CSF Porsche 964 / 993 OEM+ Performance A/C Evaporator

Design & Engineering

CSF has decades of experience designing and manufacturing A/C Condensers and has leveraged that knowledge to design its first high performance Evaporator. Most factory A/C evaporators from the 80s and 90s are now outdated in both design and materials. They were originally designed for R12 refrigerant, which offered far superior performance compared to today's more environmentally friendly R134a. Even brand-new OEM evaporators are not efficient enough to provide a proper temperature differential with R134a. That's where CSF steps in.

The CSF engineers have once again applied modern design and manufacturing techniques to this classic Porsche evaporator. Working closely with Motorsport Inc as a development partner, CSF was able to test, measure, and develop the new evaporator with both old and new OE units as well as a now discontinued Griffiths evaporator for reference. Test fitting was done in the full HVAC Suitcase courtesy of the team at Motorsport Inc.

The result is an evaporator that fits perfectly, outperforms the factory system by a significant margin, and costs less than a new OEM unit. Based on testing, the CSF Evaporator fits and seals 2 times better than the factory or discontinued Griffiths units. A better seal means more airflow over the evaporator and in turn, better AC performance.

Key Differences and Improvements:

• Increased performance: Approximately 2x better performance than a brand-new OEM evaporator and much larger improvement over an oxidized and corroded unit that has been installed for some time.
• Optimized for R134a: Helps recover some of the cooling power lost in a refrigerant conversion.
• Improved Durability: More robust design and construction materials.
• Less Expensive: Around half the price of a new Genuine Porsche unit.
• Anti-Corrosive Finish: No more white flakes/dust particles from an old oxidized unit. New OE units don't come with any coating so they quickly develop oxidation and corrosion requiring replacement.

CSF vs OEM

The new 964/993 Evaporator utilizes a modern parallel-flow dual core design. Parallel-flow evaporators are far more efficient than old serpentine style designs like the OEM unit for the 964 and 993. These new cores feature CSF's Super-High Pressure Multi-Channel Microtube for Optimal Flow and Maximum Surface Area Contact.

The CSF evaporator also features an anti-corrosive powder coat finish so there is no chance of oxidation or corrosion in the future. Corrosion and oxidation are what leads to the common white flakes/dust particles that blow from the vents of the 964 and 933.

No more White Flakes

For the first ~25 years, since the introduction of the 964, the original Behr/Mahle evaporators came with an anti-corrosion coating from the factory. Over time that coating has worn down and caused evaporators to corrode and oxidize. Normally a factory replacement will buy you plenty more years of good service. However, factory clear anti-corrosive coating for the evaporators was banned in the last ~5 years due to environmental restrictions, so any new OE unit no longer comes coated from the factory.

No coating means a new OE evaporator will begin oxidizing and corroding immediately. Many owners and builders have had their A/C systems turn into snow blowers within just a few months of installing brand new OE units. This issue plagues everyone from DIY inclined owners to the most prestigious and notable Porsche restoration companies.

The CSF Evaporator was designed to solve this issue for good. The anti-corrosive powder coat finish offers the ultimate form of protection from oxidation and corrosion. Installing the CSF unit will give you the peace of mind that you won't ever have to worry about your evaporator again. If you've ever had to replace one of these, you know the value of never having to do it again. The HVAC Suitcase, which houses the evaporator, sits behind the dash and requires a significant amount of labor to remove and reinstall.

White flakes/dust Examples

CSF vs Griffiths Kuehl

Motorsport Inc was able to provide the CSF Engineering Team with a discontinued aftermarket evaporator from Griffiths. The Kuehl High Performance AC Evaporator was the go to replacement for 964 and 993 owners for many years. It offered improved A/C Performance as well as an anti-corrosive coating so owners didn't have to deal with the dreaded snow flakes. However, these were discontinued over 5 years ago and there have been no alternatives since.

The Griffiths design was definitely better than the extremely dated mechanical design used in the OE unit. However, there was still plenty of room for improvement. The Kuehl Evaporator utilized a triple pass tube and fin design. While this was more efficient than the OE serpentine tube style, the triple pass design causes more back pressure than a single pass design like the CSF Evaporator uses. This back pressure raises the temperature of the refrigerant lowering the overall efficiency.

There was also more space between each core than ideal, causing additional airflow restrictions. This empty space also reduces the overall refrigerant capacity. The CSF Engineers designed the dual cores to sit as close to each other as possible offering the best possible airflow and maximizing refrigerant capacity. CSF's Super-High Pressure Multi-Channel Microtubes also offer increased performance over the basic tube design of the Kuehl Evaporator.

Whether you are restoring a 964 or 993 to show-car condition or upgrading your weekend toy for modern comfort, CSF's OEM+/Performance A/C Evaporator is a no-brainer. No more white flakes/dust blowing out of your vents and no chance of it happening in the future. This is the best and current only solution to a proper functioning A/C system for the 964 and 993. You and your Porsche deserve the best, and CSF delivers.

Each cooler is packaged in a premium box with laser cut foam inserts. You can be confident your AC Evaporator is protected and secure as it is shipped.

If you have already upgraded the rest of your Air Conditioning system, this may be the final piece. However, if you are just starting your overhaul, this pairs perfectly with the 964 / 993 OEM+ Performance A/C Condenser (CSF #8325). Especially for anyone doing a full R134a conversion.