all_a_c_leaks

>I just went through this (except for the block hose part) on my 1983
>533i - these things ain't cheap. I got my hoses from Peter Pan BMW via
>mail order for a good bit less than the numbers you quote. Make sure you
>get the proper O-rings to seal the couplings.
>
>As far as rebuilding the hoses, I looked into that, too. Few companies
>will touch them, and the ones that will want almost as much per hose as
>the new ones. It seemed that the procedure requires some special
>equipment, which is rather expensive.
>
>I considered replacing my hoses, but in the end let my mechanic do it at
>the same time as he recharged the system. Much easier with the car on a
>lift and the proper tools. Also, have your mechanic add UV dye to the
>refrigerant so you can easily check for leaks.

There are some good hoses replacements on the market, some industrial ones actually much better than what comes on the car. The problem is finding the proper end fittings...I'm not too keen on reusing the old fittings on new hose. I need to check for a leak on my A/C system...first I'll check with a simple halogen leak detector (Tif #5750). The problem with "sniffer" type detectors is that you have to be right on top of the leak to detect them...BMW mechanics know which components are suspect of various models and can go right to the potential problem. If this doesn't work, I'll use a UV detection system (Spectronics Tracerline TP-1700) which should be able to detect a dye at the point of leakage. The appropriate dye (for R12 or R134) is injected into the system via whip hose and cannister and circulates through the AC system through the oil carrier. Expansion valves, evaporators and condensors are suspect on BMW models. SD Steve D'Gerolamo c/o The Ultimate Garage, Emerson, NJ Tel 201-262-0412 Email.... steved3_at_idt.net Web Site.... http://www.ultimategarage.com Unofficial Homepages: [Home] [E12] [E24] [E28] [E30] [E34] [E36] [Z3] [E39] [E46] [X5/E53] [ALL] [ Help ]

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