Re: R-12 or R-134a? (archive)

I converted my e23 to R134a myself and it is warmer than R12 but I didn't do as thorough a job as I should have. I converted because it had a major leak (dumped $200 worth of charge in a couple of days) in the summer and I just wanted to test the conversion kit without changing components. But I did buy a gauge set so that I could fine tune the pressures. Oddly enough it's still working.

My e28 still has R12 in it and is leak free but felt that it wasn't cold enough so I brought it to a shop for diagnosis. They thought the system was working properly but recommended I remove some of the charge. What take out some of my precious freon!? So they did and sure enough vent temperatures dropped dramatically. I picked their brains through this process and have come to the conclusion that just by dumping the specified amount of charge into the system won't give you peak performance. I guess sometimes less is more.

And no it's not impossible to do it yourself. All you need is a little education. I got some of mine from the link below.

demet

Fellow Enthusiasts,
I own and cherish a 85 735i 5 speed. Sure it has a few issues, but none that warrant abandonment for something newer. Here is my problem...

As most of you know, doing any kind of a/c work by yourself is impossible, and thanks to the environmentalists, illegal. I recently had my entire a/c system overhauled. New Compressor, New condenser, new rec/dryer etc. Well, it turns out the system now blows only a few degrees colder - for the money I spent, I want ice! Anyone know what the shop could have done wrong - or forgot to check?

Also, the shop did a really shoddy job. The cowl over the vent blower motor is not properly installed and missing 7 screws! My dash, right in my field of view, has a deep ding in it. They broke the glass on my VDO, and now my odometer and trip meter wont work. Does anyone know why the odometer and trip would stop? - The speed still works but is not as smooth as it was prior to the operation.

What recourse do I have with these guys?

Thanks for the input.

Ted

Did they conver to 134a? Or did they use R-12? My 85 735i pulls 40 degrees at the center vent on a 110 degree F OAT. But I am still using R-12. If you convert to 134a the system will not do that good as the condensor and the air flow throught the condensor will not produce enough air to allow the system to get that cold. But you should at least see 50 degrees F at the center vent on a hot day. What vent temperature are you seeing? I always say if you want it done right then do it yourself. Good luck on trying to get it fixed.

http://www.aircondition.com/wwwboard/

Follow Ups:

[ Follow Ups ] [ 7-series (E23) Message Board ] [ Msg. Board FAQ ]

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.