air conditioning in 2024

[Tom]

I admit I haven't....On nice days I drive the car, on crap days it's a tough ask to work in the garage for several hours!

The ebay condensor looks...fine? It's certainly not as nicely done as the pics of the Keuhl one I've seen. Brackets are a bit rougher, brazing too.

I will certainly update this when I do get around to making progress though

@four0four Did you ever get the eBay condenser working? And did Griffith confirm he is no longer selling his? Seems that I'm in the market for one....

[Latitude48]

Porsche P/N 944-573-011-05 is available from various sources, including Sunset Porsche for $596.22 (other look slightly less expensive). I'm checking with Delaware Porsche Parts as their catalog shows it is not available... but I've had issues with their catalog in the past, so I sent them a note today to check, as they generally have the best price, and don't charge sales tax, which is significant for WA State. Behr also makes one.

Since Porsche only shows one P/N for all late model 944s and 968s, I'm assuming this is the 968 style cross-flow condenser suitable for R134A.

[Tom]

Porsche P/N 944-573-011-05 is available from various sources, including Sunset Porsche for $596.22 (other look slightly less expensive). I'm checking with Delaware Porsche Parts as their catalog shows it is not available... but I've had issues with their catalog in the past, so I sent them a note today to check, as they generally have the best price, and don't charge sales tax, which is significant for WA State. Behr also makes one.

Since Porsche only shows one P/N for all late model 944s and 968s, I'm assuming this is the 968 style cross-flow condenser suitable for R134A.

Hmmm.... I was about to say I'm looking for a parallel flow condenser but you last point about the 968 is interesting. What year did Porsche switch over to r134a? I had a '93 rx7 that was still r12. If you google for this condenser, every picture posted shows the old tube and fin design, like the one that came with my car (and that I still have if needed). For example, here's the one from Pelican... So I guess I'm not optimistic that Porsche is now selling a parallel flow condenser in lieu of the old style, but I'd buy one in a heartbeat if that turns out to be the case!

factory condenser.jpg (568.46 KiB) Viewed 748 times

[four0four]

ashamed to admit it's all in place (in the car) but uncharged. Fitment is fine, I had to finagle some hoses around but that's largely due to my oil cooler setup.

Not even in town at the moment and I've been in and out a lot recently, but it's top of the list for when I am back with some time and energy.

Tom, did yours fail?!

[Tom]

ashamed to admit it's all in place (in the car) but uncharged. Fitment is fine, I had to finagle some hoses around but that's largely due to my oil cooler setup.

Not even in town at the moment and I've been in and out a lot recently, but it's top of the list for when I am back with some time and energy.

Tom, did yours fail?!

Yes, my Griffith's condenser did fail. I'll try to post a video tomorrow, but I pressurized it with compressed air and found the pinhole leak in one of the cross-flow tubes. As best I can tell, it was a just a mfg flaw -- looks like they pinch those tubes to shape them and this one was just pinched too thin. Held for 4 years, but finally popped open under the pressure of a 95 degree day.

I'll take it to a radiator shop this week to see if they can fix it, but otherwise I'll get the eBay one. Based on what you know so far, any reason for me not to get one? I could always put the factory one back in, if the eBay one is junk...

[Latitude48]

Porsche P/N 944-573-011-05 is available from various sources, including Sunset Porsche for $596.22 (other look slightly less expensive). I'm checking with Delaware Porsche Parts as their catalog shows it is not available... but I've had issues with their catalog in the past, so I sent them a note today to check, as they generally have the best price, and don't charge sales tax, which is significant for WA State. Behr also makes one.

Since Porsche only shows one P/N for all late model 944s and 968s, I'm assuming this is the 968 style cross-flow condenser suitable for R134A.

Hmmm.... I was about to say I'm looking for a parallel flow condenser but you last point about the 968 is interesting. What year did Porsche switch over to r134a? I had a '93 rx7 that was still r12. If you google for this condenser, every picture posted shows the old tube and fin design, like the one that came with my car (and that I still have if needed). For example, here's the one from Pelican... So I guess I'm not optimistic that Porsche is now selling a parallel flow condenser in lieu of the old style, but I'd buy one in a heartbeat if that turns out to be the case!

Ha, ha, I knew "cross-flow" didn't sound correct. As Tom said, parallel flow is the correct nomenclature. And it seems my assumption was also faulty since the 968 PET shows the 944-573-011-05 for cars up to 1992, and 93- has a blank space for the P/N. That said, most people that use the standard tube and fin design with R134a seem to do fine.

[Ajay213]

The 944 has plenty of condenser area, so you're generally fine with the 'older' style - the extra efficiency with parrallel flow is nice, but not really a necessity. And the 85.5 and up cars have plenty of evaporator and good ducting/blowers, so they take to R134a really nicely - I can freeze you out of mine pretty easily, even in SE Florida summers (I can get 50-degree vent temps when it's 90-95 degrees and 70-80% humidity at the condenser).

The super-secret cheat-code trick to staying comfortable in the car is to lower the heat load coming into the car, so tint the windows, back glass, windshield - even if it's with 'clear' tint - it will block a good percentage of heat load (and a BIG chunk of UV). Parked outside, the car will still heat up, but you can bring the temps down much faster and keep comfortable temps even in beating hot sun.

[blueline]

I've had the clear "Air" style UV film installed on two of the cars and I feel it will help considerably. Others I've talked to who've added UV tint (clear or tinted) have said that they noticed a significant difference. Plus, it will protect interior materials from sun damage. I don't like to darken the windows with any tint so I'm glad that the clear is available as an option.

[dr bob]

<...>

I'll take it to a radiator shop this week to see if they can fix it, but otherwise I'll get the eBay one. Based on what you know so far, any reason for me not to get one? I could always put the factory one back in, if the eBay one is junk...

My experience: Radiator shops are hit-or-miss on their ability to correctly TIG the aluminum. They are used to systems that need to hold maybe 20 PSI, vs. the 400+ relief pressure that a R134a conversion might see. Consider shifting your search slightly to a real AC shop. Telltales of someone who knows what they are doing include thoroughly cleaning from the inside too, with a final pressurized 'rinse' with acetone. All the old oil needs to come out or risk contaminating the weld, a disaster from which recovery is a LOT tougher. It gets a continuous very low-pressure argon purge from inside while the actual welding is done, in addition to the argon blanket from the torch.

There are certainly some very good shops that do both radiators and AC, I think you'll want to use your dominant search eye to focus on the actual repair capability.

[Tom]

<...>

I'll take it to a radiator shop this week to see if they can fix it, but otherwise I'll get the eBay one. Based on what you know so far, any reason for me not to get one? I could always put the factory one back in, if the eBay one is junk...

My experience: Radiator shops are hit-or-miss on their ability to correctly TIG the aluminum. They are used to systems that need to hold maybe 20 PSI, vs. the 400+ relief pressure that a R134a conversion might see. Consider shifting your search slightly to a real AC shop. Telltales of someone who knows what they are doing include thoroughly cleaning from the inside too, with a final pressurized 'rinse' with acetone. All the old oil needs to come out or risk contaminating the weld, a disaster from which recovery is a LOT tougher. It gets a continuous very low-pressure argon purge from inside while the actual welding is done, in addition to the argon blanket from the torch.

There are certainly some very good shops that do both radiators and AC, I think you'll want to use your dominant search eye to focus on the actual repair capability.

Sadly, 40 years ago we had dozens of radiator repair shops all over the south bay. Now in our disposable world, there's really only 1 within an hour of me that purports to repair condensers. I blame the Dixie Cup. I'm slightly tempted to put my TIG skills to the test, but fear I'd blow a hole through it in no time and am not set up to clean and back purge it etc. Seems like a low-return time sink I can't afford right now, considering I can just order the eBay version for $350 if the surviving radiator shop can't fix it....

Edit for prosperity. I ended up getting the Cooler Classics condenser on eBay and it's working well on day one. See more about it here: viewtopic.php?p=36339#p36339