HVAC issue

[328ioc]

Well it got really hot again in Florida and I realized that the air coming out of my driver side vents is colder than the air coming out of the passenger side.

Any one have any ideas?

[kayger12]

That's a symptom of being low on refrigerant, iirc.

[328ioc]

Thanks Keith, do you know if there is any way to check it?

Or should I just find a DIY and recharge it?

[kayger12]

I had this one bookmarked.

http://www.unitedbimmer.com/forums/e46/17925-pictorial-diy-e46-ac-system-troubleshoot-recharge.html

[328ioc]

Saved to my bookmarks.

Thanks for the help.

[kayger12]

Anytime.

I wish this was sent with a Galaxy S3

[telijah]

About 99% of the time it is in fact due to low refrigerant. I always kind of cringe at the idea of self recharging. The A/C system is a completely sealed system, and there should never be a reason for it to lose refrigerant. So if you're low on refrigerant, you have a leak somewhere.

I've always recommended getting a proper evac and recharge from any A/C shop (no "specialist" needed, any monkey at an A/C repair shop can do this). When they recharge it, they typically will put a dye into the refrigerant as well, so if there is a leak, they can easily spot it with a U/V light, or similar. A properly equipped shop might even have a sniffer to locate the leak point too.

I was lucky, mine was leaking from one of the service ports, right by the fan on the passenger side of the engine bay. $12 bucks later from the local dealer ship, I have a new charge port and no more leaks.

[zj96sc]

I agree for the most part, but you also came out on the stratospherically low end of the professional a/c repair cost spectrum. most a/c shops here want $100 just to diagnose, and a lot of the time leaks are in the evaporation or condenser which would cost probably 1-200 TIMES more than you paid for them to fix.

For that $100 id buy a good manifold gauge set and a can of UV died refrigerant. Check your pressures and see where you stand. If it needs a little, add a little and see how long it lasts while also checking the common spots for leaks.

If it is a inhale condenser leak or similar, you could be looking at half a can every may and you're fine.

Even if it is a big leak, only pay the shop to evacuate and open the system, and then to pull it down and recharge after you fix the hard parts.

Diagnose and rectify accordingly!

[Johnmadd]

I recharge my e30 a/c twice every summer, very easy.

[telijah]

I agree for the most part, but you also came out on the stratospherically low end of the professional a/c repair cost spectrum. most a/c shops here want $100 just to diagnose, and a lot of the time leaks are in the evaporation or condenser which would cost probably 1-200 TIMES more than you paid for them to fix.

For that $100 id buy a good manifold gauge set and a can of UV died refrigerant. Check your pressures and see where you stand. If it needs a little, add a little and see how long it lasts while also checking the common spots for leaks.

If it is a inhale condenser leak or similar, you could be looking at half a can every may and you're fine.

Even if it is a big leak, only pay the shop to evacuate and open the system, and then to pull it down and recharge after you fix the hard parts.

Diagnose and rectify accordingly!

I agree with everything you said but I think you misunderstood me. I also paid the initial $100 bucks for a full evac and recharge, the $12 was just for the charge port to be replaced, and that's only because BMW doesn't use any of the standard sized schrader valves you can typically find at auto stores for like 50 cents :/. However, you are also right about it being a leak behind the dash. I do not wish it upon anyone to have to try and pay for someone to do that as the price would be liekly enough to make you want to sell the car.

[zj96sc]

Ah! Understood.

Regardless, I'd get a set of gauges and build your own understanding of what's going on.

Systems can just get a little low over time from porosity in hoses and very very very slow leaks at connections, but for the age of most of our cars this isn't really a factor yet.

Like telijah said - if it is low, you have a leak.

[johnnyrad]

I had the same symptom on my 2002 xi two weeks ago. Searched DIY's, spent $30 at Autozone for the R134 without the stop leak and got the gauge, followed the DIY and now she is cold and all is well...maybe I have a leak somwhere who knows, but so far so good. Money well spent.

[328ioc]

I had the same symptom on my 2002 xi two weeks ago. Searched DIY's, spent $30 at Autozone for the R134 without the stop leak and got the gauge, followed the DIY and now she is cold and all is well...maybe I have a leak somwhere who knows, but so far so good. Money well spent.

Just did the same but I saw stuff at Walmart with the stop leak in it. I bet there is a leak but I needed cold air right meow so I will monitor it with the gauge I got and see what happens over the next month.


Thanks for all the info familia.


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[zj96sc]

DO NOT use that stop leak stuff.

Use it once and most shops won't touch your car - the stuff is bad news.

[danewilson77]

DO NOT use that stop leak stuff.

Use it once and most shops won't touch your car - the stuff is bad news.

+ 1

Sent from SIGFest 2012

[328ioc]

DO NOT use that stop leak stuff.

Use it once and most shops won't touch your car - the stuff is bad news.

To late. Thankfuly I hardly put any in. Ill make sure to throw it out asap.

curious though. why is it so bad?

Magically sent from my Crackberry tablet using tapatalk

[zj96sc]

The stop leak stuff coats the inside of the system with goop in an attempt to plug the leak - contaminates shop's evacuation equipment which is why they won't touch your system once you use it. Just makes a mess of the internals and cannot be removed without swapping every single component and line...i.e. nightmare.

Just get regular old R-134a...autozone, advance, napa, walmart, etc should all have it.

I'd also recommend the manifold gauge set for high and low readings + fill - assume you have a single gauge measuring high side only.

[328ioc]

The stop leak stuff coats the inside of the system with goop in an attempt to plug the leak - contaminates shop's evacuation equipment which is why they won't touch your system once you use it. Just makes a mess of the internals and cannot be removed without swapping every single component and line...i.e. nightmare.

Just get regular old R-134a...autozone, advance, napa, walmart, etc should all have it.

I'd also recommend the manifold gauge set for high and low readings + fill - assume you have a single gauge measuring high side only.

Thanks for the info. I think its topped off for now. But I will make a note of never using it again.

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[echo46]

+1 on not using the leak stop. That stuff is really bad for the system. Last summer my compressor went on the e36 and the Indy quoted me between 1,200 to 1,500 to do dye test, refrigerant evac, compressor replace and recharge. While I don't think he was that far out of bounds I decided to do it myself. I had to buy vacuum, gauges, new evaporator, compressor, Pag oil and refrigerant. I also needed an accurate electronic scale to weight the amount of refrigerant to put in the system. I think I spent around 500. I was a really enlighteneing experience. Learned a lot about the whole system.

Indeed, I think I have a leak in my ZHP system at the compressor as I have noticed a very small amount of what appears to be Pag oil right below type compressor. I will probably have it dye tested.

[johnnyrad]

Yep no stop leak! Stop leak very bad. I actually bought the Autozone brand fridgy. It was the only brand without the stop leak. All the other cans had it and claimed your hvac would feel like an iceberg but I wasn't buyin it.

[echo46]

Same with me, I had to settle on an auto zone refrig as everywhere else I went had the damn stop leak crap.