enlico

Hey all - I am experiencing the hissing AC on my CS 987.2, that many others also experienced. I ran a diagnostic tool and got an error code saying that the AC ran out of refrigerant. Finally, I checked carefully the system under the hood and and there is no signs of leaks left of the battery area (passenger side obvs).
So it seems to be simply a AC refrigerant refill job...which would be done simply if I could get my hands on something like an A/C pro.

Given that I am in Europe..I tried to look for AC PRO or an alternative, but I don't seem to find one...which is incredible. I asked a couple garages how much the refill would cost and they said...250 Euros. Yeah, right, bye.

Can anyone from Europe suggest a product that would work like AC PRO, or even better where I can find AC PRO in Europe?

Thanks in advance, would be very very helpful.

TMc993

Automotive AC systems don't consume refrigerant. If you've lost refrigerant, it's because you have a leak in your AC system. You need to find and repair that leak before putting any more refrigerant into the system. Doing otherwise is a waste of time and money.

enlico

Okay, that's a totally different story than what I have understood from reading about it.
Thanks for the tips. Is there a (relatively easy) way to find the leak (it's not under the hood) on my own?

TMc993

Take a look at this -

enlico

So, I just spoke with a Porsche mechanic. He says that over time the AC system can lose refrigerant - even if there aren't any leaks - and that as soon as the level is not up to the ideal the 987 AC can start with that hissing. This said, to be 100% sure it would of course need to be inspected and tested, then in case refuelled.
So now I am not sure what to do, probably best to inspect I guess.

enlico

Thank you for the link!

MrMoose

Yeah, even a good system will very slowly lose refrigerant, though I'd expect a new car to be good for at least ten years. So if it's low on a car that old, sometimes you can just top it off and it's fine, sometimes there's actually something wrong (leaking o-ring or compressor shaft, for example) and it needs repair. Hard to say without a full inspection.

If you wanted to try topping it off, here in the US you can buy R-134 refill kits at any auto parts store, at least for now. I don't know what the laws in Europe are, though.

Barry987

Hi
Amazon have refill kits both .fr and .de, (look for duracool).I got mine diagnosed, repaired the condensor myself, and then took back to my indie for regas who then charged me less than €100 for the service. It was not worth trying to do it yourself, both from cost and the fluids are very dangerous.
Barry

Schwinn

If it's truly "empty" then you have to vacuum out the system before filling it with new refrigerant. You'd need a pressure gauge to see what pressure is in there right now before you can make that determination. Between the gauge and the vacuum requirement, It doesn't sound like you'll be able to do that yourself. (Note, if you don't vacuum out the air, it will freeze in the system and cause other problems in the system, if it works at all.) A shop may be able to test this part for little money (as it's just checking with the gauges) before going further.

If there is pressure in the system, then you could potentially get away with adding more to it, but as others noted, it could be due to a leak which needs to be fixed first, before just blindly adding refrigerant. If you're hearing a hissing noise, it's a big leak... and not worth refilling until its fixed.

I don't know about AC Pro, but when you refill, you typically also add a dye to look for leaks. This dye glows under UV light so you can find the leak... that's important to do for older cars, in general, because there could be more than one leak.

In the end, you can't half-*** this repair... it needs to be done right and with some tools. I'd say 250 euro isn't terrible for what needs to happen, but you may want to shop around as that price seems high, by USA standards.

hueyhoolihan

over my lifetime, i've found that checking the refrigerant and topping it off is something i leave to an automotive air-conditioning specialist shop. if is thought that the refrigerant is low the system needs to be tested for leaks under all circumstances. and if found to be low, they will have the tools and knowledge to fill it back up. it's not all that expensive in any case. a couple hundred dollars if if needs to be topped off.

of course, taking it to a porsche dealer will to have it done will cost at least twice what a typical AC specialist shop would cost, but some people will be satisfied by nothing less. YMMV.

enlico

Thanks everyone for the fantastic help and suggestions. If it's of any interest I will post an update and feedback once the work has been done.

Schwinn

Yes, please do post an update when you find out... we all want to know, and it lets future users find out as well!