1982 911SC air condition???

[JackT]

I changed my A/C compressor at the advise of my machanic to the rotary compressor. Are these a/c's pretty much useless. It will not cool the car when it is 90 degrees or higher. It is cooler just to keep the windows down. Is this the case with all 911SC's?
Does adding the center vent help?
I am in Columbia, S. C. and the temp. gets up to 100 in the summer and very humid.

[scedmonds]

When I bought the car (January '00) the original AC was DOA.

With a number of other priorities (fuel, battery, alternator, ad nauseum), the AC stayed "as is" for a year. I had my mechanic install the new rotary compressor, and at least now it stays a bit cooler than before!

The 911 air moving system just isn't cut out to keep the interior cold, particularly in hot (80+) weather -- cool, yes, cold NO.

I removed the butterfly air vent (at someone's suggestion; saw it in a post here) on the floor/firewall behind the gearshift. That helped a bunch -- 25% better air flow, IMHO.

I'm looking at the Kuehl vent ($139 online) to make control of the floor air a bit easier/prettier, but haven't made the leap yet.

Cheers!

C.

[rstoll]

Make sure your front condensor fan is running.

[Targa77]

I was wondering if you guys went with R-12 or R-134 with the rotary compressor?

[JackT]

Probably shouldn't have.

[Targa77]

Yeah, I have read that R-12 cools better. But, at least you can top it up yourself now. The reason that I'm asking is I'm getting ready to get my a/c recharged here soon.

[scedmonds]

R-12.

Cheers!

C.

[JackT]

I have heard R134 does not cool as well. I know my car is not cooling. I am going to check into converting to R12.

[Don Wohlfarth]

Even a properly operating a/c is borderline in a SC. You will never be able to hang meat like in your Honda.
A big improvement is the vent opening under the dash. These cars do not move enough air in the cabin. Same is true of Carrera's until 86 with the bigger vent openings in the dash.
These systems are designed to use R12. R134 systems will work in a SC but not as well as R12. The condensers and evaporator coils are the wrong size for R134, they should be bigger.
You have a borderline system with R12, why would you want to change to a refrigerant that will not work as well?
R12 will be available for the foreseeable future but the price will go up $1.39 every year because of federal tax. There is currently $15.29 tax on each pound of R12. R12 can be a hassle because of the need to recover the refrigerant and you must be licensed to purchase it.
R134 is readily available and is dirt cheap compared to R12.
I recently upgraded the system in my SC to a rotary compressor, new hoses, new receiver/drier, and new expansion valve. Also clean 20 years of crud from the evap coil. Paid approximately $1200 to Griffiths in parts. I also have the under dash vent.
A/c works OK, not great, but acceptable. Biggest change is it's almost hard to feel the compressor kick in with the rotary. With the York compressor it felt like the emergency brake was dragging.

[pbs911]

It you want cold, you have to do something about the condenser. http://www.scottsind.com/Permanent/911.htm
Remove the under dash bow tie, rotor compressor, new barrier hoses and this

[epbrown]

Paul,

How much clearance do you lose with that, and is your car lowered? I've already been considering havingmy car lowered to Euro specs, but an AC upgrade would be nice - the women in my life would have me spend the entire summer in the Rolls-Royce unless the AC in the Targa gets better!

Emanuel

[pbs911]

That's not my car. I'm still sweating it out when I don't pull the Targa top off. From the web site it looks as if you lose about 1 inche of ground clearance at the most. I have heard on this BBS and Rennlist that this condensor is the way to go to get a GM cold AC in the SC.