Mamooguy

So my '87 944 NA has air-con, but it's busted. At some point I plan to recharge the system and see what happens, but if it doesn't, I'm wondering if there's a procedure for diagnosing problems with an a/c system? As in pinning down what the problem is?

Mike951

get some dye and a black light and charge th system with that and see where it leaks.. or get a sniffer.
Dont just use any dye.. there is special stuff for AC systems.

-keith

Mamooguy

How about mechanical issues, like a bad compressor or evaporator or whatever? Does the same method identify that stuff?

Kevin Baker

You really need to do more than just check for leaks. Check this website to find a shop near you, www.iatn.net You want someone who can check the system out. Charging the a/c and then looking at the high and low side pressures will tell you alot about the condition of the system. If either pressure is too high, you may have a restriction in the system, or if the high side is too low, a bad compressor. Whatever repairs are made, you must replace the drier. Get it checked out, get an estimate, and let me know (PM) what parts they say are bad, and why.

Luis de Prat

- Does the compressor kick in at all when you press the A/C switch?

- When was the last time you had working A/C?

If the compressor is working and you have had A/C at some point since owning the car, then you can try recharging your system with R134a yourself.

I did this a couple of times on my 83 while living in the Caribbean and it worked for months the first time around until I hit the condenser against a cement parking block and had to do it again.

All you need is a DIY kit from an autoparts store and some basic tools. Besides the compressor, some other parts that are prone to leaking are the expansion valve and the condenser. You can R/R most of this stuff with basic metric tools, but you'll need crescent wrenches to work on the condenser lines.

If the A/C stops cooling or doesn't cool at all after you recharge it, then you'll know you have a leak somewhere which the shop would've told you anyway. I don't know what a charge costs at an A/C shop in the States these days, but if you do it yourself and it works then you're set for around $50 which I think the kit cost me a couple of years ago.

Good luck!