2bmws Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Hi guys, hope anyone has experienced this before and can help with a solution. Since owning my boxster the ac has never worked waited for a groupon to get it regassed took it to ats they said it has a leak and couldn't progress any further with it. So found on halfords that they do air con diagnostics took it there this morning for them to diagnose and they said they would have to put the dye into it with the gas. They put it onto the machine and there machine wouldn't let them put the gas into it. So just told me to collect the car. At a bit of a loss now of how to proceed with it as I need to identify what is leaking to replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 (edited) Firstly the most likely is that the bottom of the front condensers have rotted out making it impossible for the system to give a back pressure when they try filling it. This is a bumper off job, but you will likely be shocked (I was on mine) at how much dust, girt and debris builds up on the bottom edge of the a/c condensers and radiators. If you hare DIY competent enough to take the bumper off then changing the condensers (and desiccator/dryer) is a simple DIY job. Condensers (they are not handed) and dryer with O-rings start at about £180+VAT upwards for a kit, D911 are usually a fair price on after market ones, but shop around. Genuine Porsche ones are about £350 per condenser but given how vulnerable they are it may not be the wisest investment unless you are wedded to OE only. It is also a good opportunity to fit some mesh behind the bumper grilles to cut down on some of the debris that gets thorough and to act as a stone guard. Black ali mesh on Bay is about £20 for a suitable sized piece to do all the grilles, shape and fit with a hot glue gun. 1 x Black Aluminium Racing Grille Net Vent Car Tuning 3,5x5mm Mesh L100 x H25cm 5902429970009 | eBay The hole near the middle is for the outside air temp sensor and don't forget to make sure it is in the correct position when you're done... Secondly take a look for damp/oily patches on the long aluminium air con feed and return pipes that run underneath the floor inboard of the right side sill. This could indicate a pin hole or fracture or split. These can corrode or even be damaged by jacks when lifting the car if done carelessly. Edited July 22, 2023 by ½cwt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Will the rot on the front condensers be visible once the bumper is off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 24 minutes ago, 2bmws said: Will the rot on the front condensers be visible once the bumper is off Yes, oily patches, or they will be have a white dusty/powdery corrosion, or simply falling to bits along the bottom edge (as mine were). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Ok great thanks will pull bumper off tomorrow and update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Apparently the machine will test the pressure and if it can't build pressure it will refuse to gas your system - regulatory protection for not putting nasty refrigerant gasses straight into the atmosphere. When you take the condensers off, if they did rot from the bottom rather than take a stone hit look at the rads behind and you may find they are also looking sorry for themselves as crud tends to build up between the two and affect both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Ok thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caped Crusader Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 ATS will nitrogen test the system for you (free in my local branch). They pressurise it and, depending on how big the leak is, you should be hear a hiss of air escaping. You could take a spray bottle of car wash soap mix to spray on the condensers and pipes that run under the car (they're covered by a panel) to show air bubbles. My money would be on the condensers. Worst case it's one of the pipes as highlighted above. Condensors and pipes are all relatively easy to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Took it to ats originally just said it had a leak, wouldn't do no more took to halfords for air con diagnostic which says they use nitrogen but there they just wanted to regas system with dye which machine wouldn't allow them to do, but didn't try the nitrogen which I paid for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.I.T.T. Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 May be worth scoping out an air con specialist. A good one will actually diagnose the problem (instead of computer says no) and could save some money in the long term. With the age of these cars, the hard low / high pressure lines are failing more and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 4 minutes ago, K.I.T.T. said: May be worth scoping out an air con specialist. A good one will actually diagnose the problem (instead of computer says no) and could save some money in the long term. With the age of these cars, the hard low / high pressure lines are failing more and more. IIRC a couple of people have had TIG weld repairs on them, you might even be able to chemically weld them but I'm not sure of the long term performance of that on an a/c system.. I know my union under the driver's sill where the pipe goes up into the engine bay was a bugger to undo the steel bolt in the alloy block, I'm sure it just cracked off the very moment the Allen bolt head was about to burr out. If the bottom of the condensers have rotted it will be obvious and won't need a specialist other than to re-gas. let's see what taking the PU off tomorrow reveals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.I.T.T. Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 1 hour ago, ½cwt said: I know my union under the driver's sill where the pipe goes up into the engine bay was a bugger to undo the steel bolt in the alloy block, I'm sure it just cracked off the very moment the Allen bolt head was about to burr out. Did you DIY yours? If so, how much hassle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 22, 2023 Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 1 hour ago, K.I.T.T. said: Did you DIY yours? If so, how much hassle? The long pipes I haven't had to do, just the O-ring at the rear joint. Condensers and dryer 2 to 2½ hours tops along with other work but I was also replacing all the bumper steel fixing screws with stainless and new speed nuts and the front wheel arch air deflectors plus giving the rads a damned good clean too. An afternoon's work on the drive basically. Then took it for re-gassing the following day. I did the mesh on a different occasion. Another afternoon's work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 Struggling to upload pics but think this one is broke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 But other side is distorted too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 Definitely knackered. You can see the damp/oily residue I mentioned all over the bottom left corner. When refitting take a. It of time with the duct, as often people have rushed when refitting them and they don't sit correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TV8 Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 Make sure you remember to buy the seals between the pipes and the condenser. Not every new condenser comes with the seals and they are £5 or £6 each from memory and you need to 2 per side. When you clean up the rad behind, you will probably see a sorry looking radiator as well due to the oil and associated crud blocking the fins to a lesser extent. For peace of mind, I cleaned mine up and then ran the engine up to temperature, fans on etc just to make sure that there were no little leaks.. Up to you but I found the kwikfit service very good and they give you a 12 month guarantee. Any leaks are topped up at no extra charge if I understand it correctly. When I did my 911, I used a local place and they charge by the amount of gas put in (its a bit more than normal on the rear/mid engine cars) and then charged me again when I found a leak and it needed topping up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caped Crusader Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 Well done for tackling this yourself. You'll have the satisfaction of sorting it at a very reasonable price. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 Just an update I've ordered two new condensers and the 4 o rings. So will update when they are fitted and fingers crossed the system will work again 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, 2bmws said: Just an update I've ordered two new condensers and the 4 o rings. So will update when they are fitted and fingers crossed the system will work again As it has been open to the atmosphere for some time you should change the dryer too, it is in the scuttle near the alarm and battery. Edited July 23, 2023 by ½cwt Spell check..... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 7 hours ago, 2bmws said: Struggling to upload pics but think this one is broke post pictures somewhere "else" (imgur, flickr etc.) and put the link here - picture expands automatically in the preview if you have done it right - there are some howto's pinned somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 23, 2023 Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 22 minutes ago, Paul P said: post pictures somewhere "else" (imgur, flickr etc.) and put the link here - picture expands automatically in the preview if you have done it right - there are some howto's pinned somewhere. Top of the 'Newbie' section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 https://flic.kr/p/2oRgW1h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bmws Posted July 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2023 https://flic.kr/p/2oRdURv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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