Air Conditioner rebuild - United Bimmer Community

**joeyp770** · 06-07-2010, 09:06 AM

I have not really worried about my 325is' AC not working because it wasn't hot enough. But ATL summer has arrived and believe me there is a reason my home city has the nickname "Hotlanta". I have never considered myself too savvy under the hood of a car. After spending countless hours reading the treads on here and getting the Bentley manual, my confidence is growing. I have replaced a few thing on my E36 92 325is (thermastat, engine cooling fan, ICV valve) and I am very pleased with the ease of repairing my first Bimmer.
So off I go, I am going to try to tackle my AC. I have found a great after-market parts store (Marietta Foreign Auto Parts) and I am feeling good about the project. The compressor is not hooked up at all, no belt. So I am going to start there, I think.
I guess I really do not need a bunch of guidence about installing the belt. It looks easy enough. My concern is more with refrigerant. The car is an 92 so I am sure it is going to have "Banned" freon. Can I replace the compressor with one for the "green" freon? If the compressor is not shot, can it be converted easily? Are there any risks with installing the belt if the compressor is shot? Is there any chance at all that my 1992 is made for R134 freon?
I am ready for what I expect to be an expensive and tedious job but to not have to sweat around town would be worth it. Any guidence helping this noob would be VERY helpful.

Big Evil · 06-08-2010, 02:57 PM

Read the stickers under the hood it'll tell you what to put in it and how much. Are the fittings the quick fit type? (like air tool fittings only bigger) or are they the screw on type?

Quick fit = R134a (newer stuff)
Screw = R12

When it comes to refrigerant NEVER BUY ANYTHING with "stop leak" "synthetic cold booster" "seal enhancer" or anything in it other than JUST R134a. that other crap will kill you system and no shop will work on it because that junk contaminates their equipment and any other car they work on. Just get an o ring kit, reseal all the fittings, vac the system out for about an hour and charge with the correct amount of refrigerant. If everything is in working order it should operate correctly.

**joeyp770** · 06-08-2010, 03:43 PM

Big Evil-
Thanks for the guidence. I am sure it is the old stuff. It is the screw on hook up for the freon. I really appreciate the advise on stop leak and other products. I have came up with a gameplan but it involves using Freeze 12. What do you think about that product? I really do not have much choice but to buy the alternative R12 due to the EPA restrictions. My parts guy said that Freeze 12 works really well for my car. Would it be best to do the conversion to R134 or to charge it with Freeze 12? Do you know of a better alternative for R12? Thanks again, Evil. You da man.