Air Conditioner-To have or not to have???

What's the concensus....Is the air conditioner worthwhile to keep in the car and to keep functional or is it best to remove it. I have a hell of a time keeping in functioning adequately. This is not my primary vehicle and is only used for recreation. What is eveyone else doing?

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jevose
82 911 SC

Mine's gone.

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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

I yanked mine also. The SC is a recreational driver for me.

I got sick of feeding it freon at $60 some dollars a pound.

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Adrian Pillow
1979 911 SC
1966 VW Microbus
PCA - Peachstate Region

I kept mine because I use the SC for both a daily driver and DEs. Since I had a compressor from an 87 Carrera installed, the A/C has worked perfectly. - - Of course removing the bow tie help considerably. It will not chill me to the bone but it does keep me comfortable in WashDC's lousy summer weather.
Chuck

Mine is history too....leaked and with a drop top...who the hell needs it....8^)

MTZ
83 SC cab

Anybody need any a/c parts?

No A/C here. Summer is pretty miserable but I have heard the A/C didn't work very well on the early cars anyway. It's also much easier to work on without all the extra junk in the way.

Anybody know how easy it is to backdate to the even earlier vent windows? Why did they stop using these anyway? I notice the targas kept them for a few years after the coupes.

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Jeff Parker
72t

Mine is coming out when I do my tensioner upgrade. Also a rec driver only. Besides, just keep it in a box. YOu can always just put it back in (PITA, but you can!).

Nick.


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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe

I live in Phoenix AZ.

I imagine you can guess what my answer is.

blue

Ok....I see that the general theme is removing it...Did everyone remove the entire system? How hard was it and is there anything I need to know before starting this procedure?

Thanks for all the responses!!

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jevose
82 911 SC

I removed most of mine from my SC.
I removed the compressor and the bracket, the condensor under the decklid, the hoses in the engine compartment, the hoses running up to the front of the car, the evaporator bottle and all the other junk in the driver's side footwell.

I did not remove any of the stuff in the "smugglers box" under the front hood, although I did have to go in there to disconnect some of the hoses mentioned above.

So, basically, unless you look under the smuggler's box, everything is gone.

I don't think its a bad idea, if your driving and climate support it and you have the stock SC.

The stock AC system is not very good. The piston compressor is not very good, but the worst problem is the non-barrier AC hoses running the length of the car. These hoses have little pin pricks in them, which is why a stock SC AC system can't hold its freon charge for very long. That wasn't bad in the old days of $2/lb freon, not go great in todays world of $30-$35 (or more) freon.

I've put all my stuff in a box. If I ever do put it back on, I'll have the hoses rebuilt, use a rotary compressor and new evaporator bottle, etc. In other words, to get a decent system, I'd be replacing all of the parts that I took off anyways. So rather than drag all of that basically non-functional stuff around, it made sense to me to stick it in a box.

Mine is now all gone! However, if you ever plan to Club Race, do not remove it. Just unhook the belt and live with the extra weight. If the car came with A/C, it has to be there to get into the stock class for PCA and I think POC Club Races. You do not want to be in a non stock class (butt kicking will be a given). I will need to sell my car down the road when I get to the Club Racing stage (to many mods for stock class). JMHO

Paul 81 911SC/RS America conversion

I took all the stuff out of the smuggler's box when I repaired the accident damage to my front end.

Pretty easy to get out.

One word to the wise, though,

Make sure that you take out the plywood plate from the passenger footwell to remove the air intake for the fan here.

If you just pull it upwards, it will break off.

Don't ask me how I know.

Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe

[This message has been edited by Nickshu (edited 01-31-2001).]

When I bought my SC I saw it had factory A/C and thought.."great". Then the dealer told me it "doesn't work....all it needs is a recharge".
Yeah sure. At least he was honest about the not working part. As a new Porsche owner, I had a lot to learn about the car. One of the things, was the stock A/C is mostly a boat anchor. To have the whole thing upgraded to work with the new environmentally-friendly refrigerant, would have cost me a bundle. And living on the cool, Pacific North-Wet Coast, I could see no point in it. I removed all the heavy bits, the leaky hoses, and kept the nice fan that blows air from the dash vents.
I was astonished at all the weight I had removed. Maybe, 30 lbs. As a bonus, the engine room looks nicer and is *much* easier to work on....like when I just did my tensioners and a routine tune-up.

Regards,
Doug
'81SC

I have been trying to decide if mine should go also. Well, Friday night it's gone. I am tired of working around it, and with a Targa in Toronto, who needs it.

Ted

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1980 911-SC Targa

I can understand cab./targa owners pulling it out and drivers in the cooler climes but my 86 cab's a/c works fine although takes about 5-10 mins of driving to cool to comfortable level. I follow the sun and so 'need' it! (S. Florida winters, NY summers)
I am now looking at Turbo coupes and will insist on it!
That leather gets mighty sticky!


[This message has been edited by 86ragtop (edited 01-31-2001).]

Do your wife and/or kids ever ride in the car...or do you want them to--Keep it!

Took mine out. Never worked when it was fuctioning. I decided to lose the weight and grief from my wife ( she thinks if the car has AC it should blow cold air) silly woman. Besides I like the sound of the engine and you can hear it better with window open.

No A/C here. Like most, my 87 is not the daily driver. Got tired of it being in the way and of course it needed charging/repair. It's all in a box in the attic for whatever reason. I dread the day I lose my mind and try to reinstall.

A friend with an 86 got $300 or more for his setup on eBay if anybody's looking to sell.

I agree with the keep it side. Travel extensively to track events and drive it through -out the year. I considered removing it this year prior to Watkins Glen. If it wouldn't take a charge, I was going to remove it rather than fix it. I don't think my wife would have gone if I had taken it out. As much as the car weighs (2605 w/o driver), the weight of the AC is negligible. I have 39-41 degree discharge air and still have the original compressor. I am still considering upgrading the compressor, but Charlie Bars must come first. $$ = Zero sum game.

Alan
83SC

[rodoredas]

I've found this old thread and wonder if anyone who has removed the airconditioning (like me) noticed any handling difference, seems to me the back end is a lot lighter (obvious when feel the weight of it). Anyone else notced any difference? Anyone added weight to the back end to compensate?
cheers