Charging A/C

[scottewid]

Anyone know where the charge port is on 86 951 a/c? There are two lines that run along the engine compartment by the driver's fender, and both have schrader valves on them, but one is smaller diameter than the other.

[mike944]

If it's like my '84, the charge port is basically right on the compressor. It's part of the hose end fitting that bolts to the compressor, and it's very difficult to get to. The charge port is the low pressure line. The low pressure line is the one that comes from the evaporator (inside the car) to the compressor. The high pressure line (used only for pressure testing the system) is the line that goes from the compressor to the condenser (in front of the radiator)

[PrerYDoG]

I concur with the above.

The two ports that you want to be using are the one that is on the compressor (Jack the car up REALLY HIGH (read: Jackstands)) and you can access it from there. The second port is on top of the car, I think drivers side, near the radiator fluid tank.

Hope that helps.

[scottewid]

Thanks for the info, but I know they changed the a/c system in later cars, so maybe they repositioned the low side port up by the driver's fender to make it easier. Since I have two capped ports on two diffent lines up there, one of them MUST be a low side port. I don't have a guage set, so that would make it easy to figure which is which. I just want to make sure I don't blow up the can by hooking it to the high side when I recharge!

Can you tell which is low and high by temp? When the a/c is running, is the low side the hot one or the cold one?

[Diesel]

The small line is always high side.

------------------
Dan, '78 Pearl white 924

[PrerYDoG]

I was speaking from the experience of working on an 88 951...which is the same as your 86 951

[lm6y]

High side will be hot, low side will be cold.

Or I think that's what they said when they gave me my E.P.A. 609 certification!

[Porsche 951 Fanatic]

Well if i remember right from working on ac in my dads truck.... the recharge dealie will only fit on one of the connectors..... the one that is the right size... of course that was a cheapo one from auto zone...... Good Luck

[Mrmerlin]

Originally posted by scottewid:
Anyone know where the charge port is on 86 951 a/c? There are two lines that run along the engine compartment by the driver's fender, and both have schrader valves on them, but one is smaller diameter than the other.

The charge port is on the drivers fender just next to the spring perch it is the fatter of the 2 lines Fat = lo press this is the fill line.... thinner = hi pressure this is NOT the line to fill with it will blow up the charge can if you connect this side to the filling can... if the system is starting from empty make shure you have some oil in the compressor and it wouldnt hurt to add some leak detector, so as to aid you in finding a leak later on, also make shure that you replace the reciever drier if the system has been opened for any amount of time and as a final note use a suction to pull the system down this is to remove all moisture in the system B4 you put in your new coolant charge........Goodluck......Stan

[scottewid]

Thanks all for the info!

Stan, it's not been opened and still has some charge. The compressor kicks on and runs for 10 sec or so and there's a lot of bubbles in the sight glass, then clicks off. After a minute it comes on again and kicks off again right away. It never gets cold and I'm assuming the pressure switch is kicking it off because there's not enough charge. I was going to just top it off and see how long it holds because. Since there's still a partial charge, you think there might be water that would necessitate an evacuate and dryer change? I'm thinking this is just "normal" leakage thru compressor shaft due to non-usage (previous owner only drove car 3k miles since April 2000 and had it topped off in May 2000, shown by shop receipts) and non-barrier hoses.

[Mrmerlin]

Originally posted by scottewid:
Thanks all for the info!

Stan, it's not been opened and still has some charge. The compressor kicks on and runs for 10 sec or so and there's a lot of bubbles in the sight glass, then clicks off. After a minute it comes on again and kicks off again right away. It never gets cold and I'm assuming the pressure switch is kicking it off because there's not enough charge. I was going to just top it off and see how long it holds because. Since there's still a partial charge, you think there might be water that would necessitate an evacuate and dryer change? I'm thinking this is just "normal" leakage thru compressor shaft due to non-usage (previous owner only drove car 3k miles since April 2000 and had it topped off in May 2000, shown by shop receipts) and non-barrier hoses.

Sounds like your in! Just a simple recharge to bring it up to snuff , if the system is still holding freon then there will be no water in to remove.....get it chaged and run it a few times a month to kepp things working smoothly. After it gets charged you might se a few bubbles in the sight glass when it runs this is Ok but if you see all bubbles then this indicates a need for more freon.. As a side note if you convert to 134a then all the old O rings must be replaced as the new stuff will eat the rubber new style O rings are green the old style is black, also 134a will not be as cold as freon is .goodluck...Stan

[T86951]

The two lines you see when you open the hood. one is small an d one is large.

The large line of the 2 is where you charge it, it is the low side.