Re: E36 A/C Malfunction

["David R. Lefebvre" <drl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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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