13 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHAlternator or a/c compressor?
Leading reported evidence
Use mister-auto who supplied me
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Just to note, I used Mister-Auto who supplied me with a re-conditioned (reconditioned by Bosch themselves) Bosch 150A alternator for my turbo for £280.
Leading evidence: 'Use mister-auto who supplied me' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check ac gas' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
I thought I'd got SVP to check the ac gas but I'm motorway sure.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
Just checking the alternator but an ac compressor is £130.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
We often forget that the refrigerant also contains an oil to lubricate the compressor's internal components.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Just to note, I used Mister-Auto who supplied me with a re-conditioned (reconditioned by Bosch themselves) Bosch 150A alternator for my turbo for £280.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
13 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Porsche Club GB: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T165639Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Ever since I've had the targa it been a bit noisy, but having sat in traffic on a sunny day with the lid down I turned off the a/c and the grinding whirring noise stopped. So in my wisdom I assumed a/c compressor was on the way out. BUT having conditioned the battery I noticed a bit more spring in its step and the battery level is now over 14 not slightly under. So have I made an error of judgement and its an alternator needed?
If the noise stops when you switch off the AC, then it sounds like the AC system is getting low on gas. They do get noisy when this happens, and I doubt the compressor is on the way out.
I would just keep an eye on the voltage, and only do something if it reads lower than about 13.5 when warmed up, or if it starts struggling to crank, or if the battery drains very quickly when left for a few days,
I was meaning as opposed to the ac condenser. I'll check later if it was looked at last time and if not they can look when its in for a service next week.
An AC condenser and re-gas would probably still be cheaper than an alternator. Even an exchange alternator from Porsche can be over £850, depending on model. I'll grant that there may be alternatives, but they won't be all that cheap.
Porsche Indie July 2014 supply & fit exchange alternator <£300.
I know I have a slight weep on the a/c pipe which runs under the drivers door. I'm advised that replacement is straightforward until the pipe which traverses above the engine also needs replacement which requires dropping the engine (EEK!) - two indies have advised "keep it going until you really want to drop the engine". Surely a simple re-route is feasible?
I too can get a low whirring noise from somewhere within the bowels of the dashboard area which stops when I turn the aircon off. HTH
When I had a 996 and suspected the alternator, I too was quoted £800+ exchange from my local PC. I contacted the local auto electrical repairers in Preston (Ribblesdale Autos) and they quoted me approx. £100 for a refurb to include bearings and brushes. As it turned out it was a drive belt roller bearing that cost about £40 and I did it myself.
Just to note, I used Mister-Auto who supplied me with a re-conditioned (reconditioned by Bosch themselves) Bosch 150A alternator for my turbo for £280. It came in a Bosch box with all the original Bosch tags and hologram stickers sealing the box and a return docket for UPS who collect your old one and return to Mister-Auto to process the deposit. The reconditioned alternator even had the original Porsche part number on it.
Well the good news is it was neither. Unfortunately it was both the condenser radiators and an o ring leaking. On the up side the ac is whisper quite, however as it was service and new Dansk boxes at the same time it now means I can hear myself softly weeping at the wheel!
