Dramatic Air Conditioning Death

[andyman32]

OK, my earlier fears are allayed. The radiator did not in fact blow out yesterday. The steam blowing out the front of the car was from the a/c - YIKES! A friend cranked the a/c all the way up yesterday, first use in several months, and it has never worked particularly well. But this was the variable that had changed, NOT the cooling system. In fact, it appears that the earlier leakage might have just been bubbles that had to bleed out after several successive heat-up/cool-down cycles, since the tank was topped off perfectly when I opened up the hood today (after having driven it kinda hard yesterday). Nope... no leak there.

Now the a/c is nice & warm, even on full-cold, full-blast. There's the cluprit.

Since I know next to nothing about this system (other than the fact that it's there), how can I diagnose which part blew out - evaporator or condenser? I'd like to avoid having to replace both, if at all possible. $$$$$$$

Thanks again, guys.

[winfred]

evap is under the dash condensor is under the hood, make sure that it's not a hose that blew out going to the condensor, it should be oily where the leak happened

[andyman32]

Thanks winfred, it's the condenser then. The "steam" blew out of the grille and up around the front lip of the top of the radiator. There was an oily residue in both areas this morning. It is pretty much dead-center in the nose of the car, so without having inspected, I don't *think* it's a hose. Could be wrong though. I'll poke around a bit.

[andyman32]

Does anyone here know of a good A/C repair shop in the Raleigh area?

I know I could install the condenser myself, but I don't know anything about charging the system, nor do I have any equipment to do it. Is that something I could do myself as well?

[632 Regal]

you dont want to do it yourself especially without a vacume pump and some experience.

Sometimes they can "weld" ahe aluminum section closed again, somethines not.

Make sure you pick up a new "drier" and take that with you to a shop, anytime the system is open to the elements it ruins the driers uncluding opening the end caps to check out the new one.

[Martin in Bellevue]

I used such a service a few years ago when replacing ac hoses on my 635csi. Last year, when on holiday on Oahu, the bro-in-law showed me that it still blew cold air. They'll come out to evacuate the system, if it isn't already leaked down, & return to recharge properly.
The local bmw indy wasn't too interested in dealing with the air conditioning problems. There don't seem to be any automobile ac shops in business in this overpriced yuppie town.

[andyman32]

That's the same problem I have, my usual indy said he wouldn't mess with a BMW's a/c for whatever reason. I guess I'm just SOL, I'll look for an a/c specialty shop, but if I can't find one or they won't do a BMW, I'm gonna have to get bent over a barrel by the stealer... :-/

[Bill R.]

it.. The odds are that you blew a hose which you could change yourself, or if you auxillary fan doesn't work you could have blown the thermal overpressure plug that some of the filterdrier/accumulators have. If thats the case just change it yourself, add enough refrigerant oil to compensate and take it to an ac shop to have a vacum pulled on the system and recharged. Condensors don't usually just blow driving along. They usually have damage from a rock, or something rubbing up against them

That's the same problem I have, my usual indy said he wouldn't mess with a BMW's a/c for whatever reason. I guess I'm just SOL, I'll look for an a/c specialty shop, but if I can't find one or they won't do a BMW, I'm gonna have to get bent over a barrel by the stealer... :-/