I messed up on D4 A/C compressor - 3 vs. 5 track serpentine

Mastiff · Aug 8th, 2019, 11:49

I have spent around £180 to get the A/C compressor replaced, along with the fan assembly and a sensor to fix an A/C problem...that in the end turned out to be a damaged £1 cable from the brain to the fan assembly! And that's of course not the end of it, because the compressor is wrong. And it's partly my fault, and there are two more fault sources in that one. Here's what happened:

I put my regnumber into one of Norway's larger parts shops and found that I needed a Nissens 89350. I double checked at another parts shop, connected to the garage were I was getting the job done, and they had the same listed for my car, only twice the price. So of course I ordered at the cheapest place. They had the possibility to do a manual check at the parts shop, but I didn't bother to pay £20 extra for that, since two systems had said that the compressor was correct. Which is where I messed up...

The compressor arrived, and I delivered it to the garage (a good one, normally), and the mechanic replaced it. It worked as it should, except for that there was a noise in the system that wasn't there before. So I mailed the company I bought it from, and they told me that they had done the double check since I had a problem with it, and it was wrong. The one I got, had a five track serpentine belt, while the one I should have had was three track, Nissens 890062, not 89350. The ID for the two are PXC16 and KC88. So the noise probably comes from the extra tracks on the pulley. Note that there are no error messages from the system, so it seems like the only practical difference is the number of tracks on the pulley.

The mechanic says he should probably have noticed the difference between the original pulley and the new one, but the shop takes no responsibility since I didn't buy the compressor through them, and they say that some come with pulleys that fit two different types of belt, like 7 and 5 track.

So as I see it I have four options, and this is where I need help from somebody in the know.

1. Drive with the compressor as it is and hope the noise goes away when the tracks on the sides of the belt has eaten away a bit of them. My wife doesn't like this idea because she does not want to know that there's a noise there if she turns off the radio. From what the shop says there's almost certainly nothing else in the engine that can be damaged (and they doubt very much that it will damage the compressor either), since the belt will stay on the three tracks it's running on now. That's of course the cheapest course, if it's true that nothing can go wrong.

2. Replace the pulley on the crankshaft. Earlier models has the 5 track pulley for the A/C, not the three track that I have. Not so expensive, probably around £150, but the question I need answered for that one is if there are any other changes in the pulley that will make this change impossible or can damage the engine. And Volvo locally does not want to answer that one, and I'm guessing that getting an answer from the techs at Volvo HQ who might know it is pretty much impossible for me.

3. Replace the pulley on the compressor. But that is dependent on the compressor it self being the same, so they fit. I can get the pulley with clutch and have that replaced for around £200. But then I'd have to know that it fits.

4. Replace the compressor AGAIN, buy the original part this time and hope that I can sell the slightly (two months) used compressor. It cost me £350, so if I find the right buyer I may get 300 for it, but that's assumig I'm lucky, which I never am with cars... The original from Volvo will cost me around £550, and replacing it will cost £300. So anything from £850 and down to to £550, if I'm lucky.

Can anybody here help me save some money without messing up again? Please?

wondergaard · Aug 20th, 2019, 18:12

Hi! Sorry to hear about your hassles.. What kind of noise do you hear? Does it go away when you turn off the A/C inside the car?
The reason asking, I just recieved a 5 track compressor instead of a 3 track..

Mastiff · Aug 20th, 2019, 18:21

It's almost like a bit deeper version of an old car stereo system with bad ground. So mid range whining, and it follows the RPM's. It goes away the second I turn off the A/C. I'd send that compressor back if I was you.

wondergaard · Aug 20th, 2019, 19:15

Allrigt, I'll do that, thanks!!
I might have googled my problem to elsewhere than the compressor anyway.
Does yours sound a little like this? (not my car) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zWme5Tlyg

Mastiff · Aug 20th, 2019, 19:18

Not really, that had a metallic bi-sound that isn't in my car. That stuff sounded more like a damaged bearing in the clutch or compressor itself.

Aug 8th, 2019, 11:49	#1
Mastiff New Member Last Online: Aug 22nd, 2019 16:51 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Mandal	I messed up on D4 A/C compressor - 3 vs. 5 track serpentine I have spent around £180 to get the A/C compressor replaced, along with the fan assembly and a sensor to fix an A/C problem...that in the end turned out to be a damaged £1 cable from the brain to the fan assembly! And that's of course not the end of it, because the compressor is wrong. And it's partly my fault, and there are two more fault sources in that one. Here's what happened: I put my regnumber into one of Norway's larger parts shops and found that I needed a Nissens 89350. I double checked at another parts shop, connected to the garage were I was getting the job done, and they had the same listed for my car, only twice the price. So of course I ordered at the cheapest place. They had the possibility to do a manual check at the parts shop, but I didn't bother to pay £20 extra for that, since two systems had said that the compressor was correct. Which is where I messed up... The compressor arrived, and I delivered it to the garage (a good one, normally), and the mechanic replaced it. It worked as it should, except for that there was a noise in the system that wasn't there before. So I mailed the company I bought it from, and they told me that they had done the double check since I had a problem with it, and it was wrong. The one I got, had a five track serpentine belt, while the one I should have had was three track, Nissens 890062, not 89350. The ID for the two are PXC16 and KC88. So the noise probably comes from the extra tracks on the pulley. Note that there are no error messages from the system, so it seems like the only practical difference is the number of tracks on the pulley. The mechanic says he should probably have noticed the difference between the original pulley and the new one, but the shop takes no responsibility since I didn't buy the compressor through them, and they say that some come with pulleys that fit two different types of belt, like 7 and 5 track. So as I see it I have four options, and this is where I need help from somebody in the know. 1. Drive with the compressor as it is and hope the noise goes away when the tracks on the sides of the belt has eaten away a bit of them. My wife doesn't like this idea because she does not want to know that there's a noise there if she turns off the radio. From what the shop says there's almost certainly nothing else in the engine that can be damaged (and they doubt very much that it will damage the compressor either), since the belt will stay on the three tracks it's running on now. That's of course the cheapest course, if it's true that nothing can go wrong. 2. Replace the pulley on the crankshaft. Earlier models has the 5 track pulley for the A/C, not the three track that I have. Not so expensive, probably around £150, but the question I need answered for that one is if there are any other changes in the pulley that will make this change impossible or can damage the engine. And Volvo locally does not want to answer that one, and I'm guessing that getting an answer from the techs at Volvo HQ who might know it is pretty much impossible for me. 3. Replace the pulley on the compressor. But that is dependent on the compressor it self being the same, so they fit. I can get the pulley with clutch and have that replaced for around £200. But then I'd have to know that it fits. 4. Replace the compressor AGAIN, buy the original part this time and hope that I can sell the slightly (two months) used compressor. It cost me £350, so if I find the right buyer I may get 300 for it, but that's assumig I'm lucky, which I never am with cars... The original from Volvo will cost me around £550, and replacing it will cost £300. So anything from £850 and down to to £550, if I'm lucky. Can anybody here help me save some money without messing up again? Please?

Aug 20th, 2019, 18:12	#2
wondergaard New Member Last Online: Aug 20th, 2019 20:39 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Sydals	Hi! Sorry to hear about your hassles.. What kind of noise do you hear? Does it go away when you turn off the A/C inside the car? The reason asking, I just recieved a 5 track compressor instead of a 3 track..

Aug 20th, 2019, 18:21	#3
Mastiff New Member Last Online: Aug 22nd, 2019 16:51 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Mandal	It's almost like a bit deeper version of an old car stereo system with bad ground. So mid range whining, and it follows the RPM's. It goes away the second I turn off the A/C. I'd send that compressor back if I was you.

Aug 20th, 2019, 19:15	#4
wondergaard New Member Last Online: Aug 20th, 2019 20:39 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Sydals	Allrigt, I'll do that, thanks!! I might have googled my problem to elsewhere than the compressor anyway. Does yours sound a little like this? (not my car) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zWme5Tlyg

Aug 20th, 2019, 19:18	#5
Mastiff New Member Last Online: Aug 22nd, 2019 16:51 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Mandal	Not really, that had a metallic bi-sound that isn't in my car. That stuff sounded more like a damaged bearing in the clutch or compressor itself.

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