Griffith's AC upgrade for 930 install thread

[gsxrken]

Back from break and the installation is completed. I plan to head up to Griff's on Tuesday weather permitting for the evacuation and charging procedures. I'm glad he's local, because the yahoos around here would never buy into his recommended method of vac, purge, vac, purge, fill, drive etc. I can't stand letting anyone else touch my cars because of the good-enough-for-'gubmint mentality so rampant in the auto repair space. Hell, it's in just about every space...

Here's a shot of the collection of 26 year old stiff and dry-rotted lines.


The new compressor installed:


The rear condenser stone guards in place. You want to leave enough to protect the condenser itself but maximize airflow too for them to really work.




One last shot shows the center vent that replaces the "bow-tie" fitting on the front firewall.
Does anyone have any idea what the rubber hose is for? It is connected to a very small inline blower fan that was secured to the back of my ashtray. It doesn't seem to come on with the fresh air.

[Tt surgeon]

That's the rubber sensor line that attaches to the sensor to the right of your steering wheel.
Setup looks great, in looking at it there is no way those condensors would fit a slantnose. bummer

[JFairman]

Why do you think those condensors wouldn't fit in a slantnose?
Is it the 1980's miami vice style slotted air vent in front of the rear wheels that's in the way?
I'm just guessing but if the duct on the back of it is in the way maybe it could be modified or reshaped to work with the AC condnesor feeding cool air to it.
It seems like the other condensor behind the rear wheel would fit the same with slantnose bodywork or regular 930 bodywork.

Also, there is no sensor to the right of the steering wheel for that hose.
The end of that hose hanging down slides on to a little round plastic air vent that snaps into a hole in the dash for the air supply to the thermostat for the problematic overengineered auto heat box.

The other end of the hose is connected to a goofy little 3" long encased fan module and thermostat mounted behind the ashtray that sucks air in through the dash vent and that hose. That silly little fan runs anytime the ignition is turned on in my car, you hear it. I removed that hose and plastic vent and installed a switch in place of it to turn on WMI. The fan is still there doing it's thing because the autoheat still works.

Before they decided this autoheat would be a luxury for some people Porsche had a really nice simple and elegant way to control cabin heat with the mechanical lever(s) on the side of the emergency brake handle operating the heat exchanger diverter valves.

Alot of people remove the flaky plastic autoheat box when it stops working and backdate to the old emergency brake handle with smooth working heat lever system that is a pleasure to use and looks better than the autoheat box.

[GJF]

[QUOTE)
Is it the 1980's miami vice style slotted air vent in front of the rear wheels[/QUOTE]

Hey Hey Hey!!!!!! Don't be jealous of our slotted vents!!!!!! Girly man!

[JFairman]

Originally Posted by GJF

[QUOTE)
Hey Hey Hey!!!!!! Don't be jealous of our slotted vents!!!!!! Girly man!

I think you're just kidding but those vents do not have a hose on the end that feeds cool air to the center of the rear brake rotors so they are doing nothing and are only there for styling looks.
If you can fit an AC condensor in behind that vent it could make a nice cool air supply for it.

[mreid]

Thank you for the excellent documentation, pictures, and details! It's what makes these forums so valuable.

I also have a 1986 930 that is in need of an a/c upgrade and this will make it much easier. Now, let's talk about the shifter...

[Tt surgeon]

Here is the vent (what I called a sensor, but was corrected). This is where the rubber hose attaches to answer your question.
btw, the vents on a (factory)slant are very functional and also house an oil cooler on the pass side, so they don't exactly 'do nothing', see a pic in the slant thread. Yes, the oil cooler creates a problem. Sorry to divert your AC thread.
The 80s rule!!

[GJF]

Just kidding JFairman,
Mine actually has the ducting to the rear brakes since its not a real slant nose. Actually my ducts are closer to an RSR. But I agree with you they don't do anything for the rear brakes on a factory slant

[zcoker]

Originally Posted by GJF

Just kidding JFairman,
Mine actually has the ducting to the rear brakes since its not a real slant nose. Actually my ducts are closer to an RSR. But I agree with you they don't do anything for the rear brakes on a factory slant

Mine are the same with the inner ducts pointed at the rear rotors, keeping things nice and cool back there. I did not know that some slants came without the inner ducting.

[GJF]

Didn't some slants come with the oil cooler in the rear vent? I know they are more for looks than function but I did see a car that was suppose to be a 505 car and had the oil cooler in the right vent. Was that a factory install?

[Tt surgeon]

Yes, factory 505 cars had oil coolers in the pass side vent.
I put up a pic in the slant thread.
Because of the oil cooler, I couldn't do this AC mod.
perhaps this discussion should be moved to that thread?

[JFairman]

"Because of the oil cooler, I couldn't do this AC mod."

I guess you havn't noticed that both the Griffiths and the Zim's fender well AC condensor and fan kits both go in the driver side fender wells. They don't go near the passenger side of the car so you can install them in a slantnose.

Makes sense if you want to increase condensor area on a slant to get colder AC because it's probably impossible to make mounting brackets and fit a 964/993 front condensor and fan into a slant nose left front fender well.
That can be done on a 930 or 911 for real cold AC if you remove the big washer tank.

[Tt surgeon]

Mine has a duct on the drivers side, very tight fit, I still don't think it would fit without modification, (which I wouldn't do on a factory 505). You are correct, there is absolutely no room up front.

[gsxrken]

Originally Posted by Tt surgeon

That's the rubber sensor line that attaches to the sensor to the right of your steering wheel.
Setup looks great, in looking at it there is no way those condensors would fit a slantnose. bummer

Thanks- I found it and reinstalled it on the dashboard fitting.

Yesterday I drove up to Griff's again and left him the car while I played 18 at NJ's Ballyowen with a good friend who lives up near there. Ballyowen Golf Club - Northern New Jersey Golf Courses & NJ Country Clubs, Sussex County Golf Course

Hard to beat an hour drive in the 930, a fine round of links golf, and then picking up the 930 for the ride home with magically operational AC!

It wasn't an incredibly hot day for late August, but it was hot enough to get a good fill.
Griff's notes:
83F
42 oz R134a
5.5 oz ester
190 high
23 low
fan speed 2 driving 31.8F (thermostat turned off compressor)

I don't have a dashboard temp sensor to show off with, but it's telling that I had to turn the fan down from high position, and then the thermostat down from full cold to around 5:00 on the dial. And this is someone who can really tolerate AC... when I'm comfortable, most folks tell me it's freezing in this car/house/office.

As I said in the beginning of the thread, I wanted to go straight to nukes with this one; and with three new fans on three new serpentine condensers, new compressor and new lines, new style evaporator, valve and thermostat, I have accomplished that. I doubt I'll have to revisit the AC in my stewardship. I am very pleased with the Porsche-quality components, post-sale support, and of course the outcome. I guess it's been 10 years of associating this car with at-times stifling cabin temperatures, because it was oddly like driving someone else's car on the way home, windows up and AC cranking! Should have done it years ago, and if you're on the fence, learn from me.
Griffiths supplies a range of air conditioning components for your Porsche 911,911s,911t,911 turbo, and 930, such as: Porsche air conditioning upgrades, Porsche air conditioning improvements and updates: Porsche barrier hoses and hose sets, Porsche c


PS- I mentioned this thread to Griff and he may weigh in on the slant-fitment discussion.

[Richard930]

Great write up, I'm feeling inspired enough to maybe have a go at doing this next spring. Summers seem to be getting hotter each year so having some AC is starting to sound pretty attractive!

[1986 930]

Awesome write up!

I have looked at my slant nose and I do not think there is room for the extra condenser there aft of the brake vents. It is a natural place for forcing air into a condenser though. Instead, I thought about putting one in the left front fender in front of the left front wheel if I were to to the "duel khuel" setup. There is no heat soak going on up there either. It could be a better spot than a rear mounted condenser from a thermodynamics perspective.

Looking in the front trunk, I also have the fan for the front condenser mounted beneath the car. It looks like a stock set up. It does not appear that the slant nose pop up light mechanism interferes with it either.


Your write up has inspired me to get on this project this winter. It does look straight forward as far as installing it goes.

Thanks for the post.

[Tt surgeon]

I think the pass side front might be an option w the cannister in the drivers side fenderwell.

[M5guy]

Originally Posted by Tt surgeon

Here is the vent (what I called a sensor, but was corrected). This is where the rubber hose attaches to answer your question.

Can you tell me what this part does? On my 86 this round slot was open and I covered it with a flat plug because I could not find anyone who could tell me what is was for. Also, anyone know where can I buy this part?

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by M5guy

Can you tell me what this part does? On my 86 this round slot was open and I covered it with a flat plug because I could not find anyone who could tell me what is was for. Also, anyone know where can I buy this part?

The slotted circular device is the cockpit temperature sensor which runs in conjunction with vehicles having automated heat control; does not affect a/c (not found on all models, started around 1984; on 84-85 models the sensor is in the headliner between the sun visors and 86 onward its to the left of the center dash fresh air and heat direction controls).

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by 1986 930

I have looked at my slant nose and I do not think there is room for the extra condenser there aft of the brake vents. It is a natural place for forcing air into a condenser though.


Instead, I thought about putting one in the left front fender in front of the left front wheel if I were to to the "duel khuel" setup. There is no heat soak going on up there either. It could be a better spot than a rear mounted condenser from a thermodynamics perspective.

We have several clients with slant noses that have mounted the Duehl Kuehl
in front of the LH rear tire, they simply trimmed back the air intake plenum; since the air intake plenum does nothing for brake cooling might as well have a cool driver.

Originally Posted by 1986 930

........ a rear mounted condenser from a thermodynamics perspective.

Heat is not an issue with a fender condenser next to a cat or waste gate, its been proven over the past 12+ years.