DIY How To Charge an A/C System - E46 BMW or any car!

This is a follow up video to my recent compressor replacement:
BMW E46 A/C Compressor Replacement DIY
• BMW E46 A/C Compressor...
Here are the tools I use to do this:
R134a Manifold Gauge Set: amzn.to/3pnlclj
--It looks like this set comes with two can adapters and one of them might be for California style cans.
Manifold Gauge Set + vacuum pump + leak detector: amzn.to/2ZSzW2V
--Nice looking complete set!
Quick-connect style fittings: amzn.to/3oiqJdA
--Not necessary, but if you want them you can get them
California Refrigerant can adapter: amzn.to/3IjgxcB
Refrigerant should be available at your local auto parts store and Harbor Freight as well. HF also sells most of these tools.
This video is for entertainment purposes only. 50sKid assumes no liability for any repairs or modifications performed by the viewer as a result of the information contained in this video.

[@anthonysam8340]

This 50s guy is freakin awesome. A natural instructor, a multi talented individual with a considerate and bold feat to share his experiences and discoveries with others. Keep up the great work.

[@ltfcouture4393]

50'skid, I'd like to thank you for uploading the content that you do. My first car is an e46 325i. I got it with 88k miles on it and with your guidance I have replaced the CCV, replaced the expansion tank, flushed the coolant system, replaced it ignition coils and sparkplugs, control are bushings, break pads, vanos seals and gasket, and of course changed my transmission, differential and engine oil. You are the biggest influence for me of why I love BMW and working on my own car, thank you for everything that you do it's so appreciated.

[@Ayixlia]

You've lost a lot of weight you look a bit different and much healthier too. whatever you're doing keep it!

[@Brandonscoots85]

Came here looking for this. Amazing to see this guy’s progress as we learn and make our own progress hahaha

[@dylansheldon3623]

Thank you for years of great information. By far the greatest mechanic on youtube.

[@justincampbell9664]

Thank you for making this video, it was my next project. I’m sincerely glad you’re making videos again! Stay cool!

[@lp2565]

Great video, Jason! Another great addition to the E46 Library. Will definitely be required in the future on my baby.

[@EndlessMoneyPits]

Excellent video. I have learned so much from your videos over the years. Thank you.

[@TracySwingKid]

Helpful! After I track down and repair my leak I will tackle this.

[@chadriddle3517]

Excellent methods Jason ! No complaints here , textbook charge if you ask me . Appreciate that content ! More e46

[@gmans7859]

Thank You! Bookmarked. At some point I will circle back to this. A long long time ago a person did a half assed R134 Retrofit on our E30. I had the car apart for other reasons and decided to do it again. I quickly discovered that the person DID NOT do it per BMW Instruction on this year/ model car. Money prevented me from replacing the Compressor at the time. I replaced EVERYTHING but that and have never been happy with the performance. The system works, but it's just Ho Hum. I have I.D.'ed the compressor and will tackle it again....

[@utahyork3338]

Thanks for the DIY. My Bimmer is fine, but I performed this process on my truck and just in time for triple digit temps!

[@oldjarhead1125]

Another Great DIY video Jason! My E46 needs your videos..:>)

[@dmitrygear]

Not planning to do the same but I believe I will have to at some point. Thanks!

[@ronaldo1969]

Love the new mic

[@50sKid]

Yeah I know. Sounded fine when I first set it up but then I hit some button which boosted the gain and I had no idea. 😔

[@stuartbear922]

Shouldn't you purge the air from the BLUE line where it connects to the LOW side? No judgement here, you're doing a better job than MOST mechanic shops!

[@viisteist1363]

did u run out of food LoL

[@jhncvngh]

Very "cool" video MrJason

[@denniscampbell9376]

Hello 50s kid, I truly appreciate your experience, expertise and detail in the work you do. I'm wondering is there a way to contact you just have a couple of questions in relation to the scanmaster ELM program you used to diagnose your vehicle and some of the readings that I received while trying to diagnose my car also have a request in relation to this would you be able to do a video about oxygen sensors and the proper readings or what you should see when the vehicle is operating at normal parameters I know you're busy and you're doing a lot to help the BMW Community with keeping their vehicles on the road so again I appreciate your time thank you so much

[@ixyzyxi]

If it looks stupid, but it works, it ain’t stupid. Haters gonna hate

[@pissupehelwan]

Nice video. All you need is some basic tools and refrigerant and almost anyone can do this job unlike, say, dropping the subframe :-) I've done the wrong way once (by guesstimation - bad!) followed by the right way. The key is to vacuum the system first - this is almost non-negotiable and must be done if you want to get it right. Don't try to "top-up" with a "little bit".

[@xHamfistedx]

So what were your high and low pressures at idle when you were finished ?

[@11Xshadowolf]

WOW bud you look really good ! love your videos and you look like you lost weight good job ~~!

[@MartyMitchell92660]

Best to use nitrogen to pressure check system rather than air. It will help to dry out the system, air will not.

[@ve2430]

What happens if my high side is a little high at 170 psi with 65 f outside temp. Low side is perfect. AC works great. Can I leave it that way? According to the chart it shouldn't be higher than 160 psi

[@wilfredocartagena5301]

Hello, do you have a video where to find the AC pressure switch on a 2005 325ci. I haven’t trouble finding the AC pressure switch on my bmw 2005 325ci thank you

[@howlingmedia4354]

If you don't have scale, about what should be the pressure, on the low and high side?

[@cripsykicks.shoecleaning2686]

I’m trying to fix my e46s groaning noise on high fan speed it does blow cold but I feel it could blow colder? Does this just Regas it or it could fix both problems I have

[@LaoBG]

從2017的影片看到現在，突然發現你瘦了好多

[@seanpaul3050]

Do you have to add oil / lubricant ? Or is that included in the cans

[@50sKid]

I added the proper amount of oil to the compressor when I replaced it. Check out my previous video for details on that

[@marukthomasian6309]

what do you do if you have refergerant in the car mine is E46 2000 328i, Is there away to empty without going to a shop?

[@ve2430]

I accidently let out too much refrigerant because I didn't properly understand how to use the gauges and hoses. My high side was 170, now it's at 130 with 65 f outside. Low side is still at 30. How do I know how much to add? Messed up my ac all because I wanted to check pressure. Now it's not as cold anymore😢 😭

[@marukthomasian6309]

I have a 2000 BMW 328l with A/C blowing ambient air I am tring to check the level of charge before I go throught the proper process of cjarging, the problem I come accros is I can not connect the High side quick connecter to the A/c line, low side is o.k neaning it connects o.k., my manafold is made by yellow jacket and I think the adapter is made for a different system it does not go down enaght to lock, its the tyoe that you can open and close the line to stop leakage of gas, I ordered new qick connect and will see if it wpll work. any suggestion is welcomed.

[@gotrice503]

Wow looking thin brother. Kick ass.

[@50sKid]

Thx!

[@andreyshairline5261]

Does anyone have a chart of what the psi should be based on ambient temp? I’m in Arizona and it’s 105° outside at night even and my system shows 45 psi on the low side. 45 psi seems high to me but it could be because the ambient temp is so hot outside. Regardless the issue that I actually having is the driver side is colder than the passenger side which I know is a common symptom of low refrigerant but I don’t wanna overfill my system

[@fp8007]

Are those ac gauges from harbor freight or yellow jacket 🤔

[@50sKid]

I don’t remember the brand but I did buy them from Amazon. The seller is long gone

[@wallbreaker_9358]

When you pull the vacuum where does all the stuff out of the system go? Like do you capture it or does it just go to the air? Also what‘s about the compressor oil, i know in those shop machines they automatically mix it into the ac component when doing the refill, do you just add it by hand?

[@50sKid]

It should be mostly air inside the system when you vacuum it down because first you get the refrigerant recovered by a professional. If oil was removed during that process, they will tell you how much and then you just add that into the yellow hose. Should be a small amount.

[@wallbreaker_9358]

@@50sKid oh i must have missed the part where you mentioned that you have it emptied by a professional

[@50sKid]

@@wallbreaker_9358 Ah, yeah, sorry this video is a companion to my previous video on how I changed the compressor so I guess I wasn't thinking about someone seeing it out of that context. I should have!

[@ve2430]

@@50sKid I use to recover it using my employers ac machine but I was far from a professional. I didn't even fully understand how the ac works. Just knew what buttons to press. Be careful who you call professional 😆

[@rwilso15]

Why did you not check the high and low pressures on the gauges for R134A against the ambient air temp? That shows that your system is operating correctly. e'g at 80 F ambient, low pressure should be 40-50psi and high pressure should be 175-210psi

[@50sKid]

I was watching them. Nothing was out of sorts

[@tommihalakos1668]

Hi guys! I have a BMW E46 2002 and the problem I have in the A / C is that the driver's side has cold air and the passenger side has hot air. What could be the problem?

[@toddhewett1027]

Add more r134a.

[@Dalisolungu]

I changed my AC compressor. Had to empty the whole system, my magnetic clutch isn't engaging at all while I'm trying to refill the system with refrigerant. Any tips? Is my compressor bad?

[@50sKid]

Did you connect the electrical wire on top correctly?

[@Dalisolungu]

@@50sKid yup. All wiring is done

[@50sKid]

There needs to be some refrigerant in the system before you begin, otherwise the compressor won't click on. There is a pressure switch on top of the line going to the accumulator. It prevents the compressor from running without refrigerant since that's part of what cools and lubricates it. You can see me equalize pressure before starting the car in the video. So check that. Also, make sure it's not something simple like the a/c switch being off inside the car.

[@Dalisolungu]

@@50sKid Got it, thank you.

[@nezarl8374]

I don't have an access to a vacuum pump what can I do?

[@bryanbielka6770]

Get one

[@malayalammovies1847]

🇮🇳✌️❤️

[@martynasr08]

isn't that refrigerant poisonous? f.e. while bleeding air, and disconecting almost empty bottles etc

[@50sKid]

Well ventilated area is key

[@herrbrahms]

No. One of the reasons that R134a was picked is that it's nontoxic, unlike other refrigerants such as ammonia.

[@ve2430]

Refill by a shop is over $200 these days so learn to do it yourself

[@minzahhh1]

Second on a 50s kid vid haha

[@herrbrahms]

My complaint (ha!) about your method is to ask why you're using those dinky little O Reilly's cans instead of a 30 lb tank of R134a that you just leave in your garage until the end of time. The environmentalists have already come for this refrigerant because of its global warming potential, and R134a will eventually be marginalized the way that old R12 Freon was because of its appetite for ozone. R1234yf is not going to play nicely with A/C systems of this era. It's flammable for one, and its cooling efficiency is 20% lower than R134a. Prices for the 30 lb tanks of R134a were under $200 a couple years ago, but now that the ban has been greenlit by Congress, the rush is on to buy it up before it goes away. Despite the cost doubling or tripling, if you drive an old beast like the E46, better to have it than to be sorry later. Love the channel as always. I appreciate how you approach vehicle service from an engineering mindset.

[@cylonred8902]

At best a person is going to "need" to recharge maybe once. 30 lb is massive overkill for a DIY'r unless they have a job of filling other people's cars.

[@50sKid]

Yeah what he said. I don’t do it often enough to justify it. Hopefully they don’t ban it completely that would be nuts

[@teufelhunden2820]

FIRST!!

[@user-yp7hf4br9w]

My 2004 330ci is blowing cold air on driver side and warmer on passenger side is this due to low refrigerant?