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conditioner while the starter is running--the starter and fuel pump need all the amps they can get for starting, so the air conditioner is temporarily turned off during starter operation. The problem is that the relay to do that was originally mounted on the inside wall of the right side of the air conditioner compartment. The outside of that wall is the right front fender inside wall with 230F oil cooler pipes going to and from the engine compartment to the front cooler. So when the air conditioner suddenly stops in the middle of a warm afternoon (as mine did), it often can be an overheated relay. The solution is to move the relay to another wall location within the air conditioner compartment. An emergency solution on the road is to bypass the relay entirely--disconnect the incoming power lead from the fuse panel to the relay and connect it directly to the outgoing lead from the relay to the air conditioner. Another strange problem with the early 911 air conditioners are the front trunk condensers. Starting in January of 1979, all the 911 factory air conditioners were equipped with two cooling condensers; the standard one mounted in the rear engine deck cooling air inlet and a second one mounted in the front trunk that takes in air from under the left side of the front bumper and blows it through a second condenser. This system was found to substantially increase the cooling effectiveness of the system. As shown in Figure 2, the blower for the second condenser is wired independently of the main air conditioner unit and has a separate power supply relay. Many owners don���t ever hear when the front condenser blower is running. Nor- mally, the only time it runs is when the temperature control signals for cold air and closes the separate front power supply relay. If that front relay fails, the fan can run all the time, even when the compressor isn���t engaged. Also, the inlet to the blower and condenser is close to ground under the front bumper and tends to pick up a lot of road debris. The net result has been a high fatality rate in front condenser relays and blowers. Reference 4 identifies a possible repair method to restore front condenser operation that uses a Bosch replacement motor to replace just the power portion of the cooler without having to replace the whole unit. It is wishfully hoped that our Puget Sound spring weather will soon favor us with the chance to check out our warm weather preparations. 1, Caldwell, A. ���Spring Driving Preparation,��� PNWR Spiel Magazine, May, 2003. RefeRences 2. Caldwell, A. ���Another Unplanned OBD Action,��� PNWR Spiel Magazine, November, 2010. 3. Caldwell, A. ���Chill Out: 911 Air Conditioners,��� Porsche Panorama Magazine, October, 1990 (Up-Fixin Vol. 9). 4. Caldwell, A. ���911 Air-Conditioning Repair Tips,��� Porsche Panorama Magazine, August, 1992 (Up-Fixin Vol. 9). Haury���s offers a wide selection of services: - Expert collision repair services for the discerning enthusiast BY enthusiasts - A selection of enthusiast-minded loaner vehicles, including a 2008 BMW M3 and a 2008 MINI Cooper S - Free loaner cars offered with a major repair service - Porsche and BMW club track inspections - Pre-purchase inspections of both engine and structural repair, to set your mind at ease when looking for a new car - General engine maintenance including 30/60/90K service - Structural frame repair and welding equipment that meets Porsche certification guidelines - Porsche Club members receive a 5% discount (up to $250) - We also have Collision Consulting services on-site, which can help you navigate a difficult insurance claim and provide diminished value or total loss appraisals. HAURY���S LAKE CITY COLLISION Specializing in collision repair, service, and modification to European, Japanese, and high-performance vehicles. 11514 Lake City Way Northeast, Seattle WA 98125 1-877-249-0868 /// 206-365-1565 /// http://www.hauryscollision.com/ 38 April 2011