[330istocknot]

Hello All!

My AC compressor just went out on me, and currently don't have the funds to replace it until next month, but i need to drive the car to work etc! On a daily!

I search to see if there was a guide for something like this and there wasn't, just speculations that it can be done, so i said, heck why not give it a try.

Again this isn't permanent, however it can be, you will just roast in the summer.

Things you will need:

-Belt ValuCraft 435K6 $12 Autozone (Or any belt with length of 43.5inch and 6 lips)




-T60 and T55 Hex tip with long breaker bar / Ratchet should work.



I am going to skip the obvious and get straight to the point.

Remove airbox: This will allow you to have better access to the serpentine belt and pulleys.

Remove the serpentine belt: Use the T55/T60 HEX to release tension from to the pulley, make sure to turn towards the right, not left. Until there is no tension and pull the serpentine belt out of the pulley.



After the serpentine belt is removed this is what the diagram looks like for the new belt




You want to start installing the new belt from left to right, start with the Crankshaft pulley, then Power Steering pulley, up to the idler, then Alternator, then the most difficult part is under the Tension pulley.

If all done correctly, this is what it should look like:



This step is the hardest one, you will need another person to help you, until you can swing the tension pulley all the way to the right to be able to get the pulley under it.

Person one: Use T55/T60 to swing the tension pulley towards the right as far as possible, to bring the tensioner pulley as high as possible to get the belt under.

Person two: with your fingers, push belt under pulley until is finally under the tension pulley.

Put everything back, Airbox back, connect the MAF sensor back and tighten the boot to the airbox.

Before starting the vehicle, make sure the belt is aligned with all the pulleys!

This is a video of how it looks once done!


Do this at your own discretion! Its my first DIY! Message me if anything is missing or unclear! Happy sat!

[Needbmwpartzz]

Nice DIY.....good info to know.
Thanks

[hassmaschine]

is this a 330i/N52? Where's the diagram?

You can get different length belts from Gates - I'm planning on doing this with my N52 E30 build, since it doesn't have AC anyway. Nice to see it can work!

[330istocknot]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

is this a 330i/N52? Where's the diagram?

You can get different length belts from Gates - I'm planning on doing this with my N52 E30 build, since it doesn't have AC anyway. Nice to see it can work!

Yes, i should add that to the title, it is an N52 330i.

[330istocknot]

almost 2,000 miles later and the bypass is working as it should. Its getting kinda cool now, so the AC delete is no problem! Heater still works without the AC compressor.

[Tsidiso]

I've done this, how is it going did you put the new a/c?

[330istocknot]

I drove the car for 5k miles more and it ran great no problems at all. I sold the car now. This should only be done as a temporary fix to drive the car.

[ledfoot]

I ended up doing this today after the A/C compressor clutch decided to come apart (pulley fell off). The bypass with the 43.5" belt worked well. If I did it again, I'd get a 1" shorter belt in order to tighten it up a bit more, but this is just a temporary fix until I either a) buy a new A/C compressor or b) convince my wife to let me just convert her car into a full on track car

I used a Gates K060435 model belt, but probably would go with K060425.

[330istocknot]

Originally Posted by ledfoot

I ended up doing this today after the A/C compressor clutch decided to come apart (pulley fell off). The bypass with the 43.5" belt worked well. If I did it again, I'd get a 1" shorter belt in order to tighten it up a bit more, but this is just a temporary fix until I either a) buy a new A/C compressor or b) convince my wife to let me just convert her car into a full on track car

I used a Gates K060435 model belt, but probably would go with K060425.

The convincing your wife to track it seems like a funner option.

As to a shorter belt, i think it would be too much tension, i played it safe with 435k6.

[e90yyc]

Did this last weekend but for different reasons.

I got sick of looking at the boring black OEM belt, so I used a giant yellow rubber band.

Now nothing works, but it's nice to look at.

[330istocknot]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Did this last weekend but for different reasons.

I got sick of looking at the boring black OEM belt, so I used a giant yellow rubber band.

Now nothing works, but it's nice to look at.

But was it long enough?

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by 330istocknot

But was it long enough?

Yes, but it slipped off the A/C pulley and snapped me in the eye, so now I'm also blind in addition to being really dumb.

Edit: Forgot to add that it's actually a T60 socket for the tensioner. I'm sure T55 works okay, but thought it was worth mentioning :-)

[330istocknot]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Yes, but it slipped off the A/C pulley and snapped me in the eye, so now I'm also blind in addition to being really dumb.

Edit: Forgot to add that it's actually a T60 socket for the tensioner. I'm sure T55 works okay, but thought it was worth mentioning :-)

Im surprised one of the fan blades didn't chop a finger! As to T60, ill add it!

[diesel282]

This fix worked for me on my E90 2006 BMW 325i. My A/C Compressor pulley just decided to break right off. I used the below parts

Belt ValuCraft 435K6
T55 Torx Socket

I followed the instructions exactly as posted and it worked great.


Thanks so much 330istocknot!

[Geoff104]

Many thanks for efforts 330istocknot. The pictures really helped!

Carried out the short belt tweek to bypass AC compressor pulley shrieking in UK.

Used a Dayco 6PK1080 belt - a little on the short side but just doable. Get someone to use the breaker bar on the tensioner whilst placing the final part of the belt over pulley between the PSpump and alternator.

Now the car is useable and buys me time to sort out the issue with the AC unit / pulley...

I note that there is an AC pipe runing just in front of the AC pump pulley. Does anyone know if removing the pulley whilst the pump is in situe is possible? OR do have to get the system depressurised and remove the pipe???

Thanks

Geoff

[benjimatt]

Thanks for this guide it was very helpful.

FYI i couldnt use the 435K6 it was a little too loose. I ended up using the Duralast 433K6 and the fitment was perfect.

I was also able to do this by myself with the breaker bar and a t60. The hardest part was actually routing the belt.

My experience ,

I started hearing a loud knock and I had no clue what it was. At high speeds it would kind of go away so I kind of just ignored it. Eventually I got the red battery warning light and my power steering went out. I kept thinking it was battery related so I had the car towed back to my house.

I noticed that the the serpentine belt was completely off the tracks and the AC compressor wheel was wobbly like it was completely off of the housing. I dont feel like paying 1500 dollars to replace this right now and that had me stumble across this thread.

Now it seems that im good to go and I was also able to get rid of an annoying clicking that Ive had for years.

[ledfoot]

Originally Posted by benjimatt

Thanks for this guide it was very helpful.
I noticed that the the serpentine belt was completely off the tracks and the AC compressor wheel was wobbly like it was completely off of the housing. I dont feel like paying 1500 dollars to replace this right now and that had me stumble across this thread.

If the exterior pulley broke off, you can probably get away with just buying a new compressor and drier cartridge. You just need to take the car to get the freon extracted. A few hours of cursing and you'll have the new compressor and drier installed and be ready to head back to the shop to recharge it.

I think I was into the fix for the same issue on my e90 for about $600. The A/C has been working great for the 1.5 years & 20K miles since replacement.

[nhhiep]

I used for 431k6 for 6 months now. 435 looks loose

[Asserti]

Originally Posted by 330istocknot

Hello All!

My AC compressor just went out on me, and currently don't have the funds to replace it until next month, but i need to drive the car to work etc! On a daily!

I search to see if there was a guide for something like this and there wasn't, just speculations that it can be done, so i said, heck why not give it a try.

Again this isn't permanent, however it can be, you will just roast in the summer.

Things you will need:

-Belt ValuCraft 435K6 $12 Autozone (Or any belt with length of 43.5inch and 6 lips)




-T60 and T55 Hex tip with long breaker bar / Ratchet should work.



I am going to skip the obvious and get straight to the point.

Remove airbox: This will allow you to have better access to the serpentine belt and pulleys.

Remove the serpentine belt: Use the T55/T60 HEX to release tension from to the pulley, make sure to turn towards the right, not left. Until there is no tension and pull the serpentine belt out of the pulley.



After the serpentine belt is removed this is what the diagram looks like for the new belt




You want to start installing the new belt from left to right, start with the Crankshaft pulley, then Power Steering pulley, up to the idler, then Alternator, then the most difficult part is under the Tension pulley.

If all done correctly, this is what it should look like:



This step is the hardest one, you will need another person to help you, until you can swing the tension pulley all the way to the right to be able to get the pulley under it.

Person one: Use T55/T60 to swing the tension pulley towards the right as far as possible, to bring the tensioner pulley as high as possible to get the belt under.

Person two: with your fingers, push belt under pulley until is finally under the tension pulley.

Put everything back, Airbox back, connect the MAF sensor back and tighten the boot to the airbox.

Before starting the vehicle, make sure the belt is aligned with all the pulleys!

This is a video of how it looks once done!


Do this at your own discretion! Its my first DIY! Message me if anything is missing or unclear! Happy sat!

Thank you so much for this guide! I just bought a Gates 6pk1098 (1098mm or 43.22") belt and will try to install it this evening.

You don't happen to have the original pictures / routing diagram anymore?

[DeirdreGraham]

The compressor will not start to cool if it is already cold outside the window. And, of course, it won't begin to heating if it's harder than minus five or high humidity at about zero. There is no need to panic about how to fix your air conditioner. You need to study the manual and find out in what conditions you can switch on your model. Or you can equip the conditioner with a so-called "winter setting," and then it will work even in twenty degrees of frost. Masters do not only repair air conditioners but also such work, so do not worry about it. I hope my comment was helpful to you. Good luck

[hassmaschine]

FYI - you can use an N52 tensioner from an X5 (I think) - it will tension the belt a lot better, and it comes with the proper aluminum bolt. the N54 tensioner also works, but it has the wrong bolt (steel).

[benspeeder]

I had a super difficult time finding the right belt. My car is a 2006 E90 330i N52. This is being built into a Touring 3 SCCA race car and why I deleted the compressor and all lines.

I bought the Duralast 433k6 = too small
I bought the Duralast 436K6 = too small PK1105
Bought a Duralast 440K6 = tiny bit too big PK1115
Bought a Napa 060435 = perfect PK1108

I learned that finding the right belt is using the PK number which is the length in millimeters. Fitment is soooo close using the brand part numbers wasn't working and there is a difference between a NAPA 435 and a Duralast 435 of 3mm which is what I needed.

As a spare I bought a PK1107 belt, I think this would be the ideal size as the PK1108 fit easily and could be a hair tighter.

Serious PITA, but she be good now. Hope this helps the next BMW driver!