Re: A/C Question

["Michael Drew" <monsterdog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris,
Yes it is normal for automotive A/Cs to warm up when the car is in idle.
Even the best A/Cs will warm up some during hot weather idling. This is
because during idle, the air flow across the condenser is greatly reduced,
thereby reducing the efficiency of the A/C.

Now, your A/C may be suffering more than normal if your auxillary electric
cooling fan is inoperative. You should check this. If it is not working, it
may be due to either a bad fan, but more likely a bad radiator thermal
sensor. This is easily checked. If the car is warm with the A/C on and the
electric fan is not running, simply disconnect the wires from the sensor and
short them together. The fan should turn on. My 85 325e has two of these
sensors located on the driver's side of the radiator. Yours are probably the
same. The top one is for low speed fan, and the lower one is for high speed.
Mine isn't working, so untill I replace it, I have shorted the wires with an
aligator clip so I don't overheat.
- -mike d.

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