64 51 580 Leak-Testing Evaporator

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Special tools required:

64 5 104
64 5 108

Necessary preliminary tasks:

Remove expansion valve . See 64 51 525 REMOVING AND INSTALLING OR REPLACING EXPANSION VALVE .

Replace sealing rings (1) and coat with refrigerant oil.

Fig 1: Identifying Sealing Rings

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Mount special tool 64 5 108 and retainer (1) with screws of expansion valve.

Tightening torque. See HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING - TIGHTENING TORQUES .

Fig 2: Identifying Special Tool (64 5 108)

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Connect special tool 64 5 104 to special tool 64 5 108 .

Fig 3: Identifying Special Tool (64 5 104 And 64 5 108)

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

IMPORTANT: Risk of damage: Use only nitrogen pressure bottles with pressure reducers for leak-testing.
Pressurize evaporator to 15 bar slowly only. Excessively fast pressurization and pressures in excess of 20 bar may cause damage to the evaporator.

Connect nitrogen pressure bottle with pressure reducer to pressure gauge and then connect to special tool 64 5 104 (connecting hose).

NOTE:

Testing apparatus must be leakproof.
Ambient temperature and temperature of vehicle must not change during the test procedure.
Do not move the vehicle during this period

Apply test pressure of 15 bar slowly and close nitrogen pressure bottle.

Check leak-tightness of testing apparatus and of connection to refrigerant line.

Set test pressure of 15 bar is only permitted to drop by 2 bar to 13 bar over a test period of 2 hours.

If the pressure loss is greater than 2 bar, this indicates that there is a leak in the evaporator unit.

After installation:

Replace all sealing rings and moisten with refrigerant oil
Evacuate and fill A/C system . See 64 50 009 DRAWING OFF, EVACUATING AND FILLING A/C SYSTEM (R 134A) .