monknomo

I ordered the 944 Online A/C update and was wondering if I could get any feedback from someone who has installed it. My searches have come close to answering my question but always seem to dance around what I'm looking for.

The kit comes with a hose and three fittings. I'm pretty sure the hose runs between the compressor and the condenser, and that the 90 degree elbow without the 912 fitting is used for that hose. The other fitting looks like I might have to cut the high pressure hose that runs between the compressor and the evaporator. Is that the case? Does anyone happen to have a picture of the installed kit? (I have asked 944online, but I figure if I spread my question around, I'll get a more complete answer)

Furthermore, how long have you had these kits last? I've seen answers all over, but I'm curious if they've changed by now.

potent951turbo

I have first hand experience with this kit and do not recommend it at all. I put this kit on a previous 951 that I have since sold and the fit and finish is not very good. The brackets that you mount to the compressor to make it work on the 944 bracket ended up cracking after a few months. Also the way the new compressor mounts, it makes you have to extend the tensioner out really far to make the belt tight, which in return caused the tensioner to break several times. Also unless they have changed it, the charge valve is placed right on a 90 degree bend off the compressor, and after you tension the compressor it points that valve directly at the frame making it just about impossible to get a freon hose connected. Like you mentioned, you have to cut the stock hose and put a compression fitting on which I never liked, but it did hold during my ownership. During the 2+ years that the kit was on, I bet I had to replace the belt 10 or more times due to it stretching out or breaking. It also required almost weekly retensionings.

If I could have done it again I would have sent the kit back before installing it and gotten a rebuilt stock compressor.

cie_lab

+1 on the stock rebuilt compressor. Add a drier. You can find this stuff on eBay all the time for about $250 for both. $500 at the shop. You can probably find a shop to do it cheaper than that.

IMO A/C work should be done by the shop. So far, it's the ONLY thing I've taken my car to the shop for.

Colin, your wheelwell is dead sexy.




wait, that didn't come out right.

monknomo

Well, I don't imagine I can have any worse a time with this kit that I've had with the last couple of stock compressors.

I can handle working on A/C stuff on my own (except for the vacuum part, I'll need a shop to do that for me), but I do like to make sure I'm "supposed to" cut a line before I actually start hacking away at things.

As to the charge valve, I'm not sure how much difference this will make, but the kit I ordered does have a shorter belt than stock. And this whole mess started when my latest compressor ate a belt and broke its mounting bolts. I'm on my second tensioner for the compressor. (I know, this sounds like a ringing endorsement of my mechanical skill, but I had a shop deal with all this before, and I don't think they did anything wrong, just that I've been unlucky in a/c compressors). I figure I'm not any worse off no matter what. Plus, I'd really like to have cool air in the DC summer.

Thanks for the heads up on potential problems, though! I'll keep a watch on the tension and the adapters.