E12 A/C

Subject: E12 A/C
From: "Gwynne W. Spencer" <gwynnes@domain.elided>
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1996 10:21:25 -0400
 Sergio Juan wrote: 

>I am a first time writer to the list but an old time BMW fan.  I currently
have '79 528i ( in the
>past I've owned: '76 530i, '83 323i, '79 735i euro.)   My 528i has 180k
miles, recent rebuilt 4 sp
>w/new clutch, Stahl headers, Bilstein struts.  Car is very solid and
strong, has original silver
>paint and interior looks like new, no cracks anywhere (some discoloration
on the white vinyl
>headliner, is there a product to clean/dye that?).

>1. I'm in the middle of finding a leak in the a/c system apparently
somewhere close or in the
>evaporator ( I hope close to it not IN it!),  Is there anything I should
replace/check aside from
>the expansion valve and the drier to make this thing COOL? (I live in
Houston).  If the evaporator
>is bad, I plan on buying a used one (new: $500, used: $100) and having it
pressure tested before
>installation, Any thoughts?

When my '81 528I (since departed) A/C evaporator died at age 13, I got a
used one from a '86 528E - the evap itself is the same size and of an
improved design - more tube length and wider fin spacing for improved
airflow. The only difference was the fittings on the IN and OUT pipes. The
'86 was set up for "O" rings instead of the conical copper washers. I took
the old evap and the new one to a machine shop and had them silver solder
the old fittings to the new evap - worked great AND the A/C seemed to be
better than it had ever been before.

I also believe that you could get a new stock evap for a LOT less than $500
from an outfit called ICE (I believe),
they advertise in the Roundel.

Gwynne Spencer          '94 530IA