Re: E36 A/C Malfunction

[alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx]

What's winter?

alex f
(Dallas, TX)

P.S.: Yes, it's important to run AC at least once a month regardless of 
the season. The refrigerant is intermixed with oil. Unless you run AC and 
circulate the lubricant, all rubber seals will start drying out and 
rotting.





"David R. Lefebvre" <drl@domain.elided>
04/01/2003 09:45 PM

 
        To:     Alexander V. Fadeev/EMPL/TX/Verizon@VZNotes
        cc:     bmw@domain.elided
        Subject:        Re: E36 A/C Malfunction


Do you guys run your AC during the winter? You have to to keep the system 
lubricated.

My old mechanic loves summertime when the AC repairs come flooding in.

At 03:26 PM 4/1/03 -0600, you wrote:
>"Kevin Mulligan" <kevin@domain.elided> wrote:
> > I've got a 1995 318isa with 143,000+ miles.
> >
> > Sometime between winter and spring break, my A/C decided not to work.
> > When I hit the button, the light comes on, and with the window down I
> > can hear the compressor 'click' on. I look in the engine bay with the
> > A/C "on" and I can see both belts moving fine, and the center of the
> > compressor is spinning (I was told this was the clutch and it might 
not
> > function if I were low on refrigerant).
>
>If the R134a pressure drops too low to provide adequate lubrication for
>the compressor (thus the oil in the mixture), the low pressure switch 
will
>cut 12V to the compressor.
>The cooling efficiency will degrade long before that threshold is 
reached.
>
>
> > Yet, as well as things may look, the temperature of the air coming out
> > in the cabin is just was warm as if there were no A/C. Makes for
> > unpleasant times in a Boston Green car that sits out in the sun all 
day!
>
>One an eight year old car, my money is on the natural loss of R134a
>through evaporation. Recharge it to spec (the process is a bit more
>involved then dumping a can of R134a!), check for leaks if in doubt, and
>enjoy the car.
>My '95 M3 went through that exercise last summer. AC now works better 
than
>on my wife's '98 E36.
>
>alex f

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