S40 (New) AC : Aircon Compressor dead?

[zax]

S40 1.8 Petrol 2005, 89K miles.

I think my aircon compressor has seized. Had a few days away, generally always leave aircon on anyway but it's been warm so it was working hard.

Pulled into a car park after about 40 mins drive to get a horrid "friction lining" smell - like a seriously stuck caliper, and "smoke" coming from drivers wheel arch. Opening the bonnet showed the "smoke" coming from the very bottom of that end of the engine, the aircon compressor! Seems the clutch had been slipping in a big way! Poured a couple of litres of water down there and the great cloud of steam showed the part was bloody boiling! Started the engine again with aircon off. Switched aircon on, compressor kicked in (or tried to, showing clutch still working) and revs died and engine stalled. Aircon off - fine, aircon on - engine dies. Left it off!

Admittedly the aircon hasn't been working efficiently for a few weeks, but i thought it was just struggling with the unseasonable warmth here in balmy Yorkshire. Seems like the compressor has had it.

So, good folks, what now - do I go to my local independent Volvo guy or an aircon specialist? Does the fact it's a Mazda/Ford engine help, cost wise? Can you get a re-con part or is it new only (at a cost, no doubt)?

[Loskie]

decent air con specialist. garage will often sub contract to them anyways.

[DT19]

Hmmm? that's a coincidence. On my V50 I've noticed my aircon struggling with the extra heat last week and sometimes it blew out warm air. I was thinking my compressor had gone as well but it seems to be ok now.
Yesterday I noticed a tappet rattle sort of noise and guessed the oil needed topping up but the noise went away. Today I topped up the oil and noticed a new noise which seemed to be coming from low down behind the drivers wheel arch and I wondered if the compressor might be around there.

The noise increases with the revs and is there whether the aircon is on or off.
It's not a deep big end knocking noise but more of a high pitched rattle but not very loud. I'm guessing you and me will be in the same queue at the aircon shop next week.

I had a look around for a replacement compressor and they can be fairly cheap if you don't mind a used one. Also, an aircon specialist in York quoted me £35 for a system test, clean out and re-gas which is reasonable. If it turns out that my compressor is on the blink I'll probably get one from a scrappy and fit it then take it to the aircon specialist for the test and re-gas.