pacificjuha Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Today was the A/C under the inspection. Temperature turned to LO and A/C pressed on from the 'snowflake', the compressor does not encage at all nor does the radiator fans come on (I guess the fans should come on to 1/2 speed with A/C on...). When the engine turned off, I did turn the compressor by hand from the center portion (where no belt directly touching) and it rotates real well with no roughness etc. Checked all A/C related fuses and those all are fine. I'm getting a new relay to try by tomorrow, but could there something else that I should look in to, in effort to get the A/C working? After I get the A/C compressor working, I'll get the refrigerant checked / filled. The patient is 2001 Boxster 2.7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Obvious: the blower was on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazbot Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 You've checked the compressor clutch which is a common issue in that they can seize up. The pressure switch is sometimes a fail point but they're relatively cheap. I'd be inclined to get the system checked for leaks and re-pressurised/gassed. If the system pressure is insufficient the pressure switch will not allow the compressor to cut in. The problem , sorry I keep getting told off for using that word at work, the challenge is that if any part of the system is faulty the system will not come on. So pressure switch, fan relays, temp sensor the list goes on ! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Menoporsche said: Obvious: the blower was on? Yes, the blower was on... 😇 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 34 minutes ago, Shazbot said: You've checked the compressor clutch which is a common issue in that they can seize up. The pressure switch is sometimes a fail point but they're relatively cheap. I'd be inclined to get the system checked for leaks and re-pressurised/gassed. If the system pressure is insufficient the pressure switch will not allow the compressor to cut in. The problem , sorry I keep getting told off for using that word at work, the challenge is that if any part of the system is faulty the system will not come on. So pressure switch, fan relays, temp sensor the list goes on ! Good luck. Great info, thank you. I checked the system with Durametric and it gave me A/C fault code 30. With some searching from the mysterious web, I could not find A/C fault answers for that code... Any adice where this fault code would lead to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazbot Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 I've had a look at my Bentley manual and provide the following musings. When you say A/C code 30 I assume you did a fault check on the module and it came back with code 30. The following is just my thought process so is possibly as accurate as a Donald Trump tip on how to medicate against Corona virus. If Durametric replicates factory codes Porsche DTC 30 is engine bay temperature sensor (this is according to the Bentley manual ) which signals the engine bay fan (inside the drivers side grille in the rear wing). Generic equivalent codes are P1157 or P1158 which should show up with a generic code reader. Does your engine bay fan come on when the engine is hot and the car stationary i.e. had an Italian tune up and become stationary it should come on. It is likely the engine bay temp circuit is part of the A/C circuit as the A/C puts quite a load on the engine and an increase in temp' hence why the fans come on when you activate A/C. If the engine bay temp is looking too high or not registering at all the A/C will not operate. If the bay fan does come on when the engine bay gets hot you can rule out the above as utterly and completely wrong. I'm sure someone with knowledge rather than my powers of deduction () will be along shortly to assist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 32 minutes ago, Shazbot said: I've had a look at my Bentley manual and provide the following musings. When you say A/C code 30 I assume you did a fault check on the module and it came back with code 30. The following is just my thought process so is possibly as accurate as a Donald Trump tip on how to medicate against Corona virus. If Durametric replicates factory codes Porsche DTC 30 is engine bay temperature sensor (this is according to the Bentley manual ) which signals the engine bay fan (inside the drivers side grille in the rear wing). Generic equivalent codes are P1157 or P1158 which should show up with a generic code reader. Does your engine bay fan come on when the engine is hot and the car stationary i.e. had an Italian tune up and become stationary it should come on. It is likely the engine bay temp circuit is part of the A/C circuit as the A/C puts quite a load on the engine and an increase in temp' hence why the fans come on when you activate A/C. If the engine bay temp is looking too high or not registering at all the A/C will not operate. If the bay fan does come on when the engine bay gets hot you can rule out the above as utterly and completely wrong. I'm sure someone with knowledge rather than my powers of deduction () will be along shortly to assist. Thank you for this thought. Engin bay fan do come on when the engine bay gets hot, so this should be not the case. Attached is the image of the Durametric fault code I mentioned. The fault code only shows up on the A/C fault search. This made me to think that it has nothing to do with the engine fault code 30 where I found several instructions for with a web search. Today I tested to turn the A/C on with Durametric test activation process and it went on with few relay clicks under the dash (I guess fan relays). This makes me suspicious that the system is too empty and the compressor etc does not come on due to that reason. Or the A/C system pressure switch is bad as one of your possible suspects. I'll continue tinkering with this during the upcoming week - luckily the weather is still pretty cold, so no need for A/C yet... If the system is empty, hopefully the condensers are not shot. I'll take the front bumper out to clean the leaves etc and inspect the condensers during one of the next couple of weekends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazbot Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 This is at least good news! When you check the condensers you should be able to see any corrosion if present so that would be another one off the list. Like you say a re-gas will be an easy step and should include a leak test anyway. New A/C component parts can be bought for very reasonable money if you avoid P-tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 42 minutes ago, Shazbot said: This is at least good news! When you check the condensers you should be able to see any corrosion if present so that would be another one off the list. Like you say a re-gas will be an easy step and should include a leak test anyway. New A/C component parts can be bought for very reasonable money if you avoid P-tax. Thanks for your help Shazbot! Interested to see what can be found from between the condensers and radiators...😬 After the condensers condition is known, I'll go and re-fill of the system or get new condensers first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Easy way to check if the system is pressurised is to take of the cover to the passenger side of the car under the bonnet and briefly press the core down in one of the fill valves. A hiss and it is pressured, no hiss..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 31 minutes ago, ½cwt said: Easy way to check if the system is pressurised is to take of the cover to the passenger side of the car under the bonnet and briefly press the core down in one of the fill valves. A hiss and it is pressured, no hiss..... Good point! Will try this tomorrow or Tuesday - thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheddar Bob Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 I laughed at my boxster having air con when the roof comes off 😁 I'm sure however if you keep the roof up it's a much needed tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 44 minutes ago, Cheddar Bob said: I laughed at my boxster having air con when the roof comes off 😁 I'm sure however if you keep the roof up it's a much needed tool. Cold air when in direct sun and its 35°C+ in the shade as you go further south in Europe with the roof down is very welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheddar Bob Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 32 minutes ago, ½cwt said: Cold air when in direct sun and its 35°C+ in the shade as you go further south in Europe with the roof down is very welcome. My Welsh ignorance to other countries there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 9 hours ago, Cheddar Bob said: My Welsh ignorance to other countries there... Well worth planning a road trip to discover all about this, once we've any chance of going more than about 5 miles from home that is! Boxster is an ideal tool to do it in, with working a/c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheddar Bob Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 Yes I've stayed in Toulouse before and headed further south to the coast. Also explored the Pyrenees but in a Renault Clio type thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazbot Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 On those very occasional days here when its hot and you get stuck in traffic the A/C is very welcome. Best way to clear condensation on the screen as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted April 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 Today I had a chance to check under the frunk area for the A/C fill connections. The one that is higher has bunch of green color around it (maybe coloring agent to look for leaks?) and that did not 'hiss' when I pressed the valve. The I pressed briefly the lower fill connections valve next to the pressure switch and that gave a way reasonably good 'hiss' sound - this has obviously pressure. This fill valve did not have almost any green color around it. Should behind both A/C fil valves have same kind of pressure? Anyhow, I'll take a look at the condensers before taking the car for A/C refill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificjuha Posted May 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Cleaned the radiators with my son. Should be no issues at least this summer due to debris in wrong places 😎 I guess the issue on the A/C could be a faulty pressure switch. As what we found on the condensers, was no issues or visible damages and since there was pressure on the A/C circuit as tested a week ago, I'll take it to A/C system refill later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.