AC went kablooey

[royp4]

Hi all. Was driving my 2003 996 cab 2 days ago. I heard a strange noise from the rear and pulled over. I smelled a burning type odor and a small amount of white smoke was coming from the trunk vents. Since that time the a/c is not producing cold air. Fan still produces plenty of air, but it isn't cold. Am I looking at a blown compressor here, or are there other possibilities? It gets rather warm in South Carolina, and sometimes rather than dropping the top I use the a/c. Any input from any of you would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

[JFP in PA]

40 minutes ago, royp4 said:

Hi all. Was driving my 2003 996 cab 2 days ago. I heard a strange noise from the rear and pulled over. I smelled a burning type odor and a small amount of white smoke was coming from the trunk vents. Since that time the a/c is not producing cold air. Fan still produces plenty of air, but it isn't cold. Am I looking at a blown compressor here, or are there other possibilities? It gets rather warm in South Carolina, and sometimes rather than dropping the top I use the a/c. Any input from any of you would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

 

Could be something as simple as a failed AC hose, or it could be the compressor itself.  If you are not equipped to handle it, take it to a pro.

[DBJoe996]

Like JFP said...take it to a pro.  The compressors are pretty robust.  It is the electro-magnetic clutch and friction plate that take a beating.  One simple test is to engage the AC with the engine running and visually check the compressor to see if the pulley is spinning.  Do not touch it with the engine running.  In fact, check all the pulleys and belt at the same time.

[JFP in PA]

Unfortunately, the problem with DIY on AC systems is the cost of the proper service equipment; to properly vent one of these systems, you need a recovery unit which can cost well north of $3K, a vacuum pump to properly evacuate the system before charging, oil and dye injectors for service, and an accurate pressure gauge system for evaluation its performance.  All this hardware is usually well out side the budget of all but the most serious DIY'er.