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4 minute read
My AC System DIY
Compliments of aioros @ bimmerfest.com
8-31-2011
Ok here is what I did to my wife's 330xi this past weekend:
Problem: ac did not work, compressor not engaging.
Possible causes: refrigerant was low, compressor gone bad, etc.
I charge the system a can of r134a refrigerant with UV dye i it. I ran the system and a leak was located at the high pressure hose/valve.
I replaced the high pressure hose (it had a leak), the dryer/receiver (recommended by bmw) and the expansion valve (known to fail). I read a lot about how the automotive ac system works before I started doing this job. I have never worked on any ac system before. The ac manifold gauge and the pump i borrowed from a friend.
I removed the headlight and the windshield washer fluid reservoir to have plenty of room to remove the dryer/receiver. You'll need a long 6mm hex wrench to remove the bolt that holds the high pressure hose to the compressor. I poured 1oz. of pag100 oil into the dryer receiver. Sorry for not going into the details but any questions please ask.
I highly recommend to read and get informed before doing any work with any ac system.
9-2-2011
No I did not pull a vacuum for that long, the system in these cars is very small, it only requires 1.63lbs of charge (26oz) but about 30 minutes should be good.