Originally Posted by ants_oz (Post 1042507)

Question - does the AC clutch take a 12v feed? It is not unusual at all for automotive components in modern vehicles to use voltages less than 12v. Applying 12v directly to a lower voltage component can render it a paperweight.

Originally Posted by bcredliner (Post 1042513)

No need to test the clutch you can see and hear if it engages when you turn on the air.

Originally Posted by trader4 (Post 1042515)

If the clutch doesn't engage when you turn on the air, it doesn't
tell you anything about the clutch. It could be the clutch, or it
could be the clutch isn't getting 12V, for a whole bunch of reasons.
Ultimately you may have good reason to test it.

Originally Posted by ants_oz (Post 1042516)

While that is true, my point is somewhat different - there are people talking about applying 12v directly to the clutch to check whether or not it WILL engage.

If the clutch is not engaging, is it that the clutch is stuffed, or is it that there is another part of the system preventing it from engaging?

THAT is what I took from the discussion around applying 12v to it.

Originally Posted by trader4 (Post 1042501)

The point was, you posted this:

"In the good old days you would just jump 12V to the compressor to confirm its ability to function. Now days all parts up stream must be working before system tests will complete"

So, again, shade tree or whatever you want to call that test that you
could do in the past, AFAIK you can still do it with the X5 today. Your
statement implies that it can't be done.

"From you previous posts I see that you are taking my advice about not fixing stuffs that breaks on your X"

No idea what that refers to or means.

Originally Posted by trader4 (Post 1042540)

Attempt at diversion detected. Attempt at diversion rejected.
Your statement that I responded to wasn't the above, it
was this:

"In the good old days you would just jump 12V to the compressor to confirm its ability to function. Now days all parts up stream must be working before system tests will complete."

So, stop lying. And all I said in response to that was that AFAIK,
you can still just jump 12V to the compressor as a test, just like
you could in the past. I thought it important to clarify, for people
like the OP who are seeking help in how to diagnose, how the AC
system works, etc. I didn't get nasty, didn't take shots at you.

And now you want to take cheap shots at me? Owners that maintain
cars like me? YOU don't even understand how the AC clutch works
with the rest of the system, as evidenced by the above. And when
you post something here that's incorrect, when someone points
that out so that others won't be mislead, instead of just correcting
what you said, you deny and try to divert. And now
you want to drag DISA in here? Yeah, I've driven it for months
with the DISA inoperative because I understand what the DISA
does and doesn't do. I made that call. Same thing with the aux
fan. It's the third fan in the car and I'm rather tired of paying
$450 for a new piece of junk one. It's a terrible idea, putting
electronic components, unprotected, in one of the worst environments
possible. So, in the summer I don't have cool air for a minute
when stopped at a light. For me, that's an acceptable tradeoff.
And maybe the X is the only car you have, you use it to haul
your boss around in or you're deeply in love with it. In my case,
the X is a seconday service vehicle I use primarily when I need to
haul something, to go to ski resorts, etc. It's only worth a few
thousand bucks, I'm not too keen on pouring money into a high
mileage, 13 year old vehicle that's only worth a few thousand
bucks, for non-essential items.

Further, what I learned from the above directly contradicts what
others here have claimed. For example, some have claimed that
the AC will not run at all without an operating fan. I think 2 years
experience that proves that wrong is useful information for
anyone trying to understand how the system really works.
Same thing with DISA. It's useful info, because some people
thing that without a functioning DISA, the car won't run or
will run poorly. Apparently that kind of useful information
upsets some people here, like you.

Like I've told others here, your car, your money, your choices.

But just man up to what you actually posted, instead of taking
cheap shots and starting a divisive argument.

Originally Posted by trader4 (Post 1042553)

Yes, I see now that you didn't make the post that I attributed to you, so
I apologize for that. You could have simply pointed that out a couple
posts ago, when I first replied, instead of starting personal attacks.

As to posting pictures, the fan is in the car, I'm not going to tear it
out just to post pics. And pics aren't likely to do much to solve
the question of what exactly failed.

"So when you decided to get rid of the X and sell it to a new X owner are you going to replace the DISA valve and Aux Fan? Probably not and probably won't tell the new owner about these two problems. "

And there you go again, with more totally unsupported personal attacks.
Is that what this forum is about now? As to lacking power in the
mid-range, you're once again in over your head. I've seen absolutely
no noticeable difference in performance with the DISA working or
disabled. I have seen others here report the same thing. Are you
going to personally attack them too?