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YOUR RESEARCHAC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
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Install when the weather calls
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Winter tires/wheels have to purchased and installed when the weather calls for them.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
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I spoke with a colleague the other day and he told me about his MK2 996 that he had in his garage during the winter for about two months and something having to do with the AC dried out and had to be replaced for about 1500 $USD.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
Use can give problems
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Not just the a/c seals and parts not being used can give problems.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
Use cars
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I note too that even frequently used cars that do not see any storage and have their A/C system used regularly can and do develop A/C leaks.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
Use regularly can and do develop a/c leaks
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I note too that even frequently used cars that do not see any storage and have their A/C system used regularly can and do develop A/C leaks.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
Replace about 1500 $usd
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I spoke with a colleague the other day and he told me about his MK2 996 that he had in his garage during the winter for about two months and something having to do with the AC dried out and had to be replaced for about 1500 $USD.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
Replace position of the wheels and everything seemed fine
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Suggestion · Original poster
I've had mine in a garage since late October and I've started it once a few weeks ago just to change the position of the wheels and everything seemed fine.
AC drying out and have to be replaced after long term idle?
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Hi,
I spoke with a colleague the other day and he told me about his MK2 996 that he had in his garage during the winter for about two months and something having to do with the AC dried out and had to be replaced for about 1500 $USD.
Being worried about my wonderful 996 (MK1 -99 though) I want to know more about this, are there any others that have had any problems after awakening the car after the winter months? I've had mine in a garage since late October and I've started it once a few weeks ago just to change the position of the wheels and everything seemed fine.
Please forgive me, I live in Sweden and our winters are terrible and I refuse to drive it then. But I dont want to hurt it by having it in a garage either, and I know, a Porsche is meant to be driven, but I'm driving the hell out of it during the summer months I promise
Thanks for any help
It is possible. With no use of the A/C system the refrigerant does not circulate. If it does not circulate the oil that is carried with it does not circulate. This oil helps to keep the seals in the A/C system nice and tight.
Absent this exposure to oil they will dry out. They then shrink. They do not regain their original size when the A/C is used again. Thus they can leak.
While I can understand the desire to avoid driving the car during bad weather there can be a cost to this inactivity and it can be (among other things) more frequent A/C system leaks and services.
This should not happen every year though. Say with regular use an A/C system can stay healthy and leak free for 10 years. (Just a number.) With a car being stored unused every winter for several months this 10 year number could drop to 5 years.
I note too that even frequently used cars that do not see any storage and have their A/C system used regularly can and do develop A/C leaks. Not often, but once in awhile. Could be your friend's car was one of those and it would have leaked regardless.
You can't do much if car stored for a time and unused for this time. But when it is used the A/C system should be used once in a while to.
Turn on the A/C system so the compressor runs a while. (The snowflake on the A/C control panel display must come on.)
Use the various vent control buttons and temperature buttons to select all the various vent choices and temperature choices.
This cycles the actuators that move the air valving around in the A/C heater system and exercises these to help them avoid sticking from lack of use.
Before shutting off engine let cabin vent fan run a while with the A/C off to dry out any condensation from air ducting and other A/C hardware. This avoids the moisture remaining and turning into a perfect incubator for growing mold and mildew (the spores of which are everywhere!) which can make the A/C system smell very bad.
Change the A/C cabin air filter once in a while. At the end of every driving season maybe (again a cost of long periods of no use) cause these can develop an odor if let in service too long.
If A/C system blows warm or hot air avoid using A/C system until it can be fixed. This is a sign the refrigerant has leaked out and it can't carry the oil and with no oil the compressor (very expensive) can be damaged.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Right after I took delivery of my '01 996 C4 I had Squire's in Bellevue add a switch within the glove box so I could disable the A/C compressor clutch throughout the winter months. My '01 F/awd RX300 has a factory C-best option that allows me to do that.
Since purchasing a new '92 LS400 and discovering the FLAW in wintertime A/C operation I have ALWAYS somehow, some way, disabled the A/C compressor from ~Nov. to ~April with NO adverse effects.
Yea that sounds like the thing that happened him. So to wrap things up it would probably be better to buy winter tires and give it a nice coating to be resistant to the salt and crap that ends up on the roads during the winter. And just drive it a few times each week. And use the AC as much as possible.
I did a service before I "put it away" and they replaced the filters then so hopefully it should be ok, that is done on a regular service? Or is it only oil filters? I'll check everything the next time I drop by there.. hopefully soon.
Thanks for the help
In the summertime you can dramatically increase the efficiency of the A/C system by installing a manual shutoff valve to block coolant flow to the heater core. Also reduces the cooling load on the engine coolant radiators and improves FE somewhat.
Of course that is always possible. I was just curious since I had no clue at all.
My only goal is to minimize any potential damage to my car.
If that means driving it during the winter, so be it.
There are cost associated with driving the car in the winter as well vs. parking the car for the winter.
Winter tires/wheels have to purchased and installed when the weather calls for them. The tires have to be replaced when they are no longer capable of providing sufficient traction.
The car should have a good undercoating already present. The painted body panels under the car are treated with a heavy chip resistent paint. Feel the underside of the rocker panel for instance. The color is the same but the paint obviously something heavier than the body panels painted with above the rocker panel level.
Most bare aluminum/unpainted running gear and engine treated with cosmoline.
When I drove my Boxster in winter I would treat the car to a rinse with no spot heated rinse water at DIY car wash to remove salt spray all over and under car.
Then when nice weather made an appearance I would hand wash the car and give it a good rinsing all over and underneath too. I would dry car off and then take it for a drive to make sure brakes and other running gear dry.
Even so prolonged exposure to winter driving can and will result in the exhaust system hangers/fasteners rusting and requiring replacement at some point.
Six of one, half dozen of the other.
But for me, the pleasure/joy of driving the car year round would be worth it. What I did try to avoid was driving the car in real bad weather. Where I lived -- just east of the KC MO area -- I would wait a few days or more after a bad snow/ice storm for the roads to clear of the worst of it. I'd drive the car on major thoroughfares to give it some use but avoid subjecting the car to major exposure to uncleared roads.
Sometimes, not often, but sometimes car could remain in garage a week maybe two for the roads to get clear.
Park it during winter, or continue to drive it.
Your decision to make.
Sincerely,
Macster.
If the car is available to start once in a while it should be good for you. Not just the a/c seals and parts not being used can give problems. Your oil and brake fluids need heat too. It is best to have fresh oil in the engine if storing. Silicone based brake fluids will suck moisture into the system. Normal operation where the brakes heat the fluid causes build ups from happening. Even your battery will love you for paying attention to it.
I'm with you on the drastic winter snows. One of your traffic cams used to be my most visited favorites for a view of winter. Wouldn't it be nice if there were old warehouses with tons of room so you could charge storage to people and give them room to do laps around inside to keep cars out of storage problems.
