Weird issue. My fill valve on the driver side on my 11/2011 build date LCI R56 MCS is leaking,

The fitting does not have a cap, and is crusty. I'm not sure I want to roll the dice on replacing just the valve at $300 per AC fill.

Problem is, RealOEM shows this configuration:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=64_1540


which matches other hits on the internet for LCI R56 MCS:

and that matches all the pictures I can find from parts suppliers like FCP, Rockauto, etc.

However, my car is different:


As are others I've seen (MiniManAdam for example):



So does anyone have the real part number for this line?

I've been through the R56 and R58 of various years and they seem to all show the same wrong setup.

 

Answered my own question from a random ebay hit with a part number:

64532758222 Double Aluminum Pipe <- This is incorrect...
64532758225 <- Correct part number for LCI R56 S

Now with the part number it shows up on all the parts sites lol

 

R134a is relatively cheap, about $13 per 12 oz can in my area. You only need ~15 oz to fill a completely empty MINI A/C system.

Have a local shop recover the R134a from your Mini. Call around because they may do it free as you will be giving them free refrigerant. Then, you just need a R134a manifold gauge set and a vacuum pump, which you may be able to rent free somewhere like AutoZone. If you go this route, fill the system with R134a by weight using a scale.

Just an FYI: The "fill valve" on the driver side is not a fill valve. It's the high pressure side of the A/C system. Refrigerant is added/filled only to the low pressure side, never the high pressure side. The high pressure side valve is only used to monitor the pressure on the high pressure side of the A/C system.

 

Yep the new R1234yf stuff is expensive, only newer MINIs run that stuff and it tends to leak. Had a honda leak it twice and they recalled to a better seal.

 

Yeah unfortunately since the ban, it's not legal to buy R134a as a consumer, and what's on the part store shelves (FrostyCool, duracool, etc.) are Propane/isobutane based replacements that doesn't work quite the same.

Between that and not owning a vacuum pump, gauges, additive, and whatever else, I decided to just bring it somewhere and have it tested/charged. The shop reported no leaks, and installed dye, but it obviously leaks from exactly where I said it did, so I'm hoping for some sort of discount if I bring it back soon...

With labour/dye, the total was $285.

Yeah I don't know much about automotive AC besides basic working components and refrigeration cycle/basic principles, so not surprised the terminology is wrong.

 

The ban you speak of must be a Canada thing. I topped off my MINI A/C with R134a last week.

U.S. stores:

 

EPA website

 

Ah I saw that same page and only and skimmed before my previous. It made it sound about the same as up here, and I just assumed it was.

(Edit

So, this spring the AC was dead again. This valve leaked like crazy and the system is completely empty again.

My D4 also had AC issues with a "low pressure" code, so instead of bringing these to a shop again to have my ask ignored and spend $300 per vehicle for a charge, I decided to look into the DIY method...

R134a cans are available in the US, but not in Canada. In Canada you need to be licensed to purchase refrigerant.
Took a bit of digging to find this, but basically it's online and $275 ( https://www.hrai.ca/odp-ods-online-program ) and then you get your card and are good to go. IMO this is kind of worth it.
I also found out the 'zon can supply cans from our southern neighbour through dubious shipping policies for a premium, so do with that info what you will...

Easy to buy vacuum pump, gauges, can taps, fittings, etc. in a kit from the 'zon as well.

Figured I'd buy genuine cap and a new high pressure side fitting from FCP. I went to swap the fitting and the top snapped clean off because the valve is completely seized in there, so I need to swap the whole pipe as I should've done in the first place.
Still need to figure out seals, but I'll wait for this pipe to arrive to double check measurements/part numbers (As RealOEM does not show an accurate diagram so I don't really trust it), and just buy the seals through BMW.
I think:
#13 QTY 1
#18 QTY 1
#19 QTY 4

 

Tragically that part number is wrong, and it seems like it is for LCI base Coopers.

LCI S part number (now visible since I removed mine) is:

64532758225

SO - RealOEM is correct in part number (except it's #5 in the diagram, not #2 where the high pressure side fitting used to be.) The diagram is wrong so it is hard to line up part numbers.

 

Problem fixed?

 

Unfortunately not.
I have the car apart for an OFH oil leak. Took today off to throw it back together and first decided to remove the old AC pipe and fit the new one.
Once I removed it and laid it next to the new one, I realized I had the wrong part.
It looks similar but the ports on the line are lower, as if the condenser should be mounted lower in the car (as if it didn't exist around an intercooler...)

Dealer wanted like $300 for this, so I ordered a $70 one off ebay which as a bonus, comes with the two lower bolts that disintegrated on mine... but it's shipping via "ebay global shipping" so I'll probably see it in a month with a massive border bill from UPS like the last one...
It's actually terrible, I debated buying one from the UK because it was going to ship normally, but it look crustier than the one that came off my car.

Also debated trying to fix mine, but the threads for the valve are well and truly gone, so I don't think I could extract the old valve if I wanted.

 

Good luck with the eBay global shipping and the fix!