How much time to fit a new condenser? + other questions

I did the Service Clinic at Cambridge a few weeks ago and ended up with list of stuff to sort. 1. Staining on the air-con condenser. Well this has now turned in to a full blown leak as the pump started to make a noise (hopefully just no gas) and I've now left the air-con turned off. A new OEM condenser is about £150 + approx £60 to re-gas then an independant has quoted 3hrs to do it. Does that sound about right for the time? 2. A split was spotted in the fitting on the end of one of the power steering pipes (see picture of drivers side, behing the wheel) There are two pipes a feed and a return both of which cost about £90 each but I'm not sure which this is or even if I should even bother doing anything with it if it's not actually broken. I'd guess it's a fairly big job time wise to replace either of these as they run across and underneath the car. 3. A screw was spotted in a front tire but got lucky as it was small and came out without a leak 4. The RMS is again leaking (not bad just damp) but here I'm caught in the not warrantied warranty work trap. I used to have the Porsche Extended Warranty and in January 2009 (about 9,000 miles ago) the RMS was done at the OPC under warranty, but as I didn't pay for it it's not covered by the normal 2 year warranty for work done. If I had paid even 10% of the cost it would be covered :-( so I'll just leave it till it either gets bad or I need a new clutch. 5. To top it all off I went down to the Porshe Racing Legends event at Cambridge OPC this week (it was very good) and used the PCM2 telephone module on the way home with no problem but the next moring the telephone module seems to have packed up. Pressing Tel just brings up "Telephone not avalible". I've had a look at the fuses, well I think I've looked at the right ones but with no joy. I suppose the next thing is to have the drivers seat out to check the plugs on the module?

OPC in Guildford charged: Remove Front PU Replace Nearside Rad Replace Nearside Condensor Bleed System Drain and refill + replace various other bits (seals, o rings etc) £165.54 + Vat for Radiator £231.77 + Vat for Condensor £396.00 + Vat for the labour and consumables Total £793.31 No doubt an Indy would be a fair bit cheaper.

RPM in Cheddington charged me £600 total.

I would get both sides done if I were you. If one has gone, the other won't be far behind. I would go for the Hella ones, as they are original fitment. Book time is 1/2 hour per side, plus PU removal/replacement time (0.9 hours) plus regas (1.0 hour). As for the telephone, also check the orange fibre-optic cables where they go into the unit. You could also try a 1-4-8 system reset.

Funny old thing. I have just done the 911 clinic at OPC Exeter. Very good value and 1.5 hours of undivided engineer's attention. They also picked up my Power Steering return pipe. The crimped metal joint where the rubber hose joins the metal pipe has started to split open along its seam - apparantly a known problem as the car gets older (mine is a MY2003 C2). OPC's view was that they do not usually consider it needs doing until the split reaches about 80% of the crimped metal length and the second row of crimps has started tp lose its crimp on the rubber and metal join. A new pipe was about £200(?) plus fitting - and involves removing the underfloor to get at the whole assembly. Mine was about 60-75% split so it can wait a while. Pity it cannot be re-crimped. Otherwise came out well of the clinic - mostly minor points. For instance the alarm siren had never been activated (not unknown) only the horn aspect - quickly remedied with the PS2. A bit of corrosion on the front brake pipes and all the exhaust bolts, a front steering bush showing early signs of delaminating and the aircon pipe near the front jacking point had received a bit of crushing but not enough to warrant changing (some tyre jack no doubt) and OPC refilled the tyres with nitrogen plus touched up a couple of old underfloor scrapes with wax oil. Overall a thorough check and mind at rest and a big thanks to the OPC.

Thanks Richard, eurocarparts looks favorite for the Hella condensers at £155 each inc VAT & P&P and I'll see if can get my independant to agree to the times. They where looking at 3hrs + the re-gas at £60 where it should really be 2hrs if they are calling in someone to do the re-gas and not doing it themselves. For the telephone module do you know the orientation of your photo i.e. are those screwdrivers at the front of the car. Just so I know where to try and poke my fingers in without taking the seat out ;-) And how do I go about the 1-4-8 reset I'm sure I've seen the detail somewhere but can't find it.

The screwdrivers are at the front, and you should be able to see the orange wires if you put the seat all the way forward, and up. Just press the 1, 4 and 8 buttons at the same time, and it will do a system reset.

No joy yet with the telephone module. I could get at the MOST fibre optic and on clipping it out could see red light shining out the cable but didn't see anything coming out of the unit which I thought I might so it could still be a power problem with the module. I'll have a better look at the fuses this weekend. I've seen a second hand one at £199 so that's an option. I also tried a 1-4-8 reset but it didn't work. I've ordered two condensers and a desicator (for good measure) from Design911 in the end. It's booked in to be done at TWG Peterborough for Nov 2nd. The power steering pipes are a bit more than I thought Front Return RHD 2WD 996.347.450.06 £129.27 inc VAT Front Pressure RHD 2WD 996.347.452.08 £144.54 inc VAT so I'll probably leave it for a while and see what happens

My brother has a PCM2.0 phone module he removed from his Cayenne when he put a Tooki unit in. I'll do a bit of research and see if it is compatible with the 996 one. Let me know if you don't have any luck with fuses.

Richard, looks like a the Cayenne, 996 and the 997 all share the same module. There's a crossover where some early units aren't in the Cayenne list and some later ones aren't in the 996 list but I guess just about any one will fit. 996 Module precedence 996.642.207.01 996.642.207.02 996.642.207.04 996.642.207.05 997.646.207.01 997.646.207.02 997.646.208.13 Cayenne Module precedence 996.642.207.05 997.646.207.01 997.646.207.02 997.646.208.13 997.646.209.00 997.646.209.01

You are in luck. It is 997.646.207.01. Check out the supply and fuses, etc, and if you need it let me know.

I've had the condensers turn up now. They came from Design911 for what seems like a good price. I bought 2x Hella branded condensers @ £129 each 1x Aircon Desicator @ £28.50 2x O-ring for the Desicator @ £1.16 each Then Design911 do 5% discount and free postage (worth £10) over £250 for PCGB members (it's normally free postage over £500) http://www.design911.co.uk/blog/index.php/porsche-club-gb-members-benefits/ So total inc VAT and delivered was £322.40 (£24.44 Discount)

Andy I just put a post up about this subject, good timing i think i have to follow suit, looks like you have done your research, who do you use for fitting this kind of thing. P.S - Car seat has been great. Phil

Phil it's booked in to TWG Peterborough for Nov 2nd I've never used them before but there always seems to be plenty of Porsches on the forecourt and their labour rate is about £50/hr so a lot cheaper then the OPC. P.S. Glad the child seats been ok. I've got another one of the same M&P model you can have for nothing if it's any good to you. It's been in the garage to months as the youngest has grown out of it.

Hello Andy I have a local garage who specialize in BMW, real top lads, the owner has a 996 C4s which he has done quiet a bit of work on such as the condensers i poped in today and they said that they have done a few and at £47 labour rate per hour i thought this would be a good way forward, condensers will be ordered next month on your recomendation, so good work. Thanks for the offer of the child seat, very tempting, however i only have one child at present. Cheers Phil

Hey Phil, Who are where are they?

Reference the Power Steering pipe. OPC Exeter have quoted £750 inc parts, labour and PCGB disc. Apparently the main cost is labour as the front undertray and front sub-frame has to be lowered to get at the pipework. Then, on reassembly the front tracking has to be re-checked. Still considering whether to take the plunge of not.

I've heard about this fault, and I can't imagine why all that work just to replace a joint. Is there no way to have the pipe cut and joined much in the same way as a fuel line or something similar? Or to put a supporting crimp or clamp on the failing part? I'm all for maintaining cars and spending out on whatever needs to be done, but £700 for a split joint on a pipe?

I think I'd come to the conclusion of just leaving it. I did think about putting a stainless jubilee clip round it to try and stop it splitting any further but worried that by squeezing it it might make it worse. If it goes I might try taking it to a hydraulic specialist as they have all the kit to make in-situ repairs for these sort of joints

Hi Rod They are based in Royston North Hertfordshire, it's a small industrial unit pretty basic, but the two guys that run it are very helpful and the one that has a 911 Barney, is as mad about them as us lot, and looks after a few, to be honnest i wouldn't get them to service my car but for this sort of job they are just the job. They are called Royston Autocare i dont have there number but if you want it i can dig it out. Cheers Phil

Well as is my luck it's not going 100%. Air-Con New condensers and desiccator are in (3.5hrs labour + £65 for the re-gas) and the air con is cold but now the compressor is making a horrible noise (sounds like bearings). So that's going to need to be replaced. Looks like a recon Denso compressor is around £300. If anyone has got a good source of these let me know. It's the labour I'm not sure about. A quick discussion with the Indy suggested 3-4hrs and taking off the inlet manifold to do it but a quick look at the workshop manual makes it look quite easy with just the power steering tank and +Ve terminal having to come off to get the compressor in and out. Telephone A plugin to the diagnostic computer (which I thought was a bit steep at 0.75hr @ £43.18) revealed. Fault 9064 GSM ANTENNA FAULT, FAULT IN WIRE (BROKEN) I'd have thought a broken aerial would just give no signal not take out the phone module completely but at least it gives me something to look for. I think the aerial is in the windscreen like the twin radio aerials with the connector behind the trim panel on the driver's side window screen pillar. Could someone confirm the location before I start pulling things apart?

Are you 100% sure they re-gassed it properly? The pumps get really noisy if they are low on gas. If it does need a new pump, I recall Porsch-Apart did a new replacement pump which was a bit more reasonably priced. I am pretty sure it isn't in the screen. According to the retrofit instructions (TSB 9155 03/04) the GSM antenna is under the cowl panel in front of the windscreen - between the wipers by the look of it. If you haven't got the TSB, let me know and I'll email you a copy. And I guess you had better send my brother's telephone module back...... [ ]

To be honest that was my thought. It had started to make a bit of noise before I took it in but I put that down to the fact it was leaking and running low on gas. But they assured me that the pump won't operate if the gas pressure gets low but I'm not sure as it didn't make a noise as bad as it does now :-( Looking at the PDFs I've got I thought that was the GPS antenna in the middle of the cowl in front of the window screen. But if you could send me the TSB please. Yes thanks very much for that. Let me know how much it cost to post and if you have a prefered courier.

I have emailed Andy the TSB, but just for the record I meant the cowl panel under the luggage compartment lid. It seems that the GSM antenna is somewhere near the pollen filter.

Air con As Richard suggested I'm not sure they gassed it right so today I've dropped the car at Kwik-Fit :-O My thoughts are that Kwik-Fit only charge £29 for a regas and my indy want £65. If I'm wrong at the indy I'm £65 out but if it's no better after Kwik-Fit then it's only £29. Telephone With help from Richard's TSB I think the black thing I've wiped clean in the picture below is the GSM aerial It looks like I'll have to take off the wipers then the plastic at the base of the window screen to get at it as there some screws at the back.

And while you are in there clean out the front drains, by the looks of it!! [ ]

Telephone My picture earlier is wrong, that black box it actually a cover over a hole through in to the footwell. The GSM aerial is on the other side (that will teach me to look at diagrams for LHD cars ;-) I tried the connector and then removed the aerial but no joy Here's the aerial out the car part no. 996.647.126.00 £60.63 I think I've got an old GSM car kit aerial with a cable in a draw at work so I'm going to try that first before I start ordering parts. There's an extension cable avalible (No. 9 in the image below) for £20 but no indication of how long it is. My current cable disappears in to the loom just off to the left in the first picture.

Did the re-gas help? Funny that my visit to Cambridge OPC returned the same two faults as your first two. The guy checking mine said re. the power steering hose; most people just remove the split metal sleeving and use a jubilee clip or similar to hold it all together.

My old 996 had the same split on the clamp and I put a jubliee clamp round it making sure it closed up the split and that was it. It didn't move in 3 years I had the car.

Did you have someone in mind for this? Or was it a case of do the research when the need arose?

The original post is a bit old now but I thought I'd better give an update. Richard has fixed the phone[ ][ ] I'd about given up but Richard brought his older Porsche tester over to the Autofarm day on Saturday. The idea was for me to take it away and have a play but within a few mins of connecting it to demonstrate it became clear the reason the phone didn't work was that all the coding for it had been lost. So a quick re-code and set the language to English and it's now sorted. The only idea about why it happed is that there may have been a period of low battery. Many thanks to Richard. The Air-Con Yes a re-gas at Kwik-Fit fixed it. When they did the gas recovery they only found about half the required amount of gas. They were very professional, gave me a lift to work and back and all for £29 inc VAT. My indy were happy to refund the £76 inc VAT they charged to gas it. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and have used them since without a problem. The Power Steering Pipe I'd forgotten all about it but as 'minny' didn't have any problem with a jubliee clip I'll have a go with that. 'baptistsan' I didn't have anyone in particular in mind, I just remember a few years back when I had some concrete delivered. the chute on the mixer lorry was all controlled by hydraulics and it ended up blowing a pipe (made a right mess of my drive) anyway they called out a specialist in a van and he came and measured up then just made a new pipe with a big press to crimp the end on right in the back of the van.

Steering Pipes I also subscribe to using Jubilee clips rather than replacing the pipes, however I would leave the semi split ferrule in place and use 2 jubilee clips, preferable the type with spanner head winders on. A word of warning for those that want to have the pipes replaced, I have seen many instances where upon trying to remove the pipes from the steering rack, they have been corroded to the rack and have ended up having to have the rack replaced, so if they are not leaking just go with the jubilee clips.