BMW X5 A/C Compressor Clutch
An A/C compressor clutch is an electromagnetic clutch system (also known as electro-mechanical clutches) used as a part of automobile air conditioning systems. These types of clutches function electrically but transmit torque in the same way as any other clutch system. They are also used in many other kinds of applications and were developed as a remote operation due to manual operation being impractical.
What causes A/C compressor clutch failure?There are many reasons for any car part to fail. Generally speaking, the compressor clutch should stay operational well over 10 years but no more than 20 in many cases. If this mechanism fails, its usually due to poor vehicle maintenance. Keeping your vehicle well-serviced will prevent these devices from breaking before their time and save you a lot of time and money. Below are some of the most common reasons for failure.
- Insufficient voltage to the coil will lead to overheating of the winding, causing the clutch hub to slip against the surface of the pulley. The extreme heat caused leads to high-pressure conditions and ultimately failure.
- Bearing failures caused by other system failures, such as overheating.
- A misaligned pulley belt.
- The field coil is faulty.
The first thing you should do is inspect the compressor with a flashlight. In most cases, you will see signs that it overheated and has become burnt and discolored. Next, look for flexible rubber isolators. They allow the disc to move in and out. If there was a failure, the rubber will have melted, while the metal plates will have become rusty. Its likely you will not be able to repair it, so youll have to replace the entire compressor assembly.
If you dont see physical signs of overheating, you can use a multimeter to conduct a voltage drop test. In order to do this, turn your cars engine on and switch the A/C to the maximum. Take the positive test lead and press it on the positive terminal of the car battery and press the negative test lead to the A/C clutch coil connector. If the multimeters display shows 1.0 volts or lower, its a sign that overheating was not a problem due to a bad electrical connection. On the other hand, if it reads over 1.0 volts, overheating is most likely an issue.
How do you fix an A/C compressor?Depending on the reason for failure and to what extent your air conditioners compressor is damaged, there are various ways to fix it. Nevertheless, be sure to keep away from quick fixes and DIY kits, because this will only cause further problems in the future.
Once you have pinpointed the problem with the compressor clutch, you may either have to switch out a single part or replace the entire compressor.