Adding Freon Help

[Bimmer_Me_Up]

I installed a new Aux Fan this past weekend and recharged the system. AC was working great the last 2 days, but I wanted it to be just a little bit colder... so I decided to add more refrigerant . AC is now a bit warmer and it sounds like the compressor is making some noise. I am pretty sure I overcharged the system and now I have to evacuate it...hopefully I don't need a new compressor. Just a reminder to anyone doing this...don't overdue it or simply use the proper equipment when recharging the refrigerant (use a low and high side gauge).

[upallnight]

The connector on those recharge kit will only fit on the low pressure side, kinda idiot proof, but some time there are idiots out there that never ceases to amaze me. If you can't figure it out when you remove the two caps as to which one is the low pressure side, bring it in to a tech.

[Hvacdude]

The original post says "I've got the right side wont cool thing"..... Do the other vents throw cold air? If they do it is not a refrigerant issue, it's a issue with the stepper motor or the temp control. Do the other vents have cold air coming out ? If so it has nothing to do with the amount of freon in the system. The term "freon" is like the term "kleenex". A popular brand name synonymous with refrigerant. I am a A/C service tech for 35 yrs.

[haigha]

Originally Posted by Hvacdude

The original post says "I've got the right side wont cool thing"..... Do the other vents throw cold air? If they do it is not a refrigerant issue, it's a issue with the stepper motor or the temp control.

My experience with my (purchased new) 04 4.4i and that of others here contradicts your statement.

I have recharged the AC system 3 times in the vehicle's lifetime, with my mechanic, using around 1 can of R134A each time. Each time, the symptom was that the right side vents were not cooling properly. Each time, it turned out that the system was low on refrigerant and the problem went away for a few years.

One thing my mechanic recommends is having someone in the vehicle revving the engine to approximate 3k while recharging the system. He is a master BMW mechanic (though retired from the dealership) so l follow his advice.

[Hvacdude]

I've never heard of that. I don't see how it is possible. There is one evaporator coil that supply's cold air to all the vents. The air temp out of the vents is controlled by mixing air from the evaporator and the heater core air. I'ts whats called "hot deck / cold deck" system. If the other vents blows good cold air, thats air straight out off the evap coil. The right side should blow cold too. Unless the control or sensor or stepper motor is mixing in warm air from the heater core or "hot deck". I doubt its a refrigerant charge issue.

[haigha]

Originally Posted by Hvacdude

I've never heard of that. I don't see how it is possible...

Do a little searching here and you will see that it is common on E53s. Three times my system has been fixed by adding R134a and each time the right side ventilation was warm and the left side still cool. I don't understand the physics of it but the gauges showed that the refrigerant was low and adding it fixed the problem.

[4.8isX5]

@hvacdude - just had the right side blowing warm air issue 2 weeks ago. Added some r134a, and now ice cold from both sides.

[Hvacdude]

Doesn't make sense to me, but apparently so, from what a lot of you guys are saying.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by Hvacdude

Doesn't make sense to me, but apparently so, from what a lot of you guys are saying.

Add me to the list that has the right side with warm and the left with cool. Added some 134a and it was fixed. This was a few years ago that I did it. No problems since.

[shneidr]

What special equipment if any did you have to have with it?