instructions though. 170k on my OE compressor too, so it’s just a matter of time.

My SAP pump is gone, and it really opens up that front corner of the engine bay. May be worth considering yanking when you do the job.

[andrewwynn]

You can use sap from five series or seven series. Really opens up the options for a bone yard find.

[TriX5]

That looks way too simple TIS. But it seems worth a shot to start from the top and see how far I can get.
Now need to find a way to vacate the system first.

[EODguy]

Originally Posted by TriX5

That looks way too simple TIS. But it seems worth a shot to start from the top and see how far I can get.
Now need to find a way to vacate the system first.

No need to evacuate the system, you'll be having it open to the atmosphere anyway and have to replace (at a minimum) the condenser, drier pack and oil after pulling a vacuum. These systems use the environmentally friendly R-134 not the harmful R-12 "according to why it was banned."

The N62 isn't exactly fun and easy but it was not that bad.



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[X5chemist]

Mine has the M54. The only difference is removing the coolant lower hose. Removing the hose gives room to move a compressor forward. I removed the fan and guard for extra room. I had mine replaced in less than an hour. Get a bolt to screw into the drier top hole. Use a pry bar to pop it up. W

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

You can use sap from five series or seven series. Really opens up the options for a bone yard find.

Gone, as in coded out and removed. But, I appreciate the tipper. If we ever move back to CA I’ll likely need to put it back in and get it working. Or at least put it back in. I can’t recall how testing works out there, from the last time we live in CA. And plus, the X5 was brand new at that time. Are they just looking for all the right emissions parts, in the right places, or can they switch the SAP system on, test it, etc?

Trying to talk my wife into a couple-year move to Napa Valley. There are some real advantages to working out of SFO in my biz. Of course we’d be living under an expensive bridge abutment.

[TriX5]

Will definitely try from the top first.

Not sure it is legal in the US to release R134. Reference this thread. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...eplacement-DIY

[andrewwynn]

R one thirty four a is typically what's in air duster cans so it's a kind of silly rule about venting. Yeah not great maybe if everybody did it but use yep or three duster cans and it's literally the same thing.

https://www.chemtronics.com/ultimate...erosol-dusters