[SGTsimo]

Only had my i8 3 weeks and the Aircon is starting to make a noise.
It sounds like a whirring noise and also a noise that i can only describe as being similar to when a kettle 'first' starts to heat up.
Is the Aircon on its way out? is this normal? does it just need a re-gas?

I made a Youtube video, which makes it sound louder than it actually is.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6HscR32Bk...9hWxEdHLZs7s4A

https://youtube.com/shorts/nU3YzbOCc..._oBDURr5tmJG47

[SGTsimo]

So, an interesting update.
I contacted the garage i bought the car from, who were quite happy to do whatever was required to get it fixed, but first of all wanted me to take it into a specialists that do re-gassing (at the garages expense of course).

I took it to one about 17 miles away from me and let the guy listen to it and straight away he said it needed re-gassing as it was low.
The sound, like a very fast ticking, was a solonoid valve opening and closing. It was doing this due to low pressure he said.

BMW i8's apparently have 630 grams of AC air/liquid? inside of them.
What they do to re-gas is hook it the machine, which will remove the old gas (measuring it in the process). Clear out the pipes of any condensation, and then re-fill it with the correct amount of gas and a specific oil.
The machine took 70 grams out of mine (instead of 630), so was WAY low.

I then drove it home, plus another 30 miles and the noise has gone completely.

I have no idea where the gas went, but the car is 10 years old and may not have ever been refilled. It may still have a leak of course, which i will find out when the weather warms up probably.

[rueyme]

can any shop do the AC refill? I figure I'll have mine checked out but want to make sure if dealer is good for this, sometimes they are worse than a specialist, but will an indie understand how to do the I8 one or are they all the same?

[billy.gif]

Originally Posted by rueyme

can any shop do the AC refill? I figure I'll have mine checked out but want to make sure if dealer is good for this, sometimes they are worse than a specialist, but will an indie understand how to do the I8 one or are they all the same?

The aircon plugs are under the front "bonnet". Which needs special way to be lifted up AND closed down. Some of the general indie shop service guys might only open / lift it from the windscreen end but it is the wrong way!

Here Pat shows the proper way (2:20 onwards):

Its up to you if you want to risk it or try to explain the indie guys how its done. The closing it is even trickier as it has to be carefully "synced" with both sides, or else one side can touch the fender / headlight assembly.