Air Conditioning Issue

[mLuMaN83]

Sometimes my A/C will stop blowing cold for no reason. Sometimes after I run in the store then when I get back in the car, no cold. Other times it will stop in the middle of a drive. Just stops blowing cold air. Any ideas? Sensor? Compressor? It is fully charged btw..

[danewilson77]

I wonder if the temp sensor is intermittent to going out?

Weird. We know it's not FSR...because the fan blows on whatever speed you set it on....and you know it's charged properly.

How do you know it's charged properly? :shifty

[WOLFN8TR]

Sounds like a charge issue, low charge causes the compressor to cycle on/off. You can get a recharge kit at Autozone for around $30 and DIY. Hook it up to the low side (cold line). Turn the car on, AC on high, RPM's around 2,000, you should be around 30 psi.


Bayerische-Motoren-Werke

[telijah]

I agree with wolfn8tr, this is usually a low charge. Another possibility is an issue I had a couple years ago. My electric fan behind the radiator was not working at full speed, causing higher temps and therefore causing a high pressure scenario on the a/c system. New fan was put in and it fixed my A/C issue.

[danewilson77]

I agree with wolfn8tr, this is usually a low charge. Another possibility is an issue I had a couple years ago. My electric fan behind the radiator was not working at full speed, causing higher temps and therefore causing a high pressure scenario on the a/c system. New fan was put in and it fixed my A/C issue.

I said as well....hehe.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[mLuMaN83]

I bought one of those charge deals with the gauge and it said it was full.

Maybe I should look at that radiator fan deal. I noticed that you cant "hear" the fan when it is on like in most cars. I thought it was normal but it may be running at low RPM. Should I hear the fan run? Mine runs and I can feel it but it doesnt make the typical fan kicking on noise. Stays quiet.

[telijah]

Well, apparently the puller fan can operate at something like 17 variable speeds, all controlled by the box attached to the fan shroud. When I brought mine in since it was starting to over heat at idle, the shop hooked up a diag tool and found the fan was only running at like 3 or 4 of only the low speeds. I only brought it in as 99% of the time, over heating at idle is the fan, and I knew I could not troubleshoot the fan with conventional methods.

Edit: I've also never heard my aux fan kick in, so I would not be surprised if you do not hear it.

[WOLFN8TR]

I bought one of those charge deals with the gauge and it said it was full.

Maybe I should look at that radiator fan deal. I noticed that you cant "hear" the fan when it is on like in most cars. I thought it was normal but it may be running at low RPM. Should I hear the fan run? Mine runs and I can feel it but it doesnt make the typical fan kicking on noise. Stays quiet.

You didn't check it at idle correct? You need to put a load on the compressor, RPM's at 2,000-2,500. It will typically read higher at idle.


Bayerische-Motoren-Werke

[Johnmadd]

Just to add my 2cents, those gauges that come with the can aren't very accurate, if you turn the can upside down during charging it will read like your in the red.

[mLuMaN83]

When it works, it is ice cold. Then all the sudden it will just go warm while driving until I turn the car off and start it back up again after a little rest. Either that or it works fine until I stop the car. Once I get back in the car from the store or whatever, no cool. It's either on or off which is leading me to believe it may be a sensor or something. I will also go check the charge again as well.

[WOLFN8TR]

Ya it does sound like a sensor.


Bayerische-Motoren-Werke

[telijah]

I wonder if a sticking water valve could do this also? #2 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AV53&mospid=47725&btnr=64_0890&hg=64&fg=18

Or the pressure sensor, #13 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AV53&mospid=47725&btnr=64_0770&hg=64&fg=60

[Ryans323i]

..........
Maybe I should look at that radiator fan deal. I noticed that you cant "hear" the fan when it is on like in most cars. I thought it was normal but it may be running at low RPM. Should I hear the fan run? Mine runs and I can feel it but it doesnt make the typical fan kicking on noise. Stays quiet.

Drove my car today and made sure to pay attention to this. I can not hear my fan kick on.

[mLuMaN83]

I noticed today when I got back in the car from the grocery store when it failed to pump cold again, that the passenger and driver vents blew a little cooler than the center vents. Nothing changes it. Only thing that makes it go cold again is to turn off the car and start it again.

?

[Johnmadd]

Do you have the knob in between your center vents turned all the way on blue, I think its 3 dots.

[danewilson77]

Classic low charge symptoms bro.

Sent from D.C.

[mLuMaN83]

Hmmm..

I guess I should try to charge it more. Put a little throttle on it while I do so. I thought it was low charge before but the whole ice cold then stops seemed odd.

EDIT: Just tried to refill. Gauge wasnt acting right at all. Either I have an issue in the system or that gauge is crap. Think I may try one of those deals with the trigger gauge.

[danewilson77]

Are you evacuating prior to recharge?

Sent from D.C.

[Audi 0000]

I'd start with a proper evac and recharge. Those generic can kits cant be accurate, every car holds a very specific amount of refrigerant. Being overcharged or undercharged will cause issues. I am not sure what compressor type the 330 has, but see if the compressor clutch is engaged when its blowing warm. If it isnt check for power to the compressor.

[mLuMaN83]

Sorry about the newbism on my part, I dont know anything about AC systems so I'm blind right now. I have been noticing a noise from under my car at idle. Sounds similar to this..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wClJypI8kPs



Here is a video of my car I took a few days ago of the same noise.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPEDwKs312o



I think it may be the actual compressor. Anybody know anything else about this? Do I need to whole new compressor? The AC issues along with this noise MUST be related.

[Johnmadd]

Hard to say from that... I hear slapping. Maybe a slipping belt?

[mLuMaN83]

Hard to say from that... I hear slapping. Maybe a slipping belt?

It's not as bad as it sounds in the video. It's more like a rattle clanky sound. Like a loose screw. I saw quite a few videos on youtube of this same type of noise and were listed as bad ACC bearing. I did not use any AC all winter and did not have this sound. When I started using the AC for the summer, the sound started.

[SoarinZHP]

Compressor clutch?

[telijah]

When you look at the face of the compressor pulley, the center of it should appear to not be moving when the A/C is off. When the A/C is on, the compressor clutch kicks in and you'll see the face of the pulley now spinning. Check for that first. However, I am not sure if the face of ours shows the clutch like others. You may have to have someone else in the car with it running but A/C off, you look at the compressor, and have the person turn on the A/C to see if the compressor is clicking on.

[mLuMaN83]

Just checked the clutch. It was working properly. BUT.. I have yet to check it when the AC is on and not getting cold air.

[telijah]

That would be the next logical step :)

I really feel though this is going to be a low charge situation. I've held back about commenting on those self fill kits as I've never trusted them, but a lot of others here do. The best thing, diagnostically speaking anyways, would be to get a proper evac and recharge. This can be done at ANY A/C shops as our A/C systems are not special unicorns needing the dealer. Any A/C shop will do this for around 50-100 bucks, and will fill it with the dye that reacts to a light (U/V?) if later you find the air is getting warm again, they'll find the leak using the light. I was lucky and found my charge port had a bad seal on the schrader valve. Unfortunately, BMW uses a very differently sized schrader valve than usual, so the normal .50 cents valves you find at autozone do not work. NOR do they sell them at the dealer, you have to buy the entire charge port for like 12 bucks. #12 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AV53&mospid=47725&btnr=64_0770&hg=64&fg=60

[mLuMaN83]

Well my ac went warm while driving again today so I jumped out to check the compressor clutch and it was indeed spinning. Guess it's time to sprout for a evac and recharge!

But now I have to figure out what that noise is. Cuz it doesnt sound good. Sounds like something loose under the car.

[telijah]

If the sound is only associated with the A/C compressor on, it could be the compressor clutch on it's way out.

[WOLFN8TR]

Ya hate to say it but it does sound like the compressor is going to take a Poo Poo. Sucks man....


Bayerische-Motoren-Werke

[mLuMaN83]

Heard the noise on start up without the ac on today. Could the compressor still make this noise even tho the clutch is not engaged?

[mLuMaN83]

Ok well I had the car into an indy shop today and turn out the charge was ok and system was ok so he thinks the issue lies in the climate control unit its self. He said the flaps may not be opening or they close when it goes warm.

The rattle he said seems to be exhaust related which is kinda what I thought so thats good. Easy fix.