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Comments
-from Cool Hand Luke
I think Alcan wants to know if you have the computer-controlled Automatc Climate Control or do you manually switch on and adjust the a/c, not the transmission.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I have a 1990 Mitsubishi Sigma, the compressor would run but I would get no cold air, I bought a conversion kit to R134A and the guage said there was a little R12 left but now the compressor clutch won't engage, the compressor is still running...when I turn the A/C on there is now no drag on the engine and the rad. fan doesn't come on like it did before I started this process. Could the thing not be running since there is no freon in it....if thats the case how can I get the new freon in it, since the directions say for it to be running??? HELP
Thanks
Bill
you could also have blown a clutch fuse, but you would run into the thick-oil issue as well.
generally speaking, since I don't have the EPA training and the new equipment I must speak generally here, you would have to drain oil from a low spot and/or replace the dessicant/dryer pad and blow the old oil out with dry nitrogen, then add the appropriate amount of lighter R134a-compliant oil to the system using a charging station during vacuum evacuation of the system. that would distribute the oil generally where it belongs. you then recharge with R134a and test.
I always thought something was missing from the little boxed R134a kits, like a Gould vacuum station....
I agree, spend $150 and get a pro hook-up to test this system.
Last year we were told by service tech that as long as the temp of the air at the vent was a delta of 40 degrees from ambient then within spec (barely that last year).
I remember prior to conversion the temp could get to 37 degrees with ambient at 90. Work has been done by Linc-Merc dealer. What should I measure?
Thanks....Virgie
Wife is very disappointed
under those conditions in idle after a few minutes, you should see a temp reduction of about 35-40 degrees. if so, you have no air conditioning problem, just fond memories of the old ice-chunk-thrower a/c systems that are gone for ever more.
things you can do to help your cause are
1) use the reflective window blockers when parked
2) leave a window or two cracked when parked if the local crime statistics permit it.
3) when getting in the car and starting it, zip down a couple windows and fire up the fan for a couple minutes full-blast to knock as much of the hot air out of the car as possible before closing up and driving off.
4) if at all possible, dress for the weather to get additional aid against the heat. it would be better to wear shorter and light-fabric outfits in summer, of course. any job requiring a dark knit suit is IMHO not worth taking, anyway but some do it and moan about the air conditioner.
5) there is always the R255 or R455 air conditioning systems, if all else fails. they are: roll down 2 or 4 windows, whatever you have, and do 55.
there is a reason you don't see black interiors any more, and it is spelled R134a.
The car has 108,000 miles on it. He just spent money on front brakes, and has new tires with 6,000 or so miles on them. Money is an issue. He has had the car for three plus years without A/C. So, does he eat the $140, or seek out the diagnosis? Any history on what others have spent on A/C leaks? He still loves the car, and it is in great shape.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
he's likely got a bad hose, and it's going to take a dye-and-refill cycle to find it. not uncommon to have a system with several problems at once, especially when it's been down for a few years and you try and bring it up.
I'd expect the refill and replacement hose, if that's what the problem is, to end up costing over $200 and under $400. there are a lot of factors at work here, including whether it's a solid hose with a creepy end, in which case they might be able to use an adapter fitting, chop the hose back an inch or so from the failure, and recrimp to the adapter. I've had that done, and it worked well, because the techs knew what they were doing. joe maybe doing this for the first time would be better off replacing the whole hose.
Also R134a is very sensitive to pressures. It could be that he doesn't have a leak but that the system was not properly charged.
Also R134a is very sensitive to pressures. It could be that he doesn't have a leak but that the system was not properly charged.
I don't want to spend a lot of money on the thing, I figure on getting a new car in a year or so, but I'd like cold air for the summer.
I have been tempted to buy one of those little spray cans of 134a refrigerant from the auto parts store and attempting to put some in. For 15 bucks do I have anything to lose by trying this?
Dave
so, if you can very clearly differentiate between the LOW (good, suction, service) port of the system and the HIGH (measurement only, pressure, killer, evil wicked mean and nasty side) port, you could try it.
if you can't, you are better off taking this to a tech who CAN tell the difference, and wants to live to cash his paychecks.
-0-
with that caveat... if you know what you're up to, have goggles and gloves, and a kit with a gauge, have fun.
since they've tightened up the standards, this is history for me. why fight to get the tools when I can have a certified tech get it right the first time? but knowing the basics of the process at least helps me discuss the job with the mechanic when I take mine in, someday, for this problem.
worth a try if you are tight this month.
KBD
high head pressure could be causing compressor blockage, and preventing it from coming to speed; likely causes could be plugged fins on the evaporator or overheating at the condenser. that might be interesting to deal with. possible it could be a stuck valve or too much refrigerant, too.
now, there is another issue in the blower fan, and potentially another yet in the a/c controller module. neither of those are any fun to wave a wallet at.
you need a good thorough professional diagnosis of the issues; a/c is simple at its core, and rather a stinker when you tuck it inside a car, and soup it up so the car temp drops in minutes, instead of the hour or more it will take at home to get the edge off a hot house. even worse with limited access to the parts, and it seems engineers are nowadays trying hard to make it impossible to get to anything in the a/c chain to fix it.
Certainlh a good first step is for a qualified AC person to check the refrigerant level and if it is low, then have a machine suck out whatever is left, test for leaks and recharge the system.
Water should puddle under the car if it sits with the A/c on, quite a bit on a humid day.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I have a 1988 Buick Park Ave with 3800 series engine. I got this car from my father in law and need to keep it. I have been trying to get the a/c to run properly with some assistance from the previous owner. He has replaced 2 compressors already and has been servicing r134a about once a year. The a/c does not cool in hot Florida weather. The clutch seems to be working properly and there is no irregular noise from the compressor aside from a pulley\bearing chatter once in a while. The pressure gauge registers at the top part of the blue line for low pressure side. The car has had problems in the past with the vacuum/solenoid? louvres for the air mix, but I do not suspect this as main problem. We replaced the expansion valve yesterday: Vacuumed system -28psi seemed to hold ok. There was a considerable amount of build up on the screen of the valve. I thought it looked like graphite mixed with glitter. I suspect the compressor is going, but want to know if there is a way to flush the lines out to avoid another costly repair in the near future after possible compressor replacement. I would like to replace the whole system but that is probably not too easy on my wallet. I would also like to know what would cause build up in the lines. Any advice would help. The previous reservicings used to fix the poor performance,but that is not the case anymore. Thank you for any advice you can give. I would like to do the work myself...fun and cheaper.
what I would do in a case like this is remove the EEVIR valves and bolt the receiver back up to the head, pull the compressor, blow everything down with dry nitrogen until nothing more comes out, then add a half pint of oil and do it again. don't mix up the two valves, or this will freeze up inside and never cool. clean the EEVIR and valves and reassemble with new gaskets, or just buy a rebuilt unit, adding the proper amount of r134a rated oil for all major components in the equipment list except the compressor. get a rebuilt compressor or a junkyard unit that is known to meet output, fill with r134a oil, turn it over by hand a couple of times, drain it, and repeat a couple times. drain it over a pan until dry, and add the proper amount of r134a oil for that unit. connect it with fresh gaskets to the mating block after mechanical installation. pump the system down for 2 to 4 hours, shut off the gauge set to the pump, and insure you hold vacuum overnight. if so, recharge the system using one shot of leak-find fluorescent dye. if not, find the bad hose/connector/fin coil, and replace as needed until you can hold vacuum overnight.
the reason I'm stressing the refrigerant oil so much here is that you likely have been roaching compressors by too little oil. the only way to really know how much you have is to blow it all out, and then refill to spec.
this is going to be a lot of work, and no mean expense, and if you have a damper-door motor shot, may still mean no a/c until you fix that. but the sealed system is in awful shape from what you're saying, and needs a thorough cleanout.
the CHEAPEST fix is to convert to a r255 system or r455 system. pull the a/c fuse, roll down windows (2 or 4, depending on car configuration,) and do 55 mph.
due to the differences in refrigerant operating profiles, this car will never cool like it was new, unless you put a ThermoKing truck trailer unit in it, with a diesel tank, and reinforce the roof so it doesn't fall in on you. not affordable or practical.
If it is compressor debris, that's also a big screw-up, but I kind of doubt this since the compressor would be protesting pretty badly if it is throwing metal.
Yeah, you can clean the lines and the screen that protects the compressor but you need to find out what this debris actually is. An A.C. man should know. Maybe a new dryer would fix you up.
Expansion valve shouldn't be a big deal, and if you take it apart it should show debris inside...you might ask them to show you this so you know they were on the right track.
I did let my dealer know when they missed (or hosed up by rotating the loose calipers) impending failures in both front brake flex hoses, as well as a rusted-shut ebrake cable which left me with next to no options on a saturday afternoon recently. that's a life-safety item, and IMHO that they need to know.
not recharging an a/c is not a life-safety issue, but it's really sloppy ( ), and I wouldn't go back there on a bet. the good news is they fixed your heavy problem. the bad news is, if they can't get gas in the a/c, you have to wonder if they put in the few ounces of refrigerant oil that is required when replacing parts.
next time you have to have the system serviced, have them put in oil-charged refrigerant if they use cans, or blow it out and fill to spec if they use bulk gas. probably isn't low enough to kill your system, but I wouldn't trust tuffy's recordkeeping to know whether they did that right.
Keep us posted on how it's behaving.
it could also be your charge leaked out again, and you have a connection to be replaced, probably a pressure hose.
could be worse... exploders with the trailering package also have a heckuva big alternator, and the field coils for THAT can be interrupted by the engine computer if you really have to hammer the gas to get out of a situation, thus freeing up another 10 horses or so. hope I never have to replace that alternator, it's going to be pricey....