Have been replacing the clutch on the aircon compressor on t'Mini today, my diagnostics indicated it was blown. Got a replacement from Germany delivered for about £36.
Access was impossible so I had to take the bumper off and put the front end into the service position, where it basically slides forward a few inches - there's a lot of screws and some big 16mm bolts that required a rattle gun to remove, but it's not bad.
Eventually I get the pulley and clutch off the compressor (much circlip grief), and go into the garage to get the new one... suddenly POP then HISSSS. The seal has blown off the shaft. I eventually find the seal some distance away, it must have ricocheted off the house - good job I wasn't in front of it at the time. Compresser is now toast so will have to get one off eBay.
After all that, it seems the clutch is OK anyway - certainly there's circuit continuity (but was impossible to test this without taking it all apart anyway). Perhaps the problem has been overpressure the whole time?
