Air conditioning
- Thread starter blade7
- Start date
When was the last time you had the refrigarant gas checked / topped up and did it work briefly after gas top up?
Condensor (air con rad) tend to fail with age and relatively simple to replace condenser and shop around for aftermarket replacements. Had one many years ago where the condensor got punctured by body shop error.
Suggest start with a leak test where they add gas and ultraviolet dye, then try running the system. Then follow the plumbing with an ultraviolet light to look for the tell tale glow. It's sometimes easier to see a day later when the dye has dried around the leak point.
Hope this helps
Condensor (air con rad) tend to fail with age and relatively simple to replace condenser and shop around for aftermarket replacements. Had one many years ago where the condensor got punctured by body shop error.
Suggest start with a leak test where they add gas and ultraviolet dye, then try running the system. Then follow the plumbing with an ultraviolet light to look for the tell tale glow. It's sometimes easier to see a day later when the dye has dried around the leak point.
Hope this helps
Minimum to replace is the condensor (about £200-£300) and the receiver / dryer (cheap), you will also need a couple of adaptors to take it from the old style connectors to the newer ones so you can use R134a. I think I picked mine up from eBay, with the style I purchased you had to remove the valve core from the old connector (some of them you don't, so you'd need to check to be sure). But 19-year-old valve cores are probably shot anyway.
Also good to replace as many of the o-rings as possible, (two behind the engine where it goes into the interior, and several at the front for the compressor, condensor, receiver/dryer, and pressure sensor.
Got mine going again and the compressor started leaking at the seams, I picked up a new Denso one but you can get chinese ones for about £275 on eBay.
Mine had been out of action for 19 years, the only visible signs were the condensor was severely corroded, due I assume to its proximity to the ground and being right at the front of the car.
Just about to fit the new compressor to mine.
Also good to replace as many of the o-rings as possible, (two behind the engine where it goes into the interior, and several at the front for the compressor, condensor, receiver/dryer, and pressure sensor.
Got mine going again and the compressor started leaking at the seams, I picked up a new Denso one but you can get chinese ones for about £275 on eBay.
Mine had been out of action for 19 years, the only visible signs were the condensor was severely corroded, due I assume to its proximity to the ground and being right at the front of the car.
Just about to fit the new compressor to mine.
scam75
Well-known member
Ditto what has been said. I've been fighting mine for years. Currently have a leak at the side of the condenser where the pipes bolt on. It's either (another) condenser or it's the compressor to condenser hose which I know is damaged at the condenser end but had been sealed for a bit. Took a punt on a 2nd hand condenser from Poland with the hose I need attached to it for £70 on ebay. The hose is about £170 on its own. So plan to change that hose first and take it from there. When the AC works, it is fantastic, so worth the effort imo.
scam75
Well-known member
No, undertray and batwing off only. Yeah, check gas first.
blade7
Well-known member
Never been that bothered about the A/C before, until the weather this year. Plus reading in the past, that 944 A/C wasn't very good anyway.
blade7
Well-known member
Can’t help with the details I’m afraid but just to add that Halfords offer a free aircon check which could be a useful first step and you can take it from there.
Jeff
I've used Halfords for A/C re-gas on other cars. I think a straightforward low gas they can diagnose, not sure if their equipment can identify other faults though.
General practice is to use an automated a/c gasser that checks for pressure as part of process and this will pick up major leaks that produce quick pressure loss, but generally does not pick up minor (slow) leaks.
Kwik Fit and ATS also used to offer free checks and don't know if they still do. Also worth checking online for offers, such as Wowcher half price offer for ATS last summer.
For hoses, also try the companies that make them to order - did this for a relatives classic Mercedes and was far cheaper.
Have also replaced the seals in a/c compressor
Kwik Fit and ATS also used to offer free checks and don't know if they still do. Also worth checking online for offers, such as Wowcher half price offer for ATS last summer.
For hoses, also try the companies that make them to order - did this for a relatives classic Mercedes and was far cheaper.
Have also replaced the seals in a/c compressor
I guess it's doable without the bumper off but I did mine before I'd refitted my bumper and found it easy to do up the hose connections with a pair of spanners (use one to support the condenser side connector so it doesn't snap off).
Lucky you don't own a black on black 944. I don't know how I daily drove it back in the day. Used to get home from work with a soaking wet shirt and back. The large windscreen and boot glass don't help.
scam75
Well-known member
Couple of points to add. Firstly, my AC is awesome when it is working so I can tell you from experience who you "heard" from was either misinformed or theirs wasn't working right. Secondly I doubt Halfrauds or such like will entertain your car and almost certainly won't have the right fittings and gauges even if they could be arsed trying to help.
You can pressure test the system by hooking up a C02 cannister and pressure gauge via the top hose fitting that sits near the NS strut turret. For filling it you need to hook up your R134a cylinder to the bottom hose fitting at the compressor.
I replaced my compressor, condenser and receiver dryer. New seals on the new components but nowhere else, 10ml of ester oil into it then fill with R134a and it worked perfect. Till the condenser burst again that was!
When you get round to filling it the system takes 30 oz (850 grams) of gas.
You can pressure test the system by hooking up a C02 cannister and pressure gauge via the top hose fitting that sits near the NS strut turret. For filling it you need to hook up your R134a cylinder to the bottom hose fitting at the compressor.
I replaced my compressor, condenser and receiver dryer. New seals on the new components but nowhere else, 10ml of ester oil into it then fill with R134a and it worked perfect. Till the condenser burst again that was!
When you get round to filling it the system takes 30 oz (850 grams) of gas.
I take mine to the local garage, I have to show them where the blue port is on the compressor due to German sense of humour, they put it at the bottom of the engine bay on the compressor hose. They even let me attach the hose myself when I had it drained to fit the new compressor.
TSB says between 700ish to 800g, oil should be 120ml +- 20ml for the entire system. My compressor label says it is filled with 80cc but I measured 60ml when I emptied it yesterday. I've filled it with the same amount of ester oil (can be mixed with the old r12 oil) as my system was bone dry and I lost a lot through the compressor seals. I did previously put the right quantities in the condenser and drier. Will try and attach the TSB when I'm back home.
Posts made and opinions expressed are those of the individual forum members
Use of the Forum is subject to the Terms and Conditions
