AC compressor bolt stripped?

[jaschanks]

1981 240d The long bolt from the back of the ac compressor has worked its way out completely. When I push it back in and try to screw it down tight it won't tighten. It will start to tighten some and then it gets loose again. Is the bolt stripped or am I not doing something right?
Also, How do I take the bolt all the way out? It just hits the bottom of the IP(I think). Thanks, JEFF

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Originally Posted by jaschanks

1981 240d The long bolt from the back of the ac compressor has worked its way out completely. When I push it back in and try to screw it down tight it won't tighten. It will start to tighten some and then it gets loose again. Is the bolt stripped or am I not doing something right?
Also, How do I take the bolt all the way out? It just hits the bottom of the IP(I think). Thanks, JEFF

Well, I just discovered this thread today while searching for something else, so I decided to revive the thread. I don't know if Jeff still needs help with this, but I just went through this same ordeal as part of my latest project to get a functioning AC system in my '82 240D.
Last night while inspecting my AC wiring and belt, I noticed the top bolt sheared off in the aluminum compressor bracket. Further inspection revealed that the entire compressor & bracket was only hanging from the block by the two bottom 8 mm bolts and the drive belt. The big compressor pivot bolt - the one that goes through the aluminum bracket and the engine block - was also missing!
Last night, after removing the aluminum bracket, I found about 1.5 inches of the pivot bolt's threads remained, screwed into the compressor.
Luckily, on my frequent trips to the Virginia Beach Pick-N-Pull, I often grab assorted loose nuts & bolts laying around any cars I'm pulling parts from, so I just happened to have this large metric bolt I found under a 300D last spring. It turned out to be the correct replacement for my broken compressor pivot bolt!
Today, after a long warm, humid afternoon, I finally finished the nasty, filthy job (Including wrestling with mis-routed oil-cooler lines!) of rehanging my AC compressor. As for getting the pivot bolt back in, as posed by Jeff, the hole in my compressor isn't threaded for the first 1/4 inch. The compresser needs to be lifted up to get the bolt, hole and threads to line up. In my case, as I had the other two big compressor adjuster bolts out, I was able to lift/wiggle the compressor and, eventually, screw in the big pivot bolt. The threads in my compressor seemed to be OK.
Also, I inserted the pivot bolt into the aluminum bracket before I manuvered it back into place behind the compressor.

Happy Motoring, Mark