I have been wrestling with this problem for over a year, and wondered whether others here have experienced this.
I bought my 2002 330i manual several years ago with 175k miles, and went through two Phoenix summers without a problem - AC ice cold whether cruising along or sitting in freeway traffic. Coolant temp gauge at dead center, as it should be.
One hot day I left work, got in my car, and got a phone call. I started the car with the AC on, and just idled while I talked on the phone. All was normal until after a few minutes a big cloud of smoke came out from under the hood, accompanied by the sound of gas escaping under high pressure. I determined later it was the AC refrigerant.
The episode has repeated several times over the past year or so. Always within a couple of minutes of starting the car. Most recently within seconds of starting the car after after a short lunch break.
The common denominator that I have so far for all these incidents are:
1. AC system evacuated and charged
2. Car not moving. May be just started or at first traffic light I hit after startup.
3. Spews within a coupe of minutes (last time within seconds) of startup. Never after running for more than five minutes.
I thought I had the problem solved because after replacing compressor (was noisy), dryer, expansion valve recently, all was good for two solid hot summer months. I even idled a few times with AC on in high heat for minutes at a time with no problems.
So my thought is that the electric fan is intermittently failing to come back on after the 20 second startup/test cycle, and the high pressure side of the AC is going too high, and refrigerant is being dumped out the pressure relief valve as a result.
Has anyone here seen the same symptoms and found a solution? My solution now is to replace the fan unit, evacuate and re-charge. Ill-advised?
I bought my 2002 330i manual several years ago with 175k miles, and went through two Phoenix summers without a problem - AC ice cold whether cruising along or sitting in freeway traffic. Coolant temp gauge at dead center, as it should be.
One hot day I left work, got in my car, and got a phone call. I started the car with the AC on, and just idled while I talked on the phone. All was normal until after a few minutes a big cloud of smoke came out from under the hood, accompanied by the sound of gas escaping under high pressure. I determined later it was the AC refrigerant.
The episode has repeated several times over the past year or so. Always within a couple of minutes of starting the car. Most recently within seconds of starting the car after after a short lunch break.
The common denominator that I have so far for all these incidents are:
1. AC system evacuated and charged
2. Car not moving. May be just started or at first traffic light I hit after startup.
3. Spews within a coupe of minutes (last time within seconds) of startup. Never after running for more than five minutes.
I thought I had the problem solved because after replacing compressor (was noisy), dryer, expansion valve recently, all was good for two solid hot summer months. I even idled a few times with AC on in high heat for minutes at a time with no problems.
So my thought is that the electric fan is intermittently failing to come back on after the 20 second startup/test cycle, and the high pressure side of the AC is going too high, and refrigerant is being dumped out the pressure relief valve as a result.
Has anyone here seen the same symptoms and found a solution? My solution now is to replace the fan unit, evacuate and re-charge. Ill-advised?
AC Compressor Blowing Out Refrigerant After Startup
