[Cloud9...68]

Ouch! Sorry about your situation. I'm afraid mine is in for a similar fate - started blowing lukewarm air last summer, so I recharged the freon (the PO upgraded the system to R134), and it blew nice and cool the rest of the summer. But when summer '08 rolled around, it blew warm again, so I charged it back up, but for some reason it doesn't seem to be filling properly <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/mad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> , so the charge was only marginally effective, blowing cool, but not cold, air. The strange thing is that it hasn't gotten any worse over the past couple of months.



I took the sunroof off last Fall, and, since it's such a royal pain to take in and out, I've kept it off through the winter and summer (I feel a sudden kinship with all you cab owners...), and surprisingly, the summer heat hasn't really bothered me. I enjoy the open air feeling, and with the AC blowing cool air along with the ambient cooling from the open top, I'm actually quite comfortable. So, I'll get around to servicing the AC eventually, but when I think of how many track weekends $2K+ could buy, I'm content to hold off.

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[Steve]

Thanks Kim,



The oil change out is a good point. My system was completely cleaned out and the hoses are not the problem.



The car is expensive but another point is that it is not half as expensive as a new Porsche or any other great car. Even if I spend 5g this year, the long term cost of this wonderful car is still a bargain.

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[jlm968]

Kim, I don't do my own dental work for exactly the reasons you describe!

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[Lonestar968]

I'm just about to face a similar situation. My stock OE compressor/clutch ate itself internally shortly after getting underway on a trip. What a freaking mess! I had have the car flatbed-towed to the nearest Porsche dealership in Ingolstadt. There were no compressors available for my car here in Germany so they removed the original belt and installed a shorter one to bypass the compressor. We were underway in about an hour.



My question to all who have any experience with A/C stuff is this: should I replace the OE compressor with another Denso unit or upgrade to something better? Are the Sanden compressors worth the extra money in the long run? Anybody have experience with an upgraded compressor??? Thanks for your help, any advice is much appreciated.



Dan

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[Kim]

For me, $560 for an aftermarket compressor versus $2500 for the Porsche model seemed like a good deal. Given that it required three of them, and that I may need to pay for the uninstall (#1)/get ready to install (#2)/install (#3) labour, plus the additional recharge, plus teh drive belt that got toasted, plus the towing, I would recommend buying the Porsche part of you are going to have the work done at a Porsche dealer. Then you can sit back and laugh if it messes up. Of course I may laugh anyway but that's just me!

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[Kim]

On a more serious note, I fear that, be the cars "wonderful" or not, their age and limited production is one day going to be a big problem. At some point, there will be too many of us looking for parts that are not numerous enough for all. My philosophy is that 16 year old wonderful cars have 16 year old parts that are nearing the end of their life. It is even worse when the use has been high. At some point, the depreciation and maintenance of a new $80,000 car will be less than the cost to keep an old car with limited or no depreciation on the road. Plus it will break down less and be available to drive more often. I have three Porsches and drive them all - I put about 130,000 per year on the aggregate. I don't have other cars. The cab gets driven little - and this is good as it keeps it in better shape (but the A/C just died at 59,000 km and I WILL get it fixed to factory update standards to keep it's value) - but putting 50-60K kilometers per year on a 16 yo car is expensive. It costs me more to put 50K kilometers on my 968 than my Cayenne - at least now. The 968 also needs an oil pan gasket and either or both of a new fuel filter and MAF meter to fix a hard starting problem and this is costly. The hatch or sunroof rattles and the wing is loose but I have learned to live with that. I still like driving it but the cost of ownership is high. That's why the unsold 2007 Cayman S is looking more and more appealing.



If you have been getting away with $5K in annual maintenance and repair costs you are lucky or else don't drive much. My coupe has about 280,000 km of which I have driven 135,000. I am nearing $60K ins ownership costs in four years (some of which is obviously tires and other maintenance stuff) and it has been in the shop probably 40 times for repairs. They laugh at me at work because I need a ride to the Porsche shop to pick it up so often. Like Anchorman said, I am nearing the point where every moving part has been replaced - some on the second round.



But it's all good.

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[968Syncro]

[quote name='Kim' post='58681' date='Aug 30 2008, 12:08 PM']I put about 130,000 per year on the aggregate.[/quote]

Hi Kim,



Wow, that is a lot of KM. If I calculate right, that would be:

- 80,776 miles per year

- 221 miles per day

- 4 and 1/2 hours per day of driving (assuming an average of 50 mph).



Sorry, I was just interested how to get that many miles under the seat in a year! I'd go crazy if I had to drive that much, but you sure have enjoyable cars to do so. No wonder the repairs are getting to be a big factor.



Roland

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[Kim]

That is an interesting way to look at it. I work 7 days per week, missing only about 4-5 days per year. I live 100 km (60 miles from work) and generally drive about 50-60 km (30-40 miles) per day when I get to work. Sometimes I drive an additional 600 km (400 miles) or more in a work day. Just depends upon who is having a problem and where. I also have an office 1750 km (1100 miles) away that I visit, by car, about once a month. Plus I never stay home! So it adds up. I am in my car a lot. If wear is related to use then I have a lot of wear. For parts that are probably near to being worn out, that represents a lot of repair.

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[apex]

[quote name='Lonestar968' post='58667' date='Aug 30 2008, 09:04 AM']My question to all who have any experience with A/C stuff is this: should I replace the OE compressor with another Denso unit or upgrade to something better? Are the Sanden compressors worth the extra money in the long run? Anybody have experience with an upgraded compressor??? Thanks for your help, any advice is much appreciated.



Dan[/quote]



Dan - FWIW I just upgraded my compressor and documented the work in a recent thread here. Search under my username... system is performing well so far.



As for the barrier hose question - I don't think replacement of ALL the hoses is necessary - high pressure hose from compressor to condensor - yes - replace that - but the low-pressure side hoses can stay. Perhaps its a calculated risk but the runs are so short that you should be OK. I'll let you know next summer if my system is still blowing cold or needs a re-charge. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Scott Collins]

FYI - I had my '92 "upgraded" to 134a from R12 refrigerant two summers ago. I had a shop do the job so that

any R12 left would be disposed of properly. I don't know if the shop replaced any of the components that members here say should be replaced when going from R12 to 134a. I just now had to do a recharge with two cans of 134a. I did it at home and posted the procedure here a couple of weeks ago. I'll post a pic or two soon. Blowing very cold now, but obviously there is a slow leak somewhere. Basically, I am just buying time, for about $40 and about an hour tops to do the job.



I will say that I do periodically run the a/c during the winter months, just to make sure that it get a workout now and

again. I want to believe that this is helping to prolong the life of the system.



Cheers!



-Scott

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[flash]

absolutely - the oil is in there for a reason - fail to run the system enough, and the seals go bad

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[Lonestar968]

Apex, Thanks for the info! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Steve]

So I just started shopping around for a evaporator and Pelican wants $807.25 for a genuine Porsche part. Ouch!

Anyone have a cheaper source that is still a good part?

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[banditsc]

Apparently there is a difference in the Evaporator in the 92 and 93-95 cars. The 92 is much cheaper then the later years. Paragon has them for $314, and the later cars are $1050. Apparently they made the later models out of gold or something.

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[Steve]

Well there are some good reasons for having the earlier car.

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[rxter]

[quote name='Kim' post='58691' date='Aug 30 2008, 04:42 PM']That is an interesting way to look at it. I work 7 days per week, missing only about 4-5 days per year. I live 100 km (60 miles from work) and generally drive about 50-60 km (30-40 miles) per day when I get to work. Sometimes I drive an additional 600 km (400 miles) or more in a work day. Just depends upon who is having a problem and where. I also have an office 1750 km (1100 miles) away that I visit, by car, about once a month. Plus I never stay home! So it adds up. I am in my car a lot. If wear is related to use then I have a lot of wear. For parts that are probably near to being worn out, that represents a lot of repair.[/quote]



Wow - that's a lot of driving. Get a used Boxter and save a few parts for the rest of us <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[apex]

[quote name='Lonestar968' post='58795' date='Sep 2 2008, 12:19 PM']Apex, Thanks for the info! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]

Yer welcome! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[rickh]

So what's up with the R12A? I did a search on ebay and only got a hit from one seller. Before when I searched, I got several hits. Is there another source to look at for buying?



Thanks,

Rick

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[flash]

why don't you just switch to enviro-safe?

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[banditsc]

I just charged my 928 with ES12A Industrial (Envrio-Safe) yesterday. The Industrial is suppose to be a little colder, and one of the big advantages is it can be installed under vacum. The 928 has dual A/C units, one for the front and one for the passengers in the rear (why I don't know), the lowest temp I read at the rear A/C unit was 7 degrees. I think that will be cold enough for me..

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