BMW Repair: 1992 325i a/c, dye test, florida heat

Question
1992 325 i convertibleair conditioning --

had it charged and cool air is blowing, however the car does not cool off, living in fla. had it
checked for leaks and everything was fine.

any ideas ?

thanks---trp


Answer
Hi there,
First thing to check is if the compressor is actually kicking in. you should be able to hear it and see a momentary drop in revs as it does. Most modern systems won't kick in if there is no gas in the system. Assuming it does, then naturally one would imagine that if you are getting cold air in the car (actual a-con air, not just cool ambient air), then the system is inefficient. I also assume your car has a black ragtop and in the Florida heat any ageing aircon would be hard pressed to keep up. if all else fails, ask your local aircon expert to check the system for leaks (by using a dye test)and measure the temperature of the air at the main vent (it should be around 4-7% if I remember correctly). If your system has been unused for any considerable length of time, the chances are it has delevoped a leak as the fluid that operates the system also serves as a lubricant for the seals. This is why it is important to run your aircon on a regular basis (in winter run it warm) to keep it in good condition.
Hope this helps

regards

rob