Hi there..long time no post..
The pulley and clutch recently fell off the AC Compressor on my 530 xi..It had been making a ticking noise for awhile then all of a sudden the Battery warning light came on and my steering got really stiff. Upon inspection, I saw the belt had come off along with the pulley. I will need to replace the AC Compressor which I'll do in the Spring. For now I did fit a shorter belt bypassing the missing ac pulley..It took me awhile ( different belt sizes)to find a perfect fit at Autozone..Valuecraft 435K6..it's 43.5 inches long. If you own a high mileage E60' this can happen to you. Hope this info will help someone. Take care.
