The Detailed E30 R-134a Conversion Thread/DIY

[uturn]

So I've purchased a dryer from autohausaz and thought it was wrong, so I sent it back and reordered from Pelican. But they sent me the same exact one I sent back to AutoHausAZ. Can someone confirm if this is the correct dryer?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z35tqd8v47q63hd/20130712_113445.jpg

It was part # 64-53-1-466-051 from pelican. What they sent doesn't look like the one from the photo.

There was a change in the spec'd dryers in 1989

years up to 09/1989 - 64531466051 (the one in your picture)

10/1989 onwards - 64538391025 (has a schrader valve to screw in the pressure sensor)

[adjmcloon]

Thanks for the link to Amazon for the PF condenser, I have been looking everywhere! :D

I bought a Spal 14" pusher fan, does anyone know if I also need the 195h relay/thermostat kit, or can I just wire in the stock relay/sensor as mentioned previously?

Bring on the cold air...

[ELVA164]

Order them from Autohaus. The kit is more expensive then the individual orings.

I would try flushing the evaporator just incase some trash ended up in there from the dead compressor.

Okay, I'll definitely flush the evaporator. Any recommended method/materials? Probably not my old mainstay, brake clean

Also, I did a price check on the seals and the kit was only a couple dollars more than the individual seals but comes with the necessary fittings as well. Seemed like a better route for me, assuming everything I need is in there...

I just ordered one of the last four Amazon PF condensers as well, just a heads-up. I got tired of the AZ backorder and they were pretty rude when I called, so I moved on.

[jeffnhiscars]

Thanks for the link to Amazon for the PF condenser, I have been looking everywhere! :D

I bought a Spal 14" pusher fan, does anyone know if I also need the 195h relay/thermostat kit, or can I just wire in the stock relay/sensor as mentioned previously?

Bring on the cold air...

You only need the relay kit if you are doing a fan delete on the engine. Otherwise the stock relay is fine. The Spal comes with 4 mounting straps and you only need 3 for the fan so I used the 4th with the Spal pigtail ($12 on Amazon) so my relay is totally plug and play. When I went to jump the relay to test the system with the aux fan in high, it was 2 connectors and a slide out bracket so took me about 30 seconds to remove and replace.

Here's how I mounted the condensor

and here's my fabbed pigtail


My install starts here if you want reference pics

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=3760516&postcount=123

[BlackbirdM3]

[QUOTE



Yes

My friend had the same setup on his 88. We ended up keeping both as we went with a rebuild compressor of his old one. You might be able to just by pass the second switch going to the compressor and wire in for it to function off of one. This is how it is in later style E30s.

[/QUOTE]

So how does one wire things up to just run off the one pressure switch? I just got a new dryer and its designed to use just one. That at the new pressure switch I bought has the wrong connectors. (I don't know the exact part number on the switch, its at home.)

Thanks,
Will

[TehRaydarlover]

How could you tell if your car has been converted or not? Bought my ix a few months ago and it has supposedly been converted. Just want to make sure before I go and try and top off the refrigerant.

[ELVA164]

How could you tell if your car has been converted or not? Bought my ix a few months ago and it has supposedly been converted. Just want to make sure before I go and try and top off the refrigerant.

R134a has colored fittings, R12 has plain metal fittings. Also, the recharge bottle won't fit on an R12 system.

[jeffnhiscars]

R134a has colored fittings, R12 has plain metal fittings. Also, the recharge bottle won't fit on n R12 system.

I have 134 adapters that are black so color alone is not 100%. Every adapter Ive seen though is designed for the r134a hose quick connects and are larger than the threaded r12 fittings.

[ELVA164]

Sorry, should've been more specific. R134a is never bare metal as far as I've seen. As a side note, still wondering what the procedure/materials are for flushing an evaporator...

[jeffnhiscars]

Sorry, should've been more specific. R134a is never bare metal as far as I've seen. As a side note, still wondering what the procedure/materials are for flushing an evaporator...

Flushing is SOP and depends on how bad your system is. The main goal when converting is to get rid of any mineral oil since it does not play well with PAG. If your system as "black death" then it could be beyond flushing.
I just bought a can of AC Flush from Oreilly for $17 and that was sufficient since I replaced everything but the hard lines and hoses. Id think a can would do an evaporator or you can buy a flush canister and jug of flush on Amazon

[TehRaydarlover]

So I guessing I still have R-12?

Must have missed it saying R-12, or can you use the same compressor?

The reason I ask is my ac doesn't blow very cold. If I leave it on fan setting 2 it blows somewhat cool air, but when its on full blast it can't keep up and just blows hot air. Also it seems like the compressor is turning on and off when I'm idling or at a constant rev, at least this is when it is noticeable. Could this be caused by low refrigerant levels or something else? Thoughts?

Thanks,
Ray

hmm probably not the right place for Q&A sorry

[jeffnhiscars]

So I guessing I still have R-12?

Must have missed it saying R-12, or can you use the same compressor?

The reason I ask is my ac doesn't blow very cold. If I leave it on fan setting 2 it blows somewhat cool air, but when its on full blast it can't keep up and just blows hot air. Also it seems like the compressor is turning on and off when I'm idling or at a constant rev, at least this is when it is noticeable. Could this be caused by low refrigerant levels or something else? Thoughts?

Thanks,
Ray

hmm probably not the right place for Q&A sorry

Those are retrofit fittings so you most likely are converted. I dont know what model your car is or the production date but there is a service bulletin that lists the compressors and build date that are NOT r134a compatible. They all say r12 since that what thjey were designed for but mosty have r134a compatible seals.

It does sound like you are low on refrigerant so its worth buying a can with a fill hose and hoping that solves your problem.If not then you have too find and repair your leak, replace that nasty looking dryer, vac and recharge then cross your fingers.

[TehRaydarlover]

Alright sounds good. I did give the schrader valve a poke and the system, as nasty as it looks, is pressurized. Its an 88' ix not sure what the production date is but I'll check when I get off work. Might run the the parts store after work and pick up a recharge kit and see what happens.

Thanks for the info!
Ray

[jeffnhiscars]

Alright sounds good. I did give the schrader valve a poke and the system, as nasty as it looks, is pressurized. Its an 88' ix not sure what the production date is but I'll check when I get off work. Might run the the parts store after work and pick up a recharge kit and see what happens.

Thanks for the info!
Ray

You are on the right track. According to BMW these are the e30 vehicles and dates that are NOT r134a compatible

318i 7/85-8/85
325e, 325i, 325iC 7/87 - 10/88
325ix, M3 All

So if your ix still has the original compressor and it's fairy certain it is not suitable for a conversion. Since it looks like its been converted, if the compressor (or seals) were not swapped that could very well be the source of your leaks since the seals are what fails.

[TehRaydarlover]

Alright so I bought a recharge kit and hooked it up to check the current system pressure, it was at around 60psi at an ambient temperature of 75F according to the chart supplied with the kit that is too high, should be around 45psi. I did some testing. Running at idle the compressor would turn on and off periodically. When running at 3k RPM the compressor would engage and disengage almost immediately. Could this be cause by the system being overcharged, pressure switch immediately trips turning the compressor off. (at least that's how I think it works?) Also when the compressor does engage its pretty loud, makes me think it could be the original and the R-134a isn't playing nice with the lubricant for the compressor.

Ray