Air Con U/S

[geoffpfc]

Hi Guys

Any ideas on what checks I can carry out before visiting my Porsche Centre ( 45 miles away in Bournemouth) I have not used the car for about a month and when I took it for a spin yesterday I found that the air con was not working, Ive checked that the drive belt is still connected to the compressor.

I'm hoping that the condensers have not corroded, although it's a 2002 car it's only done 21k and has mesh guards fitted to keep the c*** out of the radiators.[]

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

It is usually a leak that stops it working, and it is usually the condensors which leak.

You could perhaps take it to Kwik Fit for a re-gas, and see if they find a leak.......

 

[geoffpfc]

Thanks Richard, is it safe to take a Porsche to Kwik-Fit? [:-]

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

Lots of people do. The equipment is virtually totally automatic, so there isn't much skill involved!!! Seriously, I've heard plenty of good reports, and I believe they will test it for free. There was a recent thread about it on 911UK: http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=53462

 

[James_W]

Geoff - per Richard's advice I can confirm Kwik-fit is a safe option for this.... you may have read in the thread he posted that I've had it done to my car. They will re-gas your car, however, if there are any leaks I believe they will tell you and possibly even not charge you for the re-gas on the grounds that the system is unable to retain.

 

[COF139]

I also used Kwik Fit recently for air con re-gas....and have no complaints at all.

 

[beershark]

I used Kwik Fit for a re-gas last year.

Nice chaps, took ages though.

Couldnt get all the gas in for some reason, they believe there was a leak. Was slightly cooler but not cold COLD if you know what I mean.

They didnt charge me in the end and it was still cooler.

 

[berrytastic]

I have notice the air con on my 99 (T) C2 Cabriolet has (suddenly) not as cold as it use too. I don't remember seeing any gas leaking or fluids on any sort near the front. Having said that if the car gets hot at the moment I just remove the roof.

I have read a lot about air cons losing gas over time (10% a year etc), yet when I bought the car I was told that was rubbish, the example being that you don't regas a fridge, so why should you regas a cars air con system, being that the aircon system is the same as a fridge. Thoughts on that would interesting!

I am considering getting it regassed/leak tested before I start to panic on the air con needing repairs, having been told that on my previous car ( Peugeot 306 Cab), that to replace a condenser and connecting pipes (which leaked at the join) would cost me nearly £600.

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

My wife has just replaced her 9 year old Mazda (I have kept it as a runaround/spare car for work). The aircon blasts cold air just the way it did when she bought it new. It has never had a regas or aircon service in it's life.

We've just been away for a long weekend on the hottest weekend of the year in the Turbo and guess what? The aircon packed up on the way! I expect that I have got a holed radiator, or it is corroded and leaking. They are very vulnerable where they are located, so it's hardly surprising they are such a common problem. In classic 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted' I'll be getting mesh grilles fitted at the same time to help stop it happening again.

 

[geoffpfc]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the feedback, I've managed to find a local guy who has carried out a fair number of repairs to various Porsche models, mainly for a vehicle repair company who specialise in used Porsche's.
His first response was that it was probably a corroded condenser radiator, but when he checked them he said that they were in good nick, I had fitted the mesh to the air intakes shortly after purchasing the car, he injected leak detector fluid and re-gassed the system and carried out further checks, charged £65 which includes the gas and travel to my home and he seems to have a good knowledge of air con.
It seems that the problem is that it's a bit of a garage queen and the seals can dry out as there is no lubricant running around the system, also the rubber hoses are not fully gas tight (on a molecular level!!)

The difference with fridge freezers is that the joints are all brazed, the compressor is hermitically sealed, so no o-rings or rubber hoses.[]

Only problem now is that I have an "air bag failure" message!! going to pCB bournemouth now for this and its service etc.[]

 

[bobsan]

just ordered from these nice folk, one can of leak fix and one can of re gas, as my system has slowly become milder over last few months.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Thompsons-LTD__W0QQ_sidZ144140275?_nkw=air+con&submit=Search

its a DIY kit, the leak fix also acts as a refurb to the olive joints and hoses of which there are many in the system, then followed by can of re gas to actually pressurise the system again. Sound's easy enough, spoke to chap at Thompsons and they've sold hundreds of cans with no complaints so figured I'd give it a go.
If its rubbish then I'll be off to Kwik fit.

 

[bobsan]

update on my DIY purchase:

.....so after hooking up the supplied pressure gauge I decided not to use the leek stopper, pressure was just on the low side of good and cabin vent temp with A/C full on was 4deg C. which I didn't think was too shabby.

Still, I decided to dump the can of re gas into the system, ran A/C for few mins and immediately noticed a drop in temp.

before re gas........4deg C
after re gas...........minus 3deg C

ice was forming outside of windscreen, breath was freezing.

Result I think, and for just £32 bargain, don't know how long it'll last, but still got the can of leek stop if it depleats too soon.

Also...i've now a gauge I'll carry around should anyone wish to check their system should we meet some place, its a two min job.