[apex]

Here are some pics of my recent upgrade to the AC system. After my compressor failed I installed a new super-duper condenser, cleaned and replaces hoses, new seals, compressor (of course), drier, and expansion valve. This is not a step-by-step DIY. More of a travelogue. Vacation snap-shots if you will.



As an aside I might mention that while I was waiting for new pollen filters to arrive I tore the innards out of the old ones, and bought a high-quality 1" furnace filter and cut some new inserts to install in the alum frames - voila! - didn't save any money 'cause I had already ordered new ones, but now I have a lifetime supply of cabin filters. I used double-sided tape to seal the new filter media inside the aluminum frame.



Let's take a look at some images. Hopefully y'all will find them of some interest and some use.



To make this post complete, I can't ignore all the conversations I had with Charlie Griffith, who sold me the parts, and schooled me in details of what I was messin' with, and fabricated a new part for no extra charge. No affiliation other than that - you may find his site informative:



Here's his help page



Here's the kit I got



The kit was good - new oil, compressor, condensor, lots of extra green o-rings, drier, pressure-side barrier hose, valve, r134a conversion sticker, and so forth. I definitely decided to take the high road on this job - time consuming and somewhat expensive - but learned a lot about the car. Also learned a lot about a/c in general (not that that is one of my goals in life! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> )



In short, the process is:

1. remove busted compressor
   
   
2. open up entire ac system
   
   
3. take to a pro for dry nitrogen flush
   
   
4. prep new compressor with ester oil
   
   
5. install new compressor, barrier hose, expansion valve, and condensor
   
   
6. don't forget the new o-rings!
   
   
7. return to pro for leak test, vacuum, and fill
   
   

I think we all know where the compressor is - but the expansion valve was another matter. Factory manual says the only way to access the EV was to remove the entire heating/cooling box which means remove the dash and half the interior of the car. Nope. Two alternative ways in were from below - after removing the glove box, and from above, after removing the blower cover at the back of the engine bay. I did both - and think both are necessary for success.



Document how the glove box light is wired to avoid new fuses later:





Example of the "while you're in there" phenomenon: the air temp tube was full of 15 years of cabin dust - so it gets cleaned and re-installed with two small hose clamps since mine had lost some of its elasticity and tended to slip off its connections. Worked like a charm - but if you do this be careful not to short out the cig lighter which is very close to the air temp tube behind the dash.





Expansion valve stuff first. The heater blower box is off, showing the EV connections through the firewall. BTW - the sealing foam you see just above the evaporator coil has degraded over the years to such a degree that it disintegrates if touched. I ordered new seals from Porsche - one is on permanent back-order - But I'll use the one I got as a template and replace both sides. There is a particular kind of closed-cell foam that Porsche used for this purpose and electrical padding and whatnot that suffers exactly the same problem - to touch it is to have it fall into dusty pieces - so slowly I'm replacing all that I find.











There is a capillary tube spiraling out of the EV that is clipped *tightly* to one of the lines headed through the firewall into the evaporator coils. A real bitch to access for both removal and replacement. The first problem is removing all the hateful insulating tape surrounding the EV. Careful use of an exacto and screwdriver takes care of that. For replacement, a combination of on-your-back gymnastics from below and back-breaking bending over from above eventually gets the capillary tube on there.



Here's a pretty good overview for the technically-minded:

TXV page



OK so after taking the car to the shop with all the lines open they get flushed and capped, and re-assembly can begin.



The EV is installed:







The insulating tape is on:









OK on to the compressor.



The new compressor is not OEM. It's larger, better-lookin' <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> and requires a slightly longer belt (provided). Just something to remember next time belts are changed.



The fitting to the compressor low-side hose is not working out. The kit arrived with two low-pressure side fittings for the hose between condensor and compressor - one 45 degrees, the other 90 - with instructions to use whichever fit one's situation best.



Here's a shot of the new compressor in place, with the original fitting. As you can see - although the alignment with the low-side hose is not bad - the location of the valve really sucks. Only 1/2" clearance between it and the sway bar strut and electrical harness.







I called Charlie, explained the situation, sent him a picture or two, and he make a new connector with the valve rotated 90 degrees down. Perfect!







One more for good measure:







Ignore the oil on my sway bar. That's from a slow oil pan gasket weep. That job can wait a while. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



I didn't document the condenser install with the camera. Suffice it to say it drops out of the bottom easily and re-install is a snap. I made a new sealing strip of closed-cell foam between the new condenser and the steel bracket that holds it in place underneath - proper air flow is important in this area.



That's about it. I bought myself a new master clutch cylinder and installed that at the same time. Fodder for another post.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[sirpatrickhall]

Thanks for posting this. Very helpful.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.