|
|
SUPPORT ZPOST BY DOING YOUR TIRERACK SHOPPING FROM THIS BANNER, THANKS! |
Post Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
04-30-2021, 09:41 AM | #1 |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
A/C misbehaving!
Alright - I feel like I've been posting a lot, but for what it's worth, every question I've posted you guys have helped me with - so don't blame me! haha
So as I mentioned in a previous post the A/C is not working. When I purchased the car it had a second compressor in the trunk and the previous owner genuinely just shrugged his shoulders when I asked what was wrong with the A/C. He said that the new compressor should fix it all up, but he just never got around to it (Now we've all heard this line a dozen times). I took it to the only shop in my area that had any real confidence with working on a BMW and they kept it for a day and a half investigating and here's what they came back with: The doors in the HVAC plenum are broken. Now my elementary understanding of HVAC (read: wikipedia/googling) tells me that these plenum doors are what control the flow of the air - that the air always flows over the A/C evaporator, but this door is what controls how much of it mixes with air from the heater core. It sounds like my door is broken/stuck and all of the air is mixing with the heater core because the air is nice and warm. They went on to tell me that the A/C compressor is working, the clutch is engaging and that it is chilling the air, and that the system is charged (they topped off with 1 unit of Freon but the mechanic said that they tested with their dye and found no leaks). They told me that they could fix the plenum issue for $3500 and honestly that seems excessive, right? Does anyone here have any experience with the HVAC system or at least have a direction they can point me? I will continue my googling, but wanted to see what y'all thought while I was at it! |
04-30-2021, 10:28 AM | #2 |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
Hmm - so yeah I'm replying to myself - just providing an update.
I have found some articles discussing the 'blend door' and how the blend actuator can fail and is more likely the problem (based on random people on the internet with unrelated cars) ... so I guess I can order a replacement blend door actuator and try replacing that? Looks to only be about $80 on eBay, much cheaper than $3500! |
Appreciate
0
|
04-30-2021, 11:03 AM | #4 |
Lieutenant
90
Rep 406
Posts |
Get a copy of the TIS which will tell you how to access and fix.
You are going to need to tear into the dashboard if I remember correctly and that is why the high quote….
__________________
Sent from my smart phone...
|
Appreciate
0
|
05-12-2021, 09:07 AM | #5 |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
So a small update on this interesting situation.
The HVAC actuator drive that I had found behind the glove box looks brand new (had me very disappointed when I found that, because that means someone tried to do this fix already). I removed it, and while holding the drive turned the A/C on and off, and I see the drive is spinning and appears to be functioning correctly. So disappointed I reinstalled it, then decided I’d go ahead and test it again just to see if I could figure anything else out… but low and behold now there’s an obvious “whirring” sound from down there when I turn on the A/C and adjust the direction of the air (defrost, feet, or face). Now the A/C still isn’t working, but I can now change the direction of the air (when I turn the dial to feet, the air blows to my feet, when I turn the dial to face, the air blows in my face). So that tells me that this actuator wasn’t installed correctly when it was replaced. So… a small victory, one small aspect of the A/C is working now - but I still can’t control the temperature! I’m using a Russian hosted TIS that is being translated to English using Google Translate, and that is a big reason why I’m sorta not sure because it called the part I found “Air Conditioning Air Blend Actuator” but cross-referencing the part number I found on the actual unit it looks like in actual English it’s the “Actuator drive for central kinematics” which sounds like a fancy name for “controls the direction of the air flow”... So that's an update haha. |
Appreciate
0
|
05-12-2021, 12:06 PM | #6 |
dances with roads
4732
Rep 4,096
Posts |
Realoem shows 3 different actuators for the A/C.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=64_1282 Unless you have automatic air conditioning, in which case there are 5! https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=64_1281 |
Appreciate
0
|
05-12-2021, 01:54 PM | #7 | |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
Quote:
Thank goodness I don't have the automatic air! So - what's weird is, this looks reversed to me... now what's even weirder is the part that I did find under my dash is part#: 69026959 (113930-0270-A)... which pulls up https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxref?q=64116902695 ... which is for a fresh air actuator flap for 2 different BMW models that aren't the z4! I guess the part must obviously be interchangeable, but definitely doesn't help me get my bearings at all! haha... In any case - the image from RealOEM looks reversed, almost makes me wonder if that's the EU config for LHT? |
|
Appreciate
0
|
05-12-2021, 11:27 PM | #8 |
Down Under!!
1621
Rep 4,294
Posts |
There are def 3 actuators. I remeber counting them before i bashed the crap out of my HVAC. TRy to find someone whos turned thier car into a track/race car as most likely they would have removed the HVAC.
Edit, picture is NOT reversed, thats how mine was. the actuators are on the right hand side. Possibly if you have a left hand drive car?
__________________
2007 EuroSpec Z4///MC - Building/Developing Z4 GT3
Powered by |
Appreciate
0
|
05-13-2021, 08:59 AM | #9 |
Private First Class
52
Rep 152
Posts |
I currently have the same problem with my 2003, and gave up on trying to access all of the actuators. I couldn't find a way to do it without pulling the whole dash, and the shop I used to do the troubleshooting said the same thing and quoted $2500ish.
Since I don't drive it in the winter, I bypassed the heater core so there's no hot coolant going through it. I now have A/C that works, but not heat. If I decide in the future I want heat, I may go with an electronic bypass valve like this that hotrodders and older cars use: Electronic Heater Bypass Valve |
Appreciate
0
|
05-13-2021, 09:39 AM | #10 | |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
05-17-2021, 11:53 AM | #11 |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
Well following the advice/comment from nadaclue, I bypassed the heater core entirely for the time being and now the A/C is ice cold!
Obviously not really a solution, but it's an effective workaround, and it is just a toy car that stays in the garage except on sunny days - so for what it's worth, I'm gonna call this 'fixed' for the time being haha. |
Appreciate
1
wdb4732.00 |
05-18-2021, 11:57 AM | #12 | |
Private First Class
52
Rep 152
Posts |
I found that to be the easiest fix for now. Might not bode well for potential resale at some point, but at least it can be driven in the heat of summer.
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
05-19-2021, 10:15 AM | #13 |
New Member
11
Rep 26
Posts |
Well like you said - maybe down the road I can install an electronic bypass valve to enable/disable the heat.
But in the mean time, I don't care about resale value haha - I mean I only played a few grand for the car, I doubt it can bottom out too much more! |
Appreciate
0
|
07-07-2021, 08:18 AM | #14 |
Private First Class
3
Rep 198
Posts |
Similar problem
My A/C decided not to work recently.
I took the Z to the garage they checked the pressure and it was like 120lbs so he said there is no leak but that is high. He hooked it up to there A/C machine and it pumped the system down then restored the right pressure and mix back in. No difference. System set - No leaks, compressor is kicking in and out with the switches. I'm wondering if it could be the compressor? |
Appreciate
0
|
07-07-2021, 11:31 AM | #15 | |
Colonel
880
Rep 2,547
Posts
Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MD
|
Quote:
Last edited by pungo; 07-07-2021 at 03:08 PM.. |
|
Appreciate
1
Clearancediver90.00 |
07-08-2021, 01:47 PM | #16 | ||
Private First Class
3
Rep 198
Posts |
Tested
Quote:
They did that and it still doesn't work. They didn't charge me he said to give it a day - been several and no difference. I'll schedule an appointment with them but I figured if done had a similar experience they could enlighten me 😉 |
||
Appreciate
0
|
07-08-2021, 04:12 PM | #17 | |
Colonel
880
Rep 2,547
Posts
Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MD
|
Quote:
Good luck sorting it out. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-21-2021, 08:37 AM | #18 | |||
Private First Class
3
Rep 198
Posts |
Quote:
Quote:
The son tested it and then had the system re-filled and pressurized . The system if filled and not leaking, compressor is engaging when the a/c is turned on and all air directions (vent settings) are working . I'm thinking that there is a problem in the a/c pump🤔 |
|||
Appreciate
0
|
07-21-2021, 11:52 AM | #19 | |
Colonel
880
Rep 2,547
Posts
Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MD
|
Quote:
Never heard of an a/c pump, what is it? |
|
Appreciate
0
|
08-14-2021, 06:21 AM | #20 | ||
Private First Class
3
Rep 198
Posts |
Quote:
I had a thread message suggesting the A/C relay so I'll check that. |
||
Appreciate
0
|
08-14-2021, 08:04 AM | #21 |
Colonel
880
Rep 2,547
Posts
Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MD
|
If the compressor is engaging, there's nothing wrong with the A/C relay. You need to take it to someone who knows how to properly diagnose a/c systems, it's not a guessing game
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|