I did it too...Pro Cooler Mod for my A/C

[Elu]

So, I'm a newbie to this forum but have been reading it since I purchased my 1974 Turbo Style 911 a couple of months back.

Mine is a beautiful white, wide body, 911 coupe with a new 2.7 litre engine, transmission, power windows, power locks, alarm, new interior and exterior. This car was a steel. However, I was not so pleased with the A/C when I brought it back from San Jose, CA. I had asked the guy I bought it from if the A/C worked and he said yes, I turned it on and it blew cool...but not cold. In San Jose, this was not a huge issue I guess. So when I was driving it through the desert to my home in Albuquerque, NM (also the desert) I found out how cool it really blew...and let me say, it really blew...not so good.

When I got it home the first thing I had done to get it raised about an inch. It was so low that the front tire rubbed against the A/C receiver/dryer when I made a right hand turn. The next thing I did was read all the forums here and other sites in reference to the A/C systems for the Porche 911's and found alot of information. Much of it said that the only way the A/C systems would work is if you have (2) condensers or more and change out all the existing components for hybrid components. My pocket book was feeling the pain...so I opted for a compromise with the option to upgrade the system one component at a time until I was happy with the outcome.

The car was equipped with an after market A/C. It had an original York compressor, an aftermarket evaporator coil...VW COOOL, a standard receiver/dryer in the right wheel well and one condenser mounted on the rear deck above the engine. So now being exposed to mechanical systems...working in the engineering field I started asking some questions about the existing components on my car. The first is "was the evaporator large enough?" Mine was about 2" deep and about 8"x12". Everyone said yes, and it worked. It's motor blows three speeds. So I Pulled it out, cleaned it made sure the carpet didn't cover the coil and put it back. Next I installed (2) two electric fans in the tail on top of the condenser coil blowing into the engine compartment and blowing across the condenser coil and hooked in a relay so that they turned on when the clutch engaged on the compressor. (worked great)...still the air was hot and my York compressor was not holding the cahrge for more than a few weeks. I did not add another condenser coil as the hoses were already long enough and I didn't want to install more stuff on the car. Next I removed the York compressor and installed a new Sanden 507 and a Pro-Cooler by Rennaire. Only three items were purchased...A pair of electrical fans, the Sanden compressor and the Pro-Cooler. Everything else stayed the same in it's original configuration.

My installation did not go per plan because of my aftermarket A/C, but I managed. I took it to my mechanic for a vacuum test and some minor A/C hose modifications and then charging.....and the outcome.....it blows sooooo coooold. Outside temps at 97 to 100 degrees F and the inside temp somewhere between 115 and 125 degrees, turn it on and within 5 minutes I have to switch it to low. It's awesome. The car always runs just a hair under 250 degrees in this heat...and the electric fans I installed really helped the engine heat as well, dropping it to just about 210 degrees....

That's my story....any questions??

[beamonk]

Pics and let's hear about the fans. good job!

[88911coupe]

What would you say made the most difference....the fans or the pro cooler?

[fintstone]

Curious about who worked on your 911 A/C in Albuquerque...and your opinion of their skill.

[Elu]

I will post some pics of the equipment and where it's all mounted. I'm not one with a camera while I go. As far as what made the biggest difference, I was talking with my mechanic as he had installed a couple of Pro-coolers without the fans and new compressor. He said that the Pro-cooler did help the system but it was no where near where mine was. I would have to say that it took all three upgrades to get the cold air.

[Elu]

Is it bad to bump your own post?...I think not.

[Elu]

Originally posted by fintstone
Curious about who worked on your 911 A/C in Albuquerque...and your opinion of their skill.

I have been using Hans Wittler Automotive. They are probably one of the best. I have been told that from other mechanics and other shops as well. I know that they also fix cars (on occasion) for the Porsche dealer as well. My only gripe about them is that they are so busy on any given day that I usually have to wait in line and sometimes it takes a little longer than it should. But their workmanship is fantastic.

[Elu]

This is my car. I will take a pro-cooler installation and a picture of the other components tonight if possible.

[jlb911c]

I am doing a similar upgrade right now:
new barrier hose, procooler and evaporator from Rennaire.

I am very interested in your fan installation. I have been trying to choose the right Spal fans to instal - looks like the only ones that will fit in the turbo tail is the 7.5 inch push fans.

Please send pics of your fan installation.

BTW mine is a '86 m491 cab.

Johan

[jlb911c]

BTW that car looks awesome!

[Elu]

Originally posted by jlb911c
I am doing a similar upgrade right now:
new barrier hose, procooler and evaporator from Rennaire.

I am very interested in your fan installation. I have been trying to choose the right Spal fans to instal - looks like the only ones that will fit in the turbo tail is the 7.5 inch push fans.

Please send pics of your fan installation.

BTW mine is a '86 m491 cab.

Johan

I used (2) PermaCool Turboflex #19010 fans. They come with a steel housing. They are 10" fans and put out about 2500CFM each pushing air into the engine compartment through the condenser coil. I had to remove the fans from the housing. I bolted one of the mounting brackets that attached the steel housing to the fan to the rear deck bolt holes where the original grill used to mount and then the other end of the fan's mounting bracket using the plastic tie's provided with the fan through the coil. Basically the two 10" fans sit right on top of the condenser coil. I also had to grind down the bolts that hold the wire mesh up against the grill opening on the tail so that the fans would clear. I also used spacers so that the fans would clear the rear hood. In essense the fans are kinda angled in the tail. Most of the fan is over the condenser, but the other end is about 2" over the rear hood. It's the only way I could get them to sit in there, but they are extremely efficient. I will take a picture of the fans through the grill tonight.

[jlb911c]

I think the 10" was a good choice. I am not sure if the 6 to 7 inch fans will have the guts to push that much air. Maybe I need 4 6 inch fans to do the job.

I look forward to your pictures. Thanks for the description.

JB

[Elu]

Here's the pics of the installation...after the fact.

This is the electric fan I installed in the tail cavity. There are two but they don't show in the camera really well.



This is from below. Note the plastic pull type achors through the condenser coil. They come with the fans. Remember that I removed the steel shroud from the fans so that they can mount in the cavity.



This is the new compressor...a Sanden 507 with some custom hose connectors.



The Pro-Cooler in the front wheel well.



And this is the evaporator behind the passenger floor boards. One with carpet and one with the carpet stripped away.

[Hugh R]

Elu,

That last pic is fascinatiing. I don't profess to know alot about pcars, but it looks like your evaporator is mounted vertically, as opposed to horizontially on my 84. With a HUGE open area for pulling in warm cabin air. How is your evaporator fan mounted? Do you have a traditional smugglers box lid and fan or something else? Do you have any pics of the smugglers box opening and the plumbing into the behind the dash plunum area?

[Elu]

Originally posted by Hugh R
Elu,

That last pic is fascinatiing. I don't profess to know alot about pcars, but it looks like your evaporator is mounted vertically, as opposed to horizontially on my 84. With a HUGE open area for pulling in warm cabin air. How is your evaporator fan mounted? Do you have a traditional smugglers box lid and fan or something else? Do you have any pics of the smugglers box opening and the plumbing into the behind the dash plunum area?

Yes you are correct, it is mounted vertically. It is an after market VW COOOL unit that slips down in the smugglers box. It doesn't fit perfectly, I actually had to bend the smuggler box flanged opening up a little in the corner to get it to drop in. The VW COOOL unit is completely enclosed so what you see is the open side, the rest of the box is completely enclosed in a plastic casing along with the squirrel cage fan....and the fan blows hard. The opening into the A/C duct fits right into the evaporator box...it's all a perfect fit.

When I bought the car, the opening you see was chopped in. It was a really bad chop job at that. I grinded it down and flanged the opening with a monkey wrench so that it matched the evaporator coil size and shape and then put that door protector plastic over the rough metal flange I made to seal the opening against the coil. I only did it because I hated the way it looked and I wanted to seal the air flow. It's still not pretty, but it looks 100% better than it did before.

[drsimonwong]

Elu,

Very well thought out and obviously a success!

Where did you get the fans?

Simon

[jlb911c]

Elu,

this is a very impressive installation. Thank you for taking the time to get pictures and share with the rest of us. I do not think that I will be able to get the fans into the back of my car. There is very little space between the condenser and the lid.

Thanks again.

[drsimonwong]

Elu,

Did you set the fans to 'push' mode? Does it draw air from the outside and pushes it down onto the condenser/engine compartment?

I thought these fans were 'pull' fans?

Simon

[Elu]

Originally posted by jlb911c
Elu,

this is a very impressive installation. Thank you for taking the time to get pictures and share with the rest of us. I do not think that I will be able to get the fans into the back of my car. There is very little space between the condenser and the lid.

Thanks again.

There is a way to install them below the condenser coil although you would have to modify your air filter casing. There are a few places here in the forums that talks about it.

[Elu]

Originally posted by drsimonwong
Elu,

Did you set the fans to 'push' mode? Does it draw air from the outside and pushes it down onto the condenser/engine compartment?

I thought these fans were 'pull' fans?

Simon

I got the fans at Summit Racing. Ordered over the internet. The fans were reversible, however they are better pull fans because of the blade shape. Pushing the air with the fans really didn't do the trick. I removed the fans from the steel housings and flipped them upside down, they are still wired as pullers however since they are flipped upside down on top of the condenser they are in essense pulling the air from the outside down into the coil and engine compartment. It works much better that way and it was an easier installation as far as bolting them to the car.