How bad is the AC unit on the 308/328 series? Can it deal with the Florida heat?
Short answer is no. The long answer is, it depends: The AC units varied over the years and of course depend also on the individual condition of the car. Later 308 models (like the QV) had ok AC. Ok as it gets cold enough to drive around for a while in warm weather. However I wouldn't want to try it in a really hot and humid Floridian day. The engine behind your back creates temperature, the sun through the front window bakes your legs, it creates a sweat box. However it does cool it enough for just regular warm days as in spring time or fall. just my $ 0.02
The later 328s came with a rotary compressor which which much better than the York piston compressor of earlier cars. So, if hot climate is an issue, get a later 328 for the best A/C. FYI, my Boxer cools OK in the hot Atlanta summer even with the old York compressor.
Interesting. I always thought the Boxer is even the worse sweatbox with the pipes going through the cabin. Amazing, glad to hear that.
My 328 A/C can't keep up with the TX heat. I think it's more of an airflow problem than the compressor not doing it's job. The vents aren't very large, and if you open the windshield vents, the hot sun bakes most of the air before it gets to you. The big heat producing hunk of metal behind your shoulders doesn't help matters any.
tifosi12, I feel no heat whatsoever from the radiator pipes that run under the center console . The console stays cool to the touch even in the hottest weather. Most of the interior heat in a Boxer comes from the windshield that gets hot from the radiator exhaust blowing on it from the front hood vent. The windshield will acually get too hot to touch on hot summer days when you drive the car hard. The sun adds to the hot windshield effect. That windshield heat radiates into the cabin. But, the a/c seems to overcome the radiated heat pretty well, although in stop and go traffic the cabin will get a little warmer than I would like. Once moving, the a/c cools things down pretty well though. You do get better air flow from the a/c if you will rewire the fans as the factory wiring harness is crap and the fans don't get enough current to turn as fast as they should.
Thanks for that. Very informative. A friend of mine from Florida is interested in a Boxer, but was always hesitant about the AC issue.
Your frozen drink will probably melt, but mine works OK for Houston... Drink faster...drive faster...... I've often wished the wing windows were operable, like my '67 Firebird. Pontiac made them fixed the next year, in '68! Integrated into a single glass, actually.....
After an A/C 'tune-up' (freon charge, etc.), I can get vent temps below 40degF in my old 1975 GT4. The problem: Most of the air comes out of the center vent. It then hits the hot windshield and gets deflected over my head. I can fix this to some extent by turning the vent towards me, thus cutting off the passenger. Sun visor tipped down deflects some of the flow to my head. Add to this the 'chest warmer' - the sun glaring in thru the windshield directly on my chest. My pits and chest are totally soaked in sweat, but my forehead is nice and cool, once I get the vents aligned. Sigh.
I heard the popular upgrade for the 308 was converting to a Sanden rotary compressor. I wonder if this is what the 328 used.
That was only major reasib for me to switch from 328 to 355. I just got sweated out so much in daytime drive of 328 in TX heat, and I had to bring a towel to wipe my face during the drive! Spasso, how do you know of Sanden?? They have a plant here, and I have few golf buddies there. I told them of your post and they were pleased!
I doubt it. I have a 328 and it will keep up in Seattle, where it rarely exceeds the low 90's. But even then, it can take a while before the temps come down, after first getting into a hot car. Nothing like my old Honda or current BMW (which got comfortable very quickly). My 308 had a perfectly working AC unit (and freshly charged with R12) and it was not very good. The fan speed was slower too.
The 328 has a better a/c system than the 308s, if your system is properly charged it will keep you comfortable. My 328 will keep me comfortable not cool in 110' Vegas heat, I point the dash vents straight up to the windsheild and it deflects it back to your face, with a passenger you probably couldn't use all 3 so you would get warm. The rake of the windsheild is what creates the greenhouse effect in these cars and makes it difficult to cool.
The American issue of the 328 used a York compressor. The Euro model 328 used the rotary globe Sanden compressor. I am told the Sanden is much better performance then the York. Big enough that some owners comvert to the Euro model compressor. Sourcing the compressor is easy- the brackets are hard to find and pricey. That being said- I have a Euro 328 that I had a new compressor, new hoses, & complete service done on the system. It cools decently but compared the "normal" cars the AC is weak. But I didn't buy the car because it was the ultimate in luxury!
I have done a few of the York to Sanden conversions and the main problem is changing the a/c hoses to fit a Sanden. It is a pain to replace the hoses. After my conversion the A/C works great. It made a world of difference.
I'm up in NJ and just had my (1988 1/2) 328 hoses replaced and a new compressor fitted. On humid days the car is not cold...or even cool... but it's better than having nothing.
Well, my 88 328 has been in the shop now for 3 weeks and they are replacing the compressor and A/C clutch. This thing better be spitting ice cubes out on 100 degree days for the amount of time it's taking for them to fix it. Before the system was blowing out warm air, not even cool. Now, for what this is going to cost me, it better keep me from being in a sauna in 100 degree heat.... I am totally missing the driving season, soon i will be putting my car in storage again for the winter. No wonder Ferraris have low miles on them, they are always on a lift.... At least when i got my 30k service done, it was over the winter time, that took about 3 weeks too.... Starting to get frustrated, i want to drive the thing.....
Todd you need to start doing your own work. To put in a new compressor and pump it down and fill it up takes only a day at the most. I did mine a few years ago. Also my 30k took me a weekend to do. Get back in the car.
A local F-Specialist O/H my compressor and had it back in just a few days. Actually, I had brought in a new compressor for him to put on, but he did the overhaul for less money than the new one cost. Took it back and got a refund.
The a/c on my '84 308 is usually very cold except this time of the year with 90+ temps. I'm re-doing the carpets soon and will install insulation everywhere there is carpet. That should help.
