XSeries-forum

A/C Compressor - E53 D Sport - Facelift...
Any one ever stripped the clutch components off a Compressor ?

I have a dead/open circuit solenoid on a AC compressor... unfortunately, the replaced unit - fitted last weeek at the cost of £150 to get it fitted has a solenoid that is a dead short & pops fuses....
So I'm wondering if the shower that fitted this unit have pinched the solenoid wire ?

**Meanwhile, I was wondering if the coil in the solenoid can be opened & re-wound ?

I've re-wound starter motors & 3-phase motors before & have the tools to do it... but before I strip the clutch of the old unit & get filthy ...
**I was wondering if there are any key areas that the solenoids fail.... ie the earth connection rots off or the connector plug falls to bits etc ??

I've seen the You-Tube clips of stripping the units down, but any other info will be welcomed before I get hot & mucky...  after all, a bank-holiday is for relaxation isn't it..

Grant B

no one gone this deep into A/C compressor issues ?

Don't know if this helps but here goes.
In the 90's when I ran Volvo estates for our engineers we did have a few failures that was down to the air gap at the clutch the solenoid would operate but the clutch wouldn't engage. This caused it to kick out, the solution from Volvo was new compressor we used to take out a shim or 2 from the clutch and it was fixed for remainder of its life with us. One of our engineers brought his estate when we upgraded he doesn't live far from me he still has it well over 200k and still going strong.
Never had a solenoid failure though

interesting stuff... Mine has definitely failed open circuit unfortunately...

Update....
OK, got filthy, stripped the Clutch & Solenoid magnet from the old AC compressor...

The solenoid was fried & all burned & smelly, the clutch its self was fine, as was the compressor.

As per the comment from Grey-Dog above, there are some shim washers to allow the clutch to just skim/miss the free wheeling pulley when not engaged.

I've done some digging re BMW A/C compressors... and provided they are kept wet - ie used often, they don't fail... the primary failure is these bloody solenoid magnets.... they either burn out & fail open circuit, ot weld solid & failed closed circuit & blow all your fuses.

I've now got 2 AC compressors that work fine, but with dead Solenoids.

I tugged one of the coils apart, & they are a total balls of a device & almost destined to failure... the main body of the AC pump is a heat sink for them, as the have such a low wired resistance that they heat up like a cooker hob element.

**UPDATE**
I have just found a Renault Solenoid that is the exact dimensions £35... to fit & work with a BMW AC compressor... in which case, I will have a couple of spare units working soon