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Can anyone provide any feedback on the effectiveness of cleaning the condenser as regular maintenance to help improve the efficiency of the system?
I rand across this product and respective video showing the results and effects on pressures and heat transfer. I am intrigued and was wondering if anyone has any insight.
If your condenser has bugs and junk in it it should be cleaned. First with a good wash with the hose and then a cleaner like that one to dissolve anything on the surface and remove it.
You should also clean your radiator at the same time with some compressed air and the hose.
Just keep in mind that particular cleaner is expensive and you DO NOT want it getting on paint.
I just cleaned the big stuff out of the one in my 81 years ago when it had all kinds of crap clogging it. It most likely helped but I don't have a befor or after as the AC was DOA when I bought the car.
I trust Eric just as much as any good mechanic. I subscribe to him on Youtube. He has great videos.
Rip out the old condenser that's full of birds and rocks and replace it with a modern-style parallel flow unit, available in a huge variety of sizes for under $100. You'll likely need to swap hose ends though.
Rip out the old condenser that's full of birds and rocks and replace it with a modern-style parallel flow unit, available in a huge variety of sizes for under $100. You'll likely need to swap hose ends though.
Interesting, I didn't realize there was a modern style parallel flow design. I did a little research and found a parallel design as you suggest on the Griffiths site. This is good to know. Are there other vendors that make a compatible condenser?
Last edited by Michael Benno; 06-14-2018 at 02:57 PM.
If you're willing to get "adapter hoses" you can use the universal core (the same as above but without the 928 specific mounts/line outlets) for $100 or less, google Nostalgic AC or look on ebay. Measure the 928's front area and get the biggest condenser that will fit.
I put an $85, 14x20 universal parallel flow on my 944 about 8 years ago and even made a bunch of "bolt in" ones with factory brackets retrofitted for other 944 owners years ago, before Griffiths took over making them. They work great.
You were freezing up the evaporator a week or three ago. How much colder do you need to make it?
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A few years ago there was a reference to a condenser and evaporator cleaner that was OTS at Home Depot stores. I bought some to help with evaporator cleaning. Mine wasn't blocked by a lint-and-dust mud-cake as some folks pictured, but there was enough in there that the foaming spray cleaner and some work with an extended-handle toothbrush-style detailing brush improved airflow a bunch. About an hour invested in the whole effort, including a style and rinse. Access via the boot at the blower end, and the hole for the resistor pack.
You were freezing up the evaporator a week or three ago. How much colder do you need to make it?
The freeze switch was switching at 28 degrees F so I adjusted it to switch at 34 degrees F per the tech manual. Cooling is much better on the one mildly hot day we had.
Increasing the efficiency and dropping pressures helps to make the system more reliable and last longer. The components get put under less stress as the coolant can exchange more heat with the ambient air.
I did the condenser service on my 911 recently(well, last fall), and I thought I was going to have to replace them they were so full of crud. But, after several hours of work, they cleaned up well. I didn't use any cleaning fluid except a bit of carb cleaner. The condenser cleaning products are mainly to dissolve the kind of dust/hair/grime/crud that gets on home AC unit. We get more of bugs, grit, stones, etc. I used my pressure washer from back to front, set on a lower setting than full blast. Then I used compressed air again from back to front, then another pass with the pressure washer(don't get too close to the fins), and air again. Finally, from the front I sprayed some carb cleaner to get the last of the road tar, oil deposits, and then another final wash with the hose. They came out real nice, but it will take a good 3 hours to do one. That aftermarket parallel flow plan sounds like a good idea. No idea on the efficiency of them over stock, but pretty good price.
Anyway, cleaning them can be done, but it is a lot of labor. No other chemicals needed except carb or brake cleaner.
06-14-2018, 12:31 AM
Condenser Cleaning?
