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haber · Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 1663 Location: Tennessee

Enis, it sounds like your doing good.

You might consider pulling the chrome rain gutters. There is just a bunch of little enexpensive clips that hold them on. One of mine started coming loose and flying away at 70mph one day. I had to get some new clips. If they are not too rusty some maybee can be reused also.

You would be surprised how cheaply your A/C can be fixed if you are willing to do the work. Mostly depends on the condition of your compressor. If you have the Bosch like I did you might even pull it and do a simple tear down, clean, and re-build. Then with a good flush of the components, new Rec/Drier, new Expansion valve and neoprene orings all around($75 total) you are ready to head to an A/C shop to have it vacuum tested and charged with freon and oil.

Love to see some pics when you get it back together. I need the inspiration to paint mine.

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

Hi Haber...

Pictures??? You bet! I've taken tons of them as I've gone along.

As far as the A/C is concerned, two years ago, I used a conversion kit to go to R-134... I must have overpressureized it, cause all of a sudden, I started seeing foam coming from the front of the car, looked down in there, and the front rad had sprung a leak in the middle somewhere...

So, I think the A/C is more than I can handle right now.

It's on the wish list though!!! Actually, I think its the condenser that's shot. Isn't the evaporator the rad in the front of the car?

Enis

[ 04-30-2004: Message edited by: 85-325e ]

haber · Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 1663 Location: Tennessee

The condensing coil is the one up front of the radiator(hot pressurized gas condenses to liquid giving up heat) and the evaporator coil is the one inside the car(pressurized liquid evaporates into a gas taking on heat).

So your condensing coil probably sprung a leak. It runs at pretty high pressure and an overcharge makes it even worse. Get a pressure tested used coil if possible. Sounds like your pump may still be good though. Re-assemble, vacuum and charge. It might work with correct charge. I would still reccomend a new reciever/drier and a good visual inspection for other leaks, especially the expansion valve under the dash. It's a pain to get to but common source for leak.

You wanna stay cool when the car comes back with the new paint job!

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

You know Haber, it's funny. Up here, the temp RARELY gets to a point where you need air con, and even if it gets warm enough, it's very dry. That's why the system failed in the first place. I was stupid enough not to use it for a few years, and it just because dysfunctional. At one point, I brought it down to BMW in Denver, and they gave me an estimate of $750 to fix it. That was more than 6 years ago. They couldn't figure out what was wrong, but they were sure they could get in there and fix everything. But they saw my wallet in my hand as I was getting ready to pay for the diagnosis, and starting salivating like a Pavlov dog!

It WOULD be nice to have the air con working though... Maybe I'll take that on this summer when it's warm. Right now, it's snowing here again... Once the ski season ends, you want Spring to come... badly! But Spring comes slowly up here. Last summer, on June 15th, we had a 1 hour hail storm that left the place looking like winter again. We've even had snow up here in July! But summer's a better time to be working on all of that stuff, as it's pretty cold im my garage right now, and i try to limit the time I have to spend down there when it's like this...

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

Haber...

Here's an update... I'm having the car painted at Maaco in Denver... I've made a deal with them for $500 to paint the car, match the color exactly, and do the clear coat. I think it's a pretty good price. I've gotten everything off the car, will put the bumpers back to be legal, will drive down there with only two bolts on each bumper and remove them and the door locks down there. They'll have it done by the end of the week, and have promised to do the best job possible... I'm going to try to have the windsheild, which is cracked, removed and then replaced after the car's painted... We'll see if that's possible.

By next weekend, I should be able to post a bunch of pics on the stuff I did, the paint job, and the finished product.

I've gotten my central locking all working, except for the trunk. I had to buy actuators for both front doors, and the trunk works with the key, but not when locked from other doors, so I think that actuator is gone too. Oddly enough, all locks lock from the trunk, INCLUDING the trunk...

Enis

k1hb · Joined: 20 Nov 2002 Posts: 1239 Location: boston

nice job enis

thank you

hoods off!

fred

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

Thanks Fred!!!

The nicest part of the job is actually finishing it!

Once you get in there, it makes more sense... Before you get in there, it's just this devious, specialized thing that could kill your car, hiding under an aluminum cover!

Ciao,

Enis

[ 04-30-2004: Message edited by: 85-325e ]

dale · Joined: 22 Aug 1999 Posts: 3087 Location: Seattle, WA USA

Enis,
If you can, pull the windshield before it get's painted.
Then have the windshield guys come out and install a new one. Makes for a much better paint job in that area. Don't forget to scuff up the paint where the gasket was.

I had all windows and trim out for my recent paint job.

Dale

[ 05-02-2004: Message edited by: dale ]

haber · Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 1663 Location: Tennessee

Enis, maybe your trunk lock solenoid is just out of adjustment. It seams there is limit switches or something inside there along with the actuator. I've never broken one open but if they are out of adjustment they do not work right.

One the windsheild and rear window gasket. Surely these painters know the trick. Pull the lockstrip which will give room for the rubber to move. Then stuff a rope or cord about 3/8-1/2" diameter down under the gasket. Now you can san or paint right up to the cord which holds the rubber up out of the way. When you pull the cord out the gasket drops down over freshly painted area and no visible edge.

Take it to them like that even. You outa replace the lock strips anyway with a fresh paint job.

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

Hi Dale & Haber!

Actually, I didn't do the rear window. I should have, but it is what it is. The windsheild, on the other hand, is getting replaced completely. New gasket and locking strip. I just didn't want to spend any more money on this car for a while. It's bringing me to my knees! But, I finished the body work and the car looked great when I brought it in... I'll clean EVERYTHING that has to go back on the car while it's getting painted, so when it goes back, it'll be near perfect! More when I get it back.

Now, for 5 days, I have no BMW that needs work! Well, I DO have to clean the parts, so even when it's NOT here, I'm still working on it! Should've gotten a Nova!

I will say this though... Driving that car down was the first trip I've taken longer than 4 miles since I did the rotors, the pads, the control arms, the timing belt etc. And it was AMAZING how nicely it drove and how tight it was... HUGE difference... THe belt made a difference. I guess, even though the old belt didn't look worn at all, it must have been a little stretched, cause this baby's tight now...

[ 05-03-2004: Message edited by: 85-325e ]