New guy trying to remove a/c

[dooney08]

Hi, I have owned a 78 SC coupe for 2 years now and have not done much to the car. I have decided to learn to maintain this car. First on the agenda is to free up some breathing room in the engine compartment. Is there a manual or cd that shows step by step how to remove all of the air conditioning components properly from a 911? My second move would be to free up some space on the other side of the engine bay. I believe this is referred to as backdating?

[JV911SYDNEY]

not much to it really...just unbolt the compressor. also have to remove the radiator looking thingy but the refrigerant will leak out when you do this so give it 10 minutes to clear. may even want to take it to an a/c place to extract the refrigerant

getting the lines out looks a bit more involved but i havent done that. the other side may or may not have a smog pump, which you may or may not be allowed to remove depending on your local EPA/registration requirements

"backdating" usually refers to the heating and associated plumbing & tin work. cleans up the eingine bay nicely

[poorsha]

I recently did this to my 78.
I removed everything under the hood and all the lines to the front.
A bit of a job.
I ended up cutting the passenger side line to get it out at the smugglers box.
Just dig in and go at her.
I also backdated the heater system.
Again it was a bit of work but if I can do it most anyone else should be able to.
Email me if you have any questions.
poorsha@shaw.ca

[JV911SYDNEY]

the Bently manual or pete zimmermans book probably has a sep by step rundown on how to get the pump out as you aften have to remove it to access other areas of the engine bay

[Oh Haha]

Michael Pillay and I just removed his nonworking anyway a/c. The refrigerant was long gone so we had very little leakage. We started at the engine compartment and removed all hoses with line wrenches as well as the radiator on the grill. The idea was to remove the components in working order so he might save them or sell them later. Once the engine bits were done, we jacked the car up and began working on the longa$$ hoses that run to he drier receiver in the left front wheelwell. We ended up cutting one of those hoses that had been cobbled up before so it wasn't that big of a deal. We managed to get all of the hoses out intact from the smugglers box and the wheelwell. You will need to remove the front belly pan to get the smuggler's box hoses out.

We left the blower motor in the front compartment in place for now as well as the blower in the smugglers box. We just didn't plan on doing that much to his car and had other projects we wanted to tackle. Hope this helps and I would suggest that you get a Bentley manual for your car as it will give you complete diagrams of what goes to where.



Hint: There IS a small, hard to freakin' get at Adell clamp by the brake lines running across the steering rack that the belly pan covers.

[sig_a]

My reference is an 1987 Targa, and may be somewhat different than your 1978. In my case, I removed everything starting with the compressor. Then simply followed along to the front end of the car. If you remove the blower motor in the very front of the trunk, you will need to fabricate two covers to seal out the rain. The smugglers box content and the dryer at the left front wheel well is straightforward. It;s also a good idea to replace all the fasteners holding the hose clamps in place in order to keep water from penetrating into body. The most difficulty is removing the compressor bracket assembly including the mount, which will require dropping the muffler. I also cut a piece of sheet metal to fill in at the engine tin where the vertical compressor bracket is fastened. You will lose about 60 pounds with complete removal. It will take about 6 hours.

[snbush67]

I was able to remove the verticle bracket without removing the muffler, it was tight but may be a difference between the 78 and an 87.

[rs6er]

You mean like this?

[porsche930dude]

I had a hell of a time removing the box in the smugglers box. Other than that it was pretty straigt forward. I made a plate for the blower cutout up front and one also for the footwell to smuglers box sensor hole. All the holes left from the hose clamps on the underside i filled with black rtv. Plus you can now put somthing else in place of your ac controlls or remove the console all together like i did.

[dooney08]

started work today. Did the simple stuff. Removed condenser and compressor. Lines are still there. I have not decided whether or not to remove these, but after seeing some of these pictures of clean and clutter free engine bays, I am getting motivated. I have had the car 2 years and have not done a thing to the car. It is well maintained and clean, but with little mechanical experience, the whole thing seems a little dangerous right now. thanks

[rdrr]

When I removed my AC, I decided to cut the lines. My AC was losing charge rapidly and I put that down to almost 20 year old lines. I figured, if I reinstalled the AC sometime in the future I would get new lines anyway. It got a whole lot easier after I made that decision.

[rgdtoo]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

I had a hell of a time removing the box in the smugglers box. Other than that it was pretty straigt forward. I made a plate for the blower cutout up front and one also for the footwell to smuglers box sensor hole. All the holes left from the hose clamps on the underside i filled with black rtv. Plus you can now put somthing else in place of your ac controlls or remove the console all together like i did.

Other than the two brackets and hoses, was or is there anything else holding the box in the smugglers box. I have everything but that out of my car. It seems like there is something attached on the bottom holding it in!

[flatsixnut]

God this is something I have gone back and forth on forever. My ac works fine, but I never use it. I live in Florida but the only time I will turn on the ac is if my wife is in the car and she does not want her hair blowing. <---rare. It has a brand new compressor. The only thing that has really stopped me from doing it is the fact that a car with it might sell better than one without it....but i really do not plan on ever selling her.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by sig_a

...The most difficulty is removing the compressor bracket assembly including the mount, which will require dropping the muffler....

If your exhaust has never been apart, "dropping the muffler" can be a PITA (rusted bolts, etc), and you can remove the lower compressor bracket by backing out the two lower bracket bolts a bit to get some room, and then cut them off.

[porsche930dude]

Originally Posted by rgdtoo

Other than the two brackets and hoses, was or is there anything else holding the box in the smugglers box. I have everything but that out of my car. It seems like there is something attached on the bottom holding it in!

Yes i think the drain hose at the bottom was holding it. Its a ribbed hose that fits tight in the body hole and its plastic so i thought if i pulled hard enough it would come out. It broke off. Im not sure if theres anything i could have done to get it out easier maby push it up fron underneeth while someone on top pulls. But im glad its out i store all my stuff in there the jack and tool kit compressor and rags

[sig_a]

Originally Posted by KC911

If your exhaust has never been apart, "dropping the muffler" can be a PITA (rusted bolts, etc), and you can remove the lower compressor bracket by backing out the two lower bracket bolts a bit to get some room, and then cut them off.

No doubt, there is more than one way to remove the compressor bracket. All removed parts have been neatly packed away, including bracket fasteners.

In regards to stubborn muffler nuts and bolts, you ought to first consider all the various ways to remove them including Dremel.

[Seric]

What did everyone use to plug up hoses that haven't been removed yet? I am using 100mph duct tape for the time being.

[flatsixnut]

Maybe a dumb question, but is there a slight power increase after the ac is removed? If there is one less belt that is attached to one less pully wouldnt this give you less resistance?

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by rgdtoo

Other than the two brackets and hoses, was or is there anything else holding the box in the smugglers box. I have everything but that out of my car. It seems like there is something attached on the bottom holding it in!

You need to remove the cover in the passenger side footwell and disconnect this "thingy" (I forget what it's called )...here's pic I found on someone else's thread. That will leave a hole that you'll want to plug. I fabricated piece out of some 1/8" hobby type wood for that hole, and I made a piece of sheet metal (powder coated black with a batch of other stuff) for the whole left by the front condensor fan. I filled all the hose screw holes with JB Weld and it blended in nicely with my cars' color and they not even noticable.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by flatsixnut

Maybe a dumb question, but is there a slight power increase after the ac is removed? If there is one less belt that is attached to one less pully wouldnt this give you less resistance?

I don't know if that makes much difference, but dropping 60 lbs (or more for earlier cars) will net you 5-6 hp, and lighter is better all the way around (braking, cornering, etc.).