E30 Zone

Fellas, collected a charming 316i moredoor today, it has original air con system that works very well.

What is the going rate for the system please? I seem to remember reading about different types of gas, is there a way to identify what sort it is using?

Thanks a lot,

Rich.

On all cars there is normaly a sticker with all the infomation. It will be r12 or r134a. If you can get a picture of the charging port I could also tell you (take the plastic cap off and get a picture).

I have a drop in replacement for r12 if that is any use ?

around £150-£200 there has been a changeover on gas, bmw do a kit for it. any interest in selling the a/c

Thanks lads,




Bit of an odd car in some ways, the fella I got it from said it was imported from Guernsey. The speedo is in km/h there is a proper sump guard (the thick one), one of those extra fuel tanks behind the seats, the VIN plate says made in South Africa.

That is a r12 port

Thanks cossie, does that mean that it can't be re gassed when it needs it?

You cannot get r12 anymore and everyone will say convert it to the new r134a. I am a air conditioning engineer and have a drop in replacement for r12 .

e30cossie wrote:You cannot get r12 anymore and everyone will say convert it to the new r134a. I am a air conditioning engineer and have a drop in replacement for r12 .

how much, what do you get

I charge £60 to recharge the refrigerant on any car ,but it depends on where you are.

Thanks for the help cossie, further to the sump guard etc check out this subtle accessory on the dash

oh you have a gas in replacement to the r12

I use 413a as a drop in replacement for r12.

ok whats the differance in them, want to know cos im studying this at college

I do not know what you mean?

R12 is now illegal and can no longer buy.
R413a is legal and a recommended drop in replacement for the automotive industry.

Some garages charge r12 systems with r134a. It does work for a while but the refrigerant drags the oil from the compressor causing it to fail.

e30cossie wrote: Some garages charge r12 systems with r134a. It does work for a while but the refrigerant drags the oil from the compressor causing it to fail.

ive read that quite oftern,
413a is MO49 correct?

I think mo49 is the same but have not used it myself. Different gas companies recommend different gases.

What are you doing at college ?

HVAC service and maintinance

thats a SA built car then! RHD with knh speedo. Where sump guards and A/C where standard fit on all E30's out there

e30 cossie are you near London?

Post a pic up of the sump guard, show all these alloy plate pansies what a proper sump guard looks like

I am in Luton and do a lot of work in London.

When are you next here? I'm in Kennington SE11 could you top up mine (I'm assuming it hasn't been converted)
The condensor seems to click in fine
It's Manual climate control, same thing isn't it?

pm me a contact number

DanThe wrote:Post a pic up of the sump guard, show all these alloy plate pansies what a proper sump guard looks like

It's a good un Dan, makes the one on my Touring look like tinfoil

ROC wrote:Thanks for the help cossie, further to the sump guard etc check out this subtle accessory on the dash

Do you reckon it could of been a taxi?

Thats the sort of thing they would have fitted,not very subtle though!

ROC wrote:

DanThe wrote:Post a pic up of the sump guard, show all these alloy plate pansies what a proper sump guard looks like

It's a good un Dan, makes the one on my Touring look like tinfoil

They are good, ive bounced mine off bricks and uneven road at speed when the suspensions been loaded up, alloy plate would just disintegrate in comparison

Crackin piece of kit

When you take it off could you get some photos of the mounting holes in the chassis?

DanThe wrote:When you take it off could you get some photos of the mounting holes in the chassis?

Will do

I've got a South African E30 saloon as well except the seat belt sign is up with the check panel. Is this a genuine BMW accessory?

Never thought about where the seat belt warning would be on a four pot, in countries where it's compulsory!
On six pots, it's part of the blank square (in the UK) on the LH side of the roof mounted 'check' panel.

those pics do look familiar... Yes the seat belt thing was there from new.













and this was the km when I sold it;



I bought it from a South African couple who bought it from new and then imported it to the UK. When I went to pick it up they told me it was the wife's car, he had a proper 325is (proper 5 stud 2.7) but she won the argument about which car to import to the UK

I sold it after putting the sports seats in it (which were heated..) and the 15" BBS.

Nice one Gwyn, thanks for the pictures.

I thought you must have put the sports seats in. It does not look a lot different nowadays, the BBS have gone awol and it has ended up on bottletops , the bootlid has gained a small lip spoiler.