Boxster air con to working
Discussion
Bit of advice please. Air con not getting cold on the boxster anymore. Both air con rads were changed 7 years ago. Should i get it checked without first having the bumper off to visually check the radiator condition myself and will a check without the bumper off find any leaks in that area. Dont really want to put it into porsche if I can the change parts myself.
Condensers the most likely culprit. I would get a recharge with dye (this will also confirm system empty and not a compressor issue - unlikely). Then use cheap black uv light (loads on eBay) to look through front cooling vents. I could easily see leaks on my 997 this way. Confirmed the problem and meant the bumper only had to come off once.
PS if you can't see obvious leak at front, next step would be to check joins around compressor and in piping under car (easy on a 997, not sure about Boxster). And check drain from evaporator. Then if they are fine, order two new condensers, o rings and drier and remove front bumper because that is where the leak will be. 3 hour job and around £200 after market parts without regas.
Good luck
Another give away on the front condensers are oil stains on the front surface = holed. No need for dye or light then
PS if you can't see obvious leak at front, next step would be to check joins around compressor and in piping under car (easy on a 997, not sure about Boxster). And check drain from evaporator. Then if they are fine, order two new condensers, o rings and drier and remove front bumper because that is where the leak will be. 3 hour job and around £200 after market parts without regas.
Good luck
Another give away on the front condensers are oil stains on the front surface = holed. No need for dye or light then
Edited by drmark on Thursday 21st April 12:43
Edited by drmark on Thursday 21st April 12:44
On mine it was the two condensers in the front bumper, not just a small leak, massive holes, the air con man didn't need to inject dye, you could hear the gas pissing out quicker than he could pump it in. 
After that, it was the pipes under the car that run along under the driver's side. One of these had a corrosive leak where one of the clamps sat.
Then the joint at the rear was corroded solid which meant replacing the pipe up to the compressor as well as the one under the car. That was a fun job to do with my first attempt failing due to me pinching the o ring as I re-assembled everything.
Sorted that and thankfully fully functional finally. Took about 2 weeks and 5 visits from the air con man!
After that, it was the pipes under the car that run along under the driver's side. One of these had a corrosive leak where one of the clamps sat.
Then the joint at the rear was corroded solid which meant replacing the pipe up to the compressor as well as the one under the car. That was a fun job to do with my first attempt failing due to me pinching the o ring as I re-assembled everything.
Sorted that and thankfully fully functional finally. Took about 2 weeks and 5 visits from the air con man!
Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff