Smoke from air vents when I turn on the A/C

I just acquired a 1995 525i. I turned on the A/C, but didn't feel any
cool air. After about 5 minutes, smoke suddenly started spewing from
the vents.

So I shut down the A/C and fan. I didn't see anything else wrong, so
I continued driving home. I could still smell the smoke on me later.

I don't see any fluid (athough I do have a oil leak from the valve
cover gasket and have been smelling that as it's evidently dripping on
something hot).

Thoughts?

cowznofsky > wrote:
>I just acquired a 1995 525i. I turned on the A/C, but didn't feel any
>cool air. After about 5 minutes, smoke suddenly started spewing from
>the vents.
>
>So I shut down the A/C and fan. I didn't see anything else wrong, so
>I continued driving home. I could still smell the smoke on me later.
>
>I don't see any fluid (athough I do have a oil leak from the valve
>cover gasket and have been smelling that as it's evidently dripping on
>something hot).

Odds are it's your blower motor burning up. A combination of moisture
in the windings over the years causing the insulation to break down, and
the motor being dragged down by bearings that haven't been lubricated
will cause the motor to overheat and smoke.

Once it's done this it's too late to clean and lube the bearings,
it's usually time to replace the motor. Sometimes it'll make squealing
noises for a while before it goes, sometimes it just goes.

I don't know how hard it is do to on your vehicle... on some models
of that era it's very easy to get to the AC fan and on others it is
a nightmare involving removing the dash.

The other possibility is the resistor pack.... but that usually produces
only a little puff when it goes, and afterward the fan will work only
on high speed, or it cannot be turned off, or something like that which
is clearly related to the speed control.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

it could also be from an accumulation of
dust and debris in the housing .
a blower motor usually gives out
sounds before it quits .
have you tried leaving it on at max
speed for 15 - 30 minutes and see if
it stops smoking ?
at this point , you have nothing to
lose by trying this .
it's one of the last things in your car
you want to replace . it cost SERIOUS
$$$$$ .
HTH ,
D.
"cowznofsky" > wrote in message
...
>I just acquired a 1995 525i. I turned on the A/C, but didn't feel any
> cool air. After about 5 minutes, smoke suddenly started spewing from
> the vents.
>
> So I shut down the A/C and fan. I didn't see anything else wrong, so
> I continued driving home. I could still smell the smoke on me later.
>
> I don't see any fluid (athough I do have a oil leak from the valve
> cover gasket and have been smelling that as it's evidently dripping on
> something hot).
>
> Thoughts?

On Apr 12, 5:04*pm, "D." > wrote:
> it could also be from an accumulation of
> dust and debris in the housing .
> a blower motor usually gives out
> sounds before it quits .
> have you tried leaving it on at max
> speed for 15 - 30 minutes and see if
> it stops smoking ?
> at this point , you have nothing to
> lose by trying this .
> it's one of the last things in your car
> you want to replace . it cost SERIOUS
> $$$$$ .
> * * * * * * * * *HTH ,
> * * * * * * * * * * *D."cowznofsky" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> >I just acquired a 1995 525i. *I turned on the A/C, but didn't feel any
> > cool air. *After about 5 minutes, smoke suddenly started spewing from
> > the vents.
>
> > So I shut down the *A/C and fan. *I didn't see anything else wrong, so
> > I continued driving home. *I could still smell the smoke on me later.
>
> > I don't see any fluid (athough I do have a oil leak from the valve
> > cover gasket and have been smelling that as it's evidently dripping on
> > something hot).
>
> > Thoughts?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

ouch. I think it's burnt. I still get the burnt smell even though
I've kept it off.

cowznofsky > wrote:
>
>ouch. I think it's burnt. I still get the burnt smell even though
>I've kept it off.

Get a replacement from the dealer for around $50, and then get the Haynes
manual and see about changing it.

As I said earlier, on some models it's very easy to do, and on some models
it's very difficult, and you won't know which until you try it.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

in article
,
cowznofsky at wrote on 4/13/09 4:10 AM:

>
> ouch. I think it's burnt. I still get the burnt smell even though
> I've kept it off.


the smell is in the heater/condensor core ... the outside air passes through
it with the heat or the A/C on ... and the back fire tainted the heat
exchanger ... put burnt oil film on it.

There is condensor cleaner for the A/C to take smells out of it .. some
actually clean .. others just put a better smelling oil on it.

If you take it in for service for the A/C if you do that ... they might be
of help.

sumbuddie wear blind sea

On Apr 13, 11:27*pm, "Alan B. Mac Farlane" > wrote:
> in article
> ,
> cowznofsky at wrote on 4/13/09 4:10 AM:
>
>
>
> > ouch. *I think it's burnt. *I still get the burnt smell even though
> > I've kept it off.
>
> the smell is in the heater/condensor core ... the outside air passes through
> it with the heat or the A/C on ... and the back fire tainted the heat
> exchanger ... put burnt oil film on it.
>
> There is condensor cleaner for the A/C to take smells out of it .. some
> actually clean .. others just put a better smelling oil on it.
>
> If you take it in for service for the A/C if you do that ... they might be
> of help.
>
> sumbuddie wear blind sea

Hmm. Maybe so. It's in the shop right now for the oil leaks, and
they say that the blower motor is ok.

cowznofsky > wrote:
>
>Hmm. Maybe so. It's in the shop right now for the oil leaks, and
>they say that the blower motor is ok.

AHA! You didn't mention that the car had an oil leak.

IF the engine has an oil leak near the top, and it spills oil onto the
exhaust manifold, it will make a lot of smoke in the engine compartment.
Leaky valve cover gaskets are popular sources of this.

If you have the heat or AC on and it's set to take in outside air, it will
take in smoky air from the engine compartment.

If this is the case, though... you'll also see smoke from the engine
compartment... just little wisps. And the REAL thing is that the smell
will be a burning oil smell, not a burning plastic kind of smell. Very
different smell, and the mechanic should be able to sniff the residual odor
and let you know.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

in article , Scott Dorsey at
wrote on 4/14/09 7:50 AM:

> A! You didn't mention that the car had an oil leak


yeah ... if you are ever driving, and come to a stop ... AND you see some
little wisp of blue gray smoke come up ... have then take a look for an oil
leak.

with these aluminum block engines that are machined so carefully ...

any oil leak on the block will make them warp from uneven heat expansion.

it trashes the engine over time ... to save a few pennies.

of course do not EVER buy a used BMW with an oil stained engine.

Same for helicopters and airplanes.

Remember ... politicians like diapers must be changed often

sumbuddie said dis

L:?

On Apr 14, 8:35*pm, "Alan B. Mac Farlane" > wrote:
> in article , Scott Dorsey at
> wrote on 4/14/09 7:50 AM:
>
> > A! *You didn't mention that the car had an oil leak
>
> yeah ... if you are ever driving, and come to a stop ... AND you see some
> little wisp of blue gray smoke come up ... have then take a look for an oil
> leak.
>
> with these aluminum block engines that are machined so carefully ...
>
> any oil leak on the block will make them warp from uneven heat expansion.
>
> it trashes the engine over time ... to save a few pennies.
>
> of course do not EVER buy a used BMW with an oil stained engine.
>
> Same for helicopters and airplanes.
>
> Remember ... politicians like diapers must be changed often
>
> sumbuddie said dis
>
> L:?

Well, that's terrible news. I had it in the shop, and they replaced
the gasket, and it still leaks. So now I just now took it back, but
this is scaring me.