300M ac

Don't ask... My M has kind of a lemony scent...

Just got it back from the shop. It's leaking coolant from the thermostat
housing area. The shop says they weren't playing in that area at all, so
they're not responsible (timing belt and #5 piston side head gasket
replacement). And I had the air conditioner re-charged since it's supposed
to get up to 30 degrees here for the first time this year (80+) and I was
just getting "cool" air, not cold. I'm hoping the evaporator isn't on the
way out, but the way things are going, who knows. If it is the evaporator,
I'll probably try some form of sealant first, then try finding a wrecker
version of the evaporator.

Clint

"Bill Putney" > wrote in message
...
> Clint wrote:
>
>> BTW, www.300mclub.com for some reasonably active forums, and good
>> information.
>>
>> Clint
>
> Hmmm - I wonder where you learned about that? LOL!
>
> So is your M still doing well after the repair?
>
> Bill Putney
> (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address
> with the letter 'x')

Would not risk it with a junk yard part for this one -- new part is
around $110USD online, you can probably get it at an autoparts store
for $150-170 USD. Given the labor charge for the job, it is well worth
it to use a KNOWN GOOD PART.

Just 2 cents worth of advice....

Alex

On May 30, 11:08 pm, "Clint" > wrote:
> Don't ask... My M has kind of a lemony scent...
>
> Just got it back from the shop. It's leaking coolant from the thermostat
> housing area. The shop says they weren't playing in that area at all, so
> they're not responsible (timing belt and #5 piston side head gasket
> replacement). And I had the air conditioner re-charged since it's supposed
> to get up to 30 degrees here for the first time this year (80+) and I was
> just getting "cool" air, not cold. I'm hoping the evaporator isn't on the
> way out, but the way things are going, who knows. If it is the evaporator,
> I'll probably try some form of sealant first, then try finding a wrecker
> version of the evaporator.
>
> Clint
>
> "Bill Putney" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > Clint wrote:
>
> >> BTW,www.300mclub.comfor some reasonably active forums, and good
> >> information.
>
> >> Clint
>
> > Hmmm - I wonder where you learned about that? LOL!
>
> > So is your M still doing well after the repair?
>
> > Bill Putney
> > (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address
> > with the letter 'x')- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Coolant leak -- there is a bleeder screw for the coolant system
that the shop HAD TO TOUCH in the thermostat housing area when they
were refilling it with coolant (otherwise you would wind up with an
airpocket in the system and the car would be overheating). Make sure
that it is not leaking from the screw...

Alex

On May 30, 11:08 pm, "Clint" > wrote:
> Don't ask... My M has kind of a lemony scent...
>
> Just got it back from the shop. It's leaking coolant from the thermostat
> housing area. The shop says they weren't playing in that area at all, so
> they're not responsible (timing belt and #5 piston side head gasket
> replacement). And I had the air conditioner re-charged since it's supposed
> to get up to 30 degrees here for the first time this year (80+) and I was
> just getting "cool" air, not cold. I'm hoping the evaporator isn't on the
> way out, but the way things are going, who knows. If it is the evaporator,
> I'll probably try some form of sealant first, then try finding a wrecker
> version of the evaporator.
>
> Clint
>
> "Bill Putney" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > Clint wrote:
>
> >> BTW,www.300mclub.comfor some reasonably active forums, and good
> >> information.
>
> >> Clint
>
> > Hmmm - I wonder where you learned about that? LOL!
>
> > So is your M still doing well after the repair?
>
> > Bill Putney
> > (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address
> > with the letter 'x')- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Sorry, I didn't post a complete history... About two weeks ago, I blew the
head gasket on the car, after owning it for only a month. So when I said
the shop said they weren't in that area, it was in reference to the head
gasket work, not the refilling of the a/c.

Clint

"april1st" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Coolant leak -- there is a bleeder screw for the coolant system
> that the shop HAD TO TOUCH in the thermostat housing area when they
> were refilling it with coolant (otherwise you would wind up with an
> airpocket in the system and the car would be overheating). Make sure
> that it is not leaking from the screw...
>
> Alex
>
> On May 30, 11:08 pm, "Clint" > wrote:
>> Don't ask... My M has kind of a lemony scent...
>>
>> Just got it back from the shop. It's leaking coolant from the thermostat
>> housing area. The shop says they weren't playing in that area at all, so
>> they're not responsible (timing belt and #5 piston side head gasket
>> replacement). And I had the air conditioner re-charged since it's
>> supposed
>> to get up to 30 degrees here for the first time this year (80+) and I was
>> just getting "cool" air, not cold. I'm hoping the evaporator isn't on
>> the
>> way out, but the way things are going, who knows. If it is the
>> evaporator,
>> I'll probably try some form of sealant first, then try finding a wrecker
>> version of the evaporator.
>>
>> Clint
>>
>> "Bill Putney" > wrote in message
>>
>> ...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Clint wrote:
>>
>> >> BTW,www.300mclub.comfor some reasonably active forums, and good
>> >> information.
>>
>> >> Clint
>>
>> > Hmmm - I wonder where you learned about that? LOL!
>>
>> > So is your M still doing well after the repair?
>>
>> > Bill Putney
>> > (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
>> > address
>> > with the letter 'x')- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>

Steven Stone wrote:
> Just cracked 20,000 miles on my wifes 2000 3ooM.
> Why does the condensor fail ? poor design ?

Condensor? I've never heard of the condensor failing. Evaporator-
definitely and you could argue its a design problem, but its more a
materials problem in that carmakers have switched to aluminum
evaporators for R-134a systems, and they corrode more easily than the
old brass/copper cores.

Condensors fail when small rocks punch holes in them, and the low nose
of the LH cars and open intake below the bumper tend to increase the
odds of that happening. I'm utterly amazed that our LH has gone 247,000
miles *without* catching a rock in just the wrong place. The lower 1/3
of the evaporator looks battered to hell, but its still intact.

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
> Steven Stone wrote:
>> Just cracked 20,000 miles on my wifes 2000 3ooM.
>> Why does the condensor fail ? poor design ?
>
> Condensor? I've never heard of the condensor failing. Evaporator-
> definitely and you could argue its a design problem, but its more a
> materials problem in that carmakers have switched to aluminum evaporators
> for R-134a systems, and they corrode more easily than the old brass/copper
> cores.
>
> Condensors fail when small rocks punch holes in them, and the low nose of
> the LH cars and open intake below the bumper tend to increase the odds of
> that happening. I'm utterly amazed that our LH has gone 247,000 miles
> *without* catching a rock in just the wrong place. The lower 1/3 of the
> evaporator looks battered to hell, but its still intact.
^^^^^^^^

I think you meant condenser, but typed evaporator! You've had very good
luck with the AC on that vehicle.

Bob

april1st wrote:

> Coolant leak -- there is a bleeder screw for the coolant system
> that the shop HAD TO TOUCH in the thermostat housing area when they
> were refilling it with coolant (otherwise you would wind up with an
> airpocket in the system and the car would be overheating). Make sure
> that it is not leaking from the screw...
>
> Alex

Not so. The thermostat is not where you think it is. The thermostat is
down low on the driver's side of the engine. The bleeder you're talking
about *is* on top front of the engine - right where the thermostat
traditionally is - but *NOT* on these engines. However - you are
correct about checking the bleeder screw for not leaking.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

Ok but the bleeder screw could have been leaking for 2 weeks and you might
not have noticed. Still something to check.


"Clint" > wrote in message
news:Xkz7i.244582$aG1.67179@pd7urf3no...
> Sorry, I didn't post a complete history... About two weeks ago, I blew the
> head gasket on the car, after owning it for only a month. So when I said
> the shop said they weren't in that area, it was in reference to the head
> gasket work, not the refilling of the a/c.
>
> Clint
>
> "april1st" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Coolant leak -- there is a bleeder screw for the coolant system
>> that the shop HAD TO TOUCH in the thermostat housing area when they
>> were refilling it with coolant (otherwise you would wind up with an
>> airpocket in the system and the car would be overheating). Make sure
>> that it is not leaking from the screw...
>>
>> Alex
>>
>> On May 30, 11:08 pm, "Clint" > wrote:
>>> Don't ask... My M has kind of a lemony scent...
>>>
>>> Just got it back from the shop. It's leaking coolant from the
>>> thermostat
>>> housing area. The shop says they weren't playing in that area at all,
>>> so
>>> they're not responsible (timing belt and #5 piston side head gasket
>>> replacement). And I had the air conditioner re-charged since it's
>>> supposed
>>> to get up to 30 degrees here for the first time this year (80+) and I
>>> was
>>> just getting "cool" air, not cold. I'm hoping the evaporator isn't on
>>> the
>>> way out, but the way things are going, who knows. If it is the
>>> evaporator,
>>> I'll probably try some form of sealant first, then try finding a wrecker
>>> version of the evaporator.
>>>
>>> Clint
>>>
>>> "Bill Putney" > wrote in message
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> > Clint wrote:
>>>
>>> >> BTW,www.300mclub.comfor some reasonably active forums, and good
>>> >> information.
>>>
>>> >> Clint
>>>
>>> > Hmmm - I wonder where you learned about that? LOL!
>>>
>>> > So is your M still doing well after the repair?
>>>
>>> > Bill Putney
>>> > (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
>>> > address
>>> > with the letter 'x')- Hide quoted text -
>>>
>>> - Show quoted text -
>>
>>
>

Steve wrote:

> ...The lower 1/3
> of the evaporator looks battered to hell, but its still intact.

Now he's got you doing it!

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

On May 31, 8:13 pm, Bill Putney > wrote:
> april1st wrote:
> > Coolant leak -- there is a bleeder screw for the coolant system
> > that the shop HAD TO TOUCH in the thermostat housing area when they
> > were refilling it with coolant (otherwise you would wind up with an
> > airpocket in the system and the car would be overheating). Make sure
> > that it is not leaking from the screw...
>
> > Alex
>
> Not so. The thermostat is not where you think it is. The thermostat is
> down low on the driver's side of the engine. The bleeder you're talking
> about *is* on top front of the engine - right where the thermostat
> traditionally is - but *NOT* on these engines. However - you are
> correct about checking the bleeder screw for not leaking.
>
> Bill Putney
> (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
> address with the letter 'x')

Thank you Bill,

I just *ASSUMED* that it would be there -- thank you for pointing it
out -- assumptions are a dangerous thing...

Take care,

Alex