I have an 02 R53 (see specs/mods in sig)

As summer is coming in, I've noticed my A/C is not working. My mechanic is on vacation so I take it to another shop (he recommended) and the guy says the A/C is working fine, it's just a little low on refrigerant, it'll cost $200!!!! to top off the refrigerant. That seems outrageous to me, the R134A kits are 20-30 bucks. can anyone confirm? Anyone done this on their own? I did a search and I get conflicting info about which hose/where the hose is for the Mini to refill.

 

I have seen $125 for an evac and recharge without troubleshooting. But $200 is way high. Why not just try to put a half can of refrigerant in yourself? It's not hard.

Rich

 

true, but as I stated, I have gotten conflicting info on which pipe to use...

see image below, do I fill in 1 or 2..

 

You will know which one to use when you buy the can it will only fit one, pretty sure it goes on the high side

 

I have had this response from some shops because they will not just fill the system. They insist on checking the system before filling. Probably not bad from the view that they are trying not to just pump R134 into the air if you have a leak.
The shop I take my cars to will just to the fill because they know me and my cars so they would know if I have a recurring leak.

 

NO. It goes in on the low side. The larger tube. You are correct that the hose that comes with the Freon will only fit one side. But I am not near anything to tell you which one it is. But it is definitely filled on the LOW (suction) side.

Rich

 

Looking at the picture, knowing it's an 02 Cooper S, can someone tell me which is high and which is low?

the tubes are marked 1 & 2

 

Most fill kits come with instructions...and the connectors are differnt...it will only fit on the right one. The diy kit should work fine...has a guage...just be sure to agitate the can as usually instructed as you recharge...so you get the propper gas/lube oil mix...and fill with the car/ac running till you are in the green in the guage... More is not better, just aim for the middle.
Unless you have a full set of pro-style guages, an extractor, and can weigh what you pull out like a pro...just fill it up to the green on the guage...and if it works.... You are good to go!!

 

R134a is pretty enviormently bengin...compared to the older stuff anyway...just be sure to work in a well ventilated area...any gas can displce oxygen, and in a enclosed space is a suffocation hazzard. Shops are legaly required to do certain actions...they generaly folow "best practces" to ensure you get what you pay for...a system that is "fullly serviced", hense the $$$. You are paying for labor, parts, and mostly the overhead of that $$ machine that a shop must own to legaly service an ac unit.
As home mechanics, the same rules technicaly apply, prohibiting us from releasing gas, but due to a few loopholes, we can, without a liceance buy r134a, and refil our car ac units with commonly avalable kits.

 

According to the diagrams on realoem.com, the cap marked 2 is the suction (low) side.

 

Yes, it's #2, and as stated, the fill fitting will only fit on the correct side.
Spring for the filler that has a pressure gauge, so you can be sure you don't overfill.

 

on the other hand

shooting more gas into a leaking system

damages the environment AND wastes your $$$

 

Well the Mechanics that "offered" to fill for loads o' cash did do a leak test of some sort and could not locate any leaks. so now I'm just trying to find a kit that does not have the leak-stop additive, and it's proving difficult (local to me anyway).
That's always the plan, or I'll buy the gauge adapter you can add inline, but I would never fill "blind"

 

Yeah you are right I was thinking about when using the A/C machine at work, then it is always injected into the high side with the car not running

 

Bump any updates to this?

 

It's hose #2 in the picture. Refilled it with a guage, but I was too nervous, so while I was up in OR (with much cheaper labor rates than where I live in CA) I had a shop do it.