Bill L Seifert

My AC went out yesterday. It is a 1998 Boxster. The air was working fine, and I stopped at my house to pick up my wife. When I restarted the car, everything looked normal, but no cold air. I checked the fuses, there are three AC fuses, I think, on row C,D, and E. All were good.

I then tried the AC with the manual switch. When I pressed the snowflake button, the idle of the engine changed, like the compressor came on, but still no cold air. It does not work in either AUTO or Manual.

Any ideas?

Bill Seifert

1998 Boxster

deliriousga

Is it blowing and the air just isn't cold or not blowing at all? Having any trouble getting the key in/out?

Bill L Seifert

Deliriousga,

It blows hot air. I am familiar with the other problem. About a year ago it would not blow at all. (Dang, that sounds like an old girlfriend, excuse my crudeness) When I started it the spring in the ignition switch would not return it to the acc position, so nothing would work. The AC, heat, windshield wipers, etc. This was because the ignition switch would not spring back. I have not fixed that, I just make sure I turn the key back to the stop, and everything works. I am going to change the ignition switch, but I don't think it has anything to do with the current problem. I really do think it is electrical, because it happened suddenly. If it was R134 or the compressor, I think it would have acted up before it broke entirely. As it is, it was working one second, and not working the next.

I hope I explained that well,

Thanks,

Bill

PaulStewart

Perhaps it's low on refrigerant and the low pressure switch is tripped?

smshirk

That would be my guess too. This heat has been really rough on AC systems this summer. If you don't have any gauges, you can get a can of R134A with a built in gauge at an auto parts store or even a Walgreens for about 20 bucks. You need about 35 PSI, but the cheapie gauge has red and green scale for pressure. Easy to check and easy to put that can in if you are low.

Bill L Seifert

Thanks, fellas, I'll check it out.

Bill

PaulStewart

I don't know where the low pressure switch is, but if you can find it, just pull the wires off of it and connect them together. Then start the car and try the A/C.

deliriousga

It's easy to check your pressure and see if it's ok before you spend time jumping the circuit like smshirk suggests. Try this order for diagnostics:

1) Check the pressure (connectors are in the front trunk on the passenger side next to the battery compartment. 1 or 2 screws to get it open.) If it's low, get some R134A with dye in it at AutoZone or somewhere else so you can find the leak. The dye can be seen with a blacklight. If you fill it, just use R134A without oil. The oil does not leak out so you don't need to add any more back in. The system is a sealed system that should not leak at all so if you lost refridgerant you need to find the leak. Leaks are usually found in the o-ring seals between connections.
2) Check the compressor relay in the rear trunk (I have relay charts at http://www.theschillings.com/boxrelay.htm if you need them). It's relay #4 and the part number is 964 615 215 00. If you know someone else with a Boxster, see if you can drop by and swap relays to test it. Just make sure you disconnect the negative terminal before you swap relays.
3) Take the cover behind the seats off and turn on the A/C to see if the compressor is engaging at all.
4) Check for electrical signal at the clutch. Use a multi-meter to see if the signal is going out to turn the clutch on. If not, trace it back and see where it is you get a current.

If you do all of that and everything checks ok but it still blows hot, then I'd take it to a local Porsche specialist and have it checked out.

Hope it goes well!

Bill L Seifert

John

I will try that. You know, I have had that car forever and have never seen the engine. This will be a new experience. Ain't that wierd.

Bill

deliriousga

Really??!! It's a beautiful thing!

If you get to that, all you need to get the front engine cover off is ratchet and a 10mm socket. 9 bolts and 2 nuts and don't drop any. They can go down under the seat and into the metal where you can't get them unless you pull out the seat and use a magnetic grabber to get them.

You have to take the top engine sound cover off to remove the carpet that's behind the seats covering the front engine cover. The instructions on getting the convertible top to the right position and opening the top engine cover are in the owner's manual. You have to take the storage compartment behind the seats out then the sound cover that's under that. Two hand-turned, plastic pop-bolts in each of those so they pop out easily w/ no tools. Slide the seats to the full forward position. There are four screw on, flat plastic nuts along the top of the carpet that goes behind the seats. Take those out and pull out the carpet. Now you can pull the aluminum shield off and there lies Boxster beauty. You have access to the serpentine belt, alternator, water pump, A/C compressor and PS Pump from there. The A/C compressor is behind the driver's seat.

If you want to see the top of the engine, pop off the the aluminum pan that's on top of the engine and you'll see the intake spider.

Bill L Seifert

John, and all,

Mystery solved. It was the ignition switch. Evidently when I would manually move the key back to the stop, the fans and compressor, and all the other stuff too, would come on. After the slightly askew ignition switch got worse, the signal was going to the fans, wipers, etc, but not to the compressor.

Anyway, new ignition switch, and voila, everything works.

Thanks, gang,

Bill

deliriousga

Glad to hear it was something simple & cheap. That's always nice.