Open Road

What are my chances of successfully snaking this line out past the condenser and radiator and replacing it without major disassembly? As you can see, it’s not long for this world.

It's relatively straightforward to get it out without removing the radiator or condenser but it requires upper body strength and doing it from underneath. It's easier if you remove the wheel well liner, splash guard, and the air deflector between the chassis and the radiator, but that's more work. Having the condenser loose doesn't make it much easier.

First, you *can* get the lines off the compressor with the compressor more-or-less in place, but you can't really get them back on the compressor (while keeping the joints and o-rings free of debris) unless the compressor is on a bench. So...

Get the compressor loose and the belt off the pulley. Unfasten the h/p line at the condenser and the l/p line from the chassis hard line.

The front bolt of the compressor is a PITA unless you have an extra long ratcheting flex-head wrench. Be careful not to get your wrench trapped. The last few turns will be 1/6 of a turn at a time with an open-end wrench. Get the front bolt out, leave the rear bolt in, but loose.

From underneath, support the weight of the compressor with your left hand, remove the rear bolt and drop the compressor. If it's been mounted for a long time it'll take some tugging.

With the compressor free, rotate the compressor toward the center of the radiator while guiding the h/p line out, around and through.

At that point put the assembly on your bench and remove the lines.

Installation is the reverse of removal, but it is more finicky. You'll want to tape the nut for the h/p line at the top of the line (or use a threaded cap to retain it) before installation.

The problem you'll have is getting a new line that works. You've a 50/50 chance from either Griffiths or Porsche depending upon the batch. If you have a hydraulic crimper make your own (that's what I do.) Proper clocking of the replacement line's ends is absolutely critical. If it's off by more that 4-5-ish degrees it's uninstallable.

You might as well get a rebuilt compressor while it's on the bench unless it's less than 5 to 10 years old; the nose seal rarely lasts more than 10 years without a significant leak.

And, you should do ALL the o-rings, expansion valves, r/d, the l/p hose, etc. (Only if you want your refrigerant charge to stay "inside" for at least 5-years.)

And last: DON'T FORGET the front bolt and don't forget to tighten it. (About 50% of 928s I get have that bolt loose and about 1 in 10 have it missing completely. Also, both compressor bolts are M10x1.25 (fine thread) not x1.5 like every other M10 bolt on a 928.)

That’s a great write-up, thanks very much!

Not great news regarding the quality of the replacement hose options though. Maybe I need to consider purchasing a crimper…

^Probably cheaper to just have a shop rebuild the hose with the existing hardware than buy a crimper.

I have the hydraulic crimper from vintageair, I'm satisfied with it. However, it was ~$400

Rdon wrote: ↑Mon May 04, 2026 8:36 pm That’s a great write-up, thanks very much!

Not great news regarding the quality of the replacement hose options though. Maybe I need to consider purchasing a crimper…

Well, you can always order and return if it doesn't work. As long as you're willing to deal with the downtime and hassle.

Griffiths' h/p line is too long. Porsche uses the wrong hose on the h/p line. (When last I ordered two years ago.) Either or both might have rectified the situation for the next batch.

A good (hydraulic) crimper is many hundreds.

If you make your own or find a 'hose' shop that can make lines, you'll need to do it in stages: crimp compressor ends, install compressor with opposite ends loose, mark hose and lines for correct clocking, dismount compressor, crimp, ...

If you don't reuse your lines, the hardline part isn't crumpled, bent or dented and they are the OE steel-ended(*) lines, I'll buy them as cores.

(*) Except for the l/p chassis end; it's always aluminum.

Thanks Worf and Fox for your insights, much appreciated.

Leaning heavily toward purchasing a crimper so that I can control both the timing and the quality of this job. With both a 928 and a 968 in the garage, I think this tool will more than pay for itself over time.

Since you have been down this path already, would you be willing to share specs and source for the hose and ferrules required?

Rdon wrote: ↑Tue May 05, 2026 8:59 am Since you have been down this path already, would you be willing to share specs and source for the hose and ferrules required?

https://coldhose.com/

Is where I've gotten a bunch of stuff. After covid they are much-more expensive.

I'll try to remember to look in my A/C drawer tomorrow to refresh my memory on what's needed besides a good crimper.

Used to be good crimpers were >$600. I see some far less expensive tools on teh interwebs now. But, who knows how good they are.

The problem with making your own hoses is testing.