A/C compressor removal

[Jand3rson]

Can the A/C compressor be removed easily from the engine without doing any major surgery, such as lifting the engine or removing a whole shitload of other stuff? My A/C doesn't work, doesn't even have a belt, and since that thing is a huge pig of dead weight, I want to pull it out, mainly before the auto-x this weekend. Can it be done?

[Teaguer]

Yeah you just need to remove the two lines from it .
The compressor can come loose from the bracket by just undoing the two 13mm bolts .....then you can leave it off loike that or take the bracket loose from the block as well .
The bracket is held on by allen bolts .

[Jean]

Should come out easy, it's just a tight fit there on the m20/m50 cars but you don't have to lift anything up. I've done it on my m10 before, but now that you mention is I would love to know what exact size wrench you need to get the hoses off the a/c compressor... I think they are bigger than 19mm.

[Jand3rson]

Sweet, thanks fellas.

When my species comes to rule this planet, your names will be put on the protective lists, and you will come to no harm.

[Jand3rson]

Pulled! That was easy. I pulled the main copper line going to it out of the engine bay, and the bracket, too. My bracket was held on with FOUR 13mm bolts! Just removing that and the compressor made things look much cleaner, I'm going to remove the other line, as well.

[Jon325i]

You take out the condenser too? The whole system is something around 60lbs.-ish.

Jon

[Jean]

I have, bma sells oem brackets to mount the electrical fan in place of the condensor on it's own.

[CorvallisBMW]

might as well pull the condensor, lines and reciever dryer. Don't worry about the evaporator though, it's a bitch to get out and only weighs like 2 lbs

[Jean]

Yeah, it's even more fun to put everything back in! Lawl.

Does anybody know what size wrench you need on the bigger a/c hose fittings?

[Jand3rson]

I think that bigger one must be like a 22mm or something, I had to use channel locks on it.

The condensor is up front near the radiator, right? I don't remember.

[Jean]

I think that bigger one must be like a 22mm or something, I had to use channel locks on it.

The condensor is up front near the radiator, right? I don't remember.

Yeah same here, didn't have big enough wrenches. The condensor is up front, evaporator is under the dash. I would remove the condensor , would probably increase airflow to the radiator as well.