AC Groan - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

cut2muz · 04-26-2010, 12:18 AM

Searched but did not find so please excuse if it's here...

When I turn on my 2001 986 S AC, it has a low pitched groan from what appears to be the right front of the car. I see in my workshop manual that the compressor is behind on the engine so I am a bit confused.

Thanks for info...

Don Wilson

Steve Tinker · 04-26-2010, 12:51 AM

Probably the A/C condenser fan motor gone west - as far as I know, thats the only rotating part of the A/C at the front of the car....

jcb986 · 04-26-2010, 04:05 AM

If your AC is not cooling very well it could be the drier has become clogged and the freon is having a hard time getting through it. You need and AC check.

cut2muz · 04-29-2010, 04:55 PM

Looking in the repair manual for the AC condenser fan motor, thanks!.

cut2muz · 04-29-2010, 05:06 PM

Steve,

Looked in the service manual and cannot find the condenser fan motor. Can you tell me where it is. Guess I could fire the damn thing up and poke my head around and listen. Makes sense though...

Much appreciated.

cut2muz · 04-29-2010, 05:09 PM

Seems we Americans spell a bit differently...thanks again Steve.

Steve Tinker · 04-29-2010, 09:39 PM

cut2muz - no problems - was the noise the fan motor????

cut2muz · 04-29-2010, 10:46 PM

Will dive into this tomorrow. Manual says to remove the wheel and wheel liner, doesn't say which wheel but judging by the sound I'm guessing the right. I wouldn't be surprised if debris or dirt is the issue and hopeful that a good blast with the air compressor and some lube will do the trick. Do you know which wheel?

Thanks again Steve.

Steve Tinker · 04-30-2010, 01:08 AM

Don....
Not sure which side - switch on your A/C and see which one of the 2 fans(s) come on automatically. 1 x fan is for the coolantrad, 2nd fan comes on for the A/C.
You should be able to get to the fan motors via the internal wheel liners but you may have have to remove the complete bumper assembly to access them, so you will need to jack up the car @ the front - use the search function for removal and radiator cleaning details.
Hope this helps......

PS - where abouts is Studio City, I thought my US geography was OK, but now I'm not so sure....

cut2muz · 04-30-2010, 11:24 AM

Wow, this is sounding more like a day long job. Back in the day of the late 60s and early 70s US muscle cars we kids would tear them apart with reckless abandon. They were not complicated and not many computers and sensors, none really. If it smoked it was broke...ha. I cannot not begin to tell you of the cars I got rid of for nothing that today sell at auctions for 60-80 thousand US. Like a 1969 Camaro SS convertible. I sold it for 750 dollars and all that was wrong was the timing chain. Saw one on Speed TV recently sell at auction of 85 thousand!! If only I'd known...how often do we say that?

Steve, Studio City is basically in Laurel Canyon, an area a bit north of Los Angeles. It's the breeding ground of the 60s US rock and roll scene. Bands like Crosby Still Nash and Young, The Doors...Many of my neighbors are old rock legends and I used to play in some pretty big bands before my dive into the film industry. It's also known for the Charles Manson murders which happened not very far from here. We're up in the the hills so on days like today we can see the mountains clearly and the valley seems endless. Many of the pollution days it looks like fog.

Here's a link about our neightborhood:
http://www.laweekly.com/2006-06-15/news/back-to-the-garden/

If I'm right, you're an Aussie? Love love your country...and the girls....(gotta hide this from the spousal unit!)

Thanks for all you knowledge Steve. Hope I can return the deed one day.

Cheers,
Don

cut2muz · 04-30-2010, 11:53 AM

All my rambling and I forgot to mention that it is an AC fan. Comes on only when the AC is engaged. Not terrible but does groan a bit and I'm OCD...want my little P-Car to be perfect. Love your red interior BTW. Wanted one with red badly. Wife says she's taking this one and I can look for a Silver/Red Carrera if business stays good... Hell, I want to retire, what's she talking about?

Don

cut2muz · 04-30-2010, 12:59 PM

Nice day, too much Red Bull...too windy to fly.

Took the wheel off, lubed the suspect fan and finally poked around and paid attention. Seems the groan is from the passenger side INSIDE. It only appears when the AC switch in on, not during fresh air fan operation. Diving into the barely helpful manual...

Steve Tinker · 05-01-2010, 02:06 AM

Don, hope you are successfull in your quest - as I said, the front mounted fans are the only rotating equipment at the front of the car. But if the motor bearings are siezed, theres not a lot of options!

As for Studio City - phew, nice write up.......
My music appreciation grew in the late '60's when I lived in England & was exposed to Steve Windwood, Cream, Traffic, Free, et al. After I left the UK and travelled through Africa anf the East, I was introduced to the American music scene. What a time - brings back some memories.
Whish I was 25 again........
Sorry to everyone for the non Porsche content, but you know what us old codgers are like.

cut2muz · 05-01-2010, 10:07 PM

Played a few gigs with Glen Hughes in the 70s. Wishing Well was my favorite...

Don't think anything is seized. Seems to be inside the car. Just annoying and triggers my need to fix things. I have flown planes all my life and any sound outside the ordinary is not good so I'm trained to fix... Going to disassemble the passenger side footwell and see what gives. Weird that it only happens when AC in engages.

I do own the cleanest, most polished 2000 Boxster S in the US I am convinced. Need meds. Sure is fun.

Cheers Steve