Porscheologist

Well its been warm (85) here in So. Cal so I turned on the AC yesterday and.....nothing just nice warm air!!

How can this be?? The PO just replaced the compressor a couple of years ago. My AC was awesome just last summer. Well I read a thread here on Rennlist were someone who had pulled the engine had a similar problem(I pulled mine for a clutch job a few months ago). Turns out that a green wire that activates the compressor is easily pulled out. I checked and sure enough a green wire that I know I plugged in was now pulled out.

The plastic connector/insulator that Porsche uses is of poor design so I got rid of it and connected the two plugs together directly and insulated them with some nice blue shrink tube.

Turned the AC on and frosty cold air came pooring out the vents. I measured 38 deg F at the center vent!!! Plenty cold for southern cal!

Anyhow just had to share incase anyone else suddenly finds their AC does not work. The wire is under a cover next to the oil filler tube.

chris walrod

These are the best repairs...easy and low cost

How is your car shifting these days?

Porscheologist

Yes free is always good.

Shifting still BAD!!

Mobil1 = bad
Redline = bad


I ordered a black label Pressure bleeder and some Sweptco 201. I am still not sure if it's properly bled. If its still bad after that I will try Swepco. After that I might just sell the thing!!! Or cry myself to sleep

Actually if its still not good after all this, it's time to take it to an expert. Know anyone?

Its just frustating that BEFORE the clutch job it was perfect.
Now............ Well you know the rest.

Thanks for asking Chris.

FisterD

Yep, that problem with the AC happened to me. I just taped the connector together with electrical tape. I like the nice and easy fixes!

rcwelch

Where is that wire...I want to check mine.

AOW162435

Shoot me an email if you want some pointers from my recent slave-cylinder-replacement-and-multiple-bleeding-extravaganza.

Andreas

Porscheologist

rcwelch, the wire is under a small black cover to the right of the AC compressor. You have to remove the cover and look underneath. You will see a wire coming from the compressor and into a plastic connector. The wire on the "car" side is green. This plastic connector is really an isulator. You can plug the two wires together without it. You need to insulate it with something. Some use tape, I used shrink tube. Good luck I hope that its loose.

AOW I will shoot you an e-mail this evening. My bleeder should arrive today or tommorow. I plan on doing it this weekend. Thanks.

Dudley

Same thing happen to me when I removed the AC
compressor in preparation for the alternator removal.
That single wire is easy to miss and it pulls out easily.

Martin S.

Porscheologist. He got lucky replacing that green wire that goes into the panel on the right rear of the engine compartment, just below the oil addition tube.

However, air conditioner failure can go this way:
1. Wire is out, replace...you are so lucky!!!
2. Fuse or relay is out in the left side panel...replace, you have a fix, you too are very lucky too...minimal investment on your part, incredible return.
_________________Anything below this linbe costs lots of money.
1. Check the hoses that come off the compressor. If you have had the compressor removed a bit lately (Such as I did with multiple SAI fix attempts), the conector may have failed. Naturally you must replace the entire hose. With the system under pressure (Tom, a great tech from Pioneer Porsche in San Diego diagnosed my problem), listen for leaks, look for leaks where the hose comes off the compressor. If it is leaking, replace the hose. Figure 2 to 3 hours of labor, and $600 for each hose, ouch! Once the hose is replaced, and the system recharged, fire up the airconditioning, if it works, you are lucky, beacause the next to scenarios are really ugly spendy.
2. If it is now determined you need a new AC compressor, somewhat minimal labor, an hour or two, $800 or more for the compressor.
3. Now here is where the "S" hits the fan...what if every thing in your system is OK and there is but one component left, the evaporator coil. You can take off the plastic cover in the trunk compartment, the one that is repoved when you change the pollen filters. Once you know where the evaporator coil is located, to can feel aroiund down there. If it is dry...you are lucky...something else is the culprit. Bit if it is wet and oily down there, you are in for an evaporator replacement, about $600 for the part, and 10 to 12 hours of labor. Check out the URL below. It was put up by Scott's Independent, one of the foremost air conditioning craftsmen in S. California (In Anaheim). Scott has a great reputation.

Scott's Independent

I hope in every failure...it's just a loose plug, relay or fuse. If it is the evaporator coil, you are looking a $2,000 repair bill. It looks like I only need a hose replacement and a re-charge...I certainy hope do!

tj90

Thanks for posting the URL to the leaky evap core. I KNOW thats my problem. I was recharging the system with oil and refrigerent and oil starting leaking from the front of the car just below the evap core (there is a drain port there - did Porsche know something then?!. Also I could smell freon / oil in the car after recharge with the AC on. Must be Niagra sized hole! I will be attempting the evap core replacement myself. Wish me luck!

Any rennlisters want to give advice on the gas tank removal process? I have heard to practically get the car on fumes before disconnecting everything and get ready for a gas mess. I have also heard to replace the drier before pulling a vac and recharging. I have heard that griffiths.com sells an aftermarket that is supposedely better than OEM. Any experence with Griffiths? Does anyone know if the OEM is better reliability than original? Griffins is claiming better performance - anyone care to comment? I found OEMs are about $350 from Vertex and Griffiths are $500.

Im hoping that I can just repair mine at a radiator shop and reuse the existing one! Anyone had luck with this approach?

Toga

Turning my AC on in february............I'd like to do it too!!!!!! You make me dream when looking through the window I see the snow falling!!!

Martin S.

Griffiths has been in business for 20+ years and has been a consistent PCA Panoram advertiser. You can gou up on the PCA Technical Board and ask for info on Griffiths. I believe you need to be a PCA Member to post a question.

When you look at the pics from Scott's Performance, you can ses the steps involved, wow. You practically have to take the car completely apart.

Good luck with the DIY. Take pleanty of pics and take copious notes. I have a feeling that this problem will surface again!

Porscheologist

Actually luck had nothing to do with it. My car just feels sorry for me because of its gearbox woes. So "it" gave me a break with the AC wire. My wife says I'm obsessed.

You think?



And yes Toga its about 80 deg here today in sunny So. Cal.

planeguy67

Same thing happened to me after changing the v-belts on my car. Was checking to make sure everything was ok, but the a/c wouldn't work.

I guess I must have somehow pulled the wire out of its connector while monkeying with the compressor.

Good thing I took someone's advice to check for voltage going to the clutch before shooting more freon in.

Martin S.

Porschologist writes, "My car just feels sorry for me because of its gearbox woes. So "it" gave me a break with the AC wire."

The same thing happened to me...I had trouble getting car out of gear on deceleration...so did my neighbor. He paid $1,000 to get something lubed inside the tranny, my problem went away....reason (My Car felt sorry for me?), maybe, bit I take mine to the track for regular exercise, he had been slacking off in this department.