A/C Compressor removal

[Rick G]

OK Question time. Can anyone tell me of any way (preferably an easy one) to get the rear bolt out that holds the A/C compressor to the engine  It's an 04 N62 4.4 I have got 12 inch fingers with universal knuckles and still cant get within a bulls roar of it. All I need to do is just loosen the bolt to get the compressor aside to get the front cover off.

[X5-D-Sport]

before you pull the pump OFF, are you sure the pump has failed, & not just the clutch solenoid... as they are replaceable without having to go to the expense & agro of swapping the whole pump...

Most often the pump survives, but the solenoid melts down.
They usually fail open circuit.... if they fail short circuit the fuses that pop take out most of the climate controls & buttons lol,

The solenoid connections are usually accessible to put a test meter across.

[Rick G]

It's not the pump that needs replacing but I need to get it away from the block to get the front cover off to replace the tensioners mainly due to about half of them being in bits in the sump.
All I need to do is get that bolt about 1 turn loose and I should be able to do it but I can barely see the head let alone get anything to it.
Yer gotta give it to those design engineers they sure can fit a lot of stuff into a small space. Maybe I could get them to make a set of shelves in my cave.

[henrym3]

To my shame I have in the past employed an 8 year old grandchild to get to inaccessible places. Very successfully, I might add.

[X5-D-Sport]

Slave labour & child exploitation - marvelous concept....