Where is theTXV for the AC?

[paramax55]

Where TF is the TXV for the AC? I have the automatic AC (just like every other e53 that I have ever seen). I want to change my TXV, but I can't find it! Real OEM shows that it's supposed to be on the driver's side? I took that trim off and all I see is the heater pipes. I looked under the passenger trim and all I see is the electrical connections. I thought for sure I would see something relating to the connection at the firewall in the engine bay. Is it as simple as removing the glove box? Or the instrument cluster? Or do I need to pull 1/2 the dash apart? I'm about ready to go to a junkyard and start breaking stuff on one of their cars to find this stupid thing.

2001 X5. 3.0 manual

[X5chemist]

HMMM? Follow the A/C lines to the firewall. The refrigerant connections are at the expansion valve.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLKx7-m5LUQ

[paramax55]

Thanks. I tried following the lines, but you can't see anything inside the cabin without taking a bunch of stuff apsrt. Now that I know it's behind that cover, it should be simple.

[X5chemist]

Video guy say it takes 15 minutes to replace it. Curious though, why is the expansion valve being replaced? I've never replaced one unless a compressor insides blow up contaminating everything.

[paramax55]

It takes more than 15 minutes. It took me 3 hours total, but that included looking for the right allen wrench to get the TXV bolts, turning them 1/6 turn at a time, recovering the refrigerant, making up a hex socket to get the bolts on the firewall, and having a vacuum leak at the low pressure adapter for my gauges, and recharging the system. Other than that, it was a straight forward AC repair.

I haven't had to replace a TXV before, either. My e30 has the original and it has more than 500k on it. And multiple compressors. But I saw an episode of Rainman Ray's Repairs on the tube and he said if you have a TXV obstruction, and the compressor is still working, just change the TXV. Well, my compressor still works, I had a few free hours today, a blocked TXV is a pain to deal with on the interstate, TXVs are cheap, I didn't have time to change the compressor today, and I make a 100 mile round trip in this car every three days. Add all of that up and there really wasn't much reason NOT to try it. I'll know in short order if this is going to be a lasting repair or not.

[X5chemist]

Nice. Did you take any pictures? Hope yours blows ice cold. I have no complaints on my auto temp blowing <40F going down the highway. Even at the lowest fan speed, I have vent air away or turn it off.

[paramax55]

I didn't take any pictures. I was just in a hurry to get it done as fast as I could while going slow enough to not F* anything up. It's back to operating like it was designed to. It's always bothered me, though, that BMW never took into consideration the Florida sun blasting through the greenhouse windshield and baking the black tennis court in front of you. The "auto" setting can't keep cold air coming out of the center vents unless you are in the shade. I have to manually operate the fan speed and vent control during the day.

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by paramax55

The "auto" setting can't keep cold air coming out of the center vents unless you are in the shade. I have to manually operate the fan speed and vent control during the day.

Is the stratification flap (controlled mechanically on the face vents) working properly? When it's set to full cold the air coming from the face vents should come directly thru the evaporator (the other vents are then routed thru heater core).

[X5chemist]

Interesting. I was not sure how the mechanical wheels works with AUTO temp. I gave up trying to figure out AUTO. I have mine set to 60F and three blue dots. The middle vent reads 42F really fast.

[Clavurion]

When the wheel is set to full red all the vents work the same way. First air goes thru evaporator core and then thru heater core.

When the wheel is set to blue the air coming to face vents bypasses the heater core and comes directly from evaporator.

The point is that you can keep the desired temp setting constant and fine tune the face vents with the wheel if needed.