Subarule

My advice: start with the least expensive fix first (if indeed this fixes it) - replace all the vacuum hoses. They get brittle and then crack if the car sits for a long spell. Or they get soft and then ballon out when the car is up & running again, making weak spots (like arteries) Another piece of advice: run Marvel Mystery Oil through the gas tank at all times. I add some every time I fill the tank.

That sounds pretty normal for the set-up you have. Just be sure you don't have any vacuum leaks.

I took the R12A back, I'm gonna' stick with R134.

I don't deal well with heat anymore, at my age. When it's hot here, it's hot. I want everything to work on the car, all the systems. If I ever decide to sell the car I don't want to be saying "this is broken, that doesn't work". I like to keep everything I own in fully-functional condition. I wish I could apply that to my body.

I guess what it comes down to is what my local automotive HVAC shop has to say. I'll call them & ask them on Monday.

I'm asking about R12A, not the old R12. Are we all talking about the same thing?

The reason I asked was, last week I bought 4 12 oz. cans of R12A at Big Lots for $8.00 apiece. I didn't know if there was any reason not to buy it as I am slowly gathering together things to get my A/C running again. It sounded like a good deal. I know I can take it back if R12A is not the way one should go with the mid-80s Subes. Opinions on R12A vs. R134?

What is a typical cost for a 12 oz. can of R12A? Thanks, Subarule

I can email you a bigger version. PM me with the email address you want it sent to. Subarule

They do come in handy. I made up business-type cards that give all the particulars about my vehicle. I just hand them to a mechanic or whoever is looking up parts for me, so they have an easy reference

I have an 86 GL carbed wagon and it does not use an O2 sensor - designed that way.

Use the VIN to tell exactly what engine you have: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=122308&highlight=decoding

I appreciate the input. I'm sure the shop checked out the electrical after the refrigerant was, trying to figure out why it wasn't working. That's all they do, electrical and HVAC, on anything that runs on an engine. They've been here forever. The original factory install of the HVAC ran great for 23-24 years. Can't expect them to last forever so I don't mind starting over, so to speak. I've found a good, respected, reliable, inexpensive (relaltively speaking) source for a compressor. Now all I have to do is figure out what brand mine is before ordering a replacement.

Thanks anyway, but I'll replace like with like. So mine is a factory installation? Subarule

When the Hitachi was coming off mine there seemed to be a jillion vac hoses associated with it. It's hell trying to find out where a leak is coming from, because there are hoses underneath the carb assembly. With a Weber those go away. Just remember those Weber kit #s when you're ready to search for one. Check here for a Weber kit: http://www.carburetion.com/weber/weberpartscarb.asp Their prices seem very good.

Thank you for the offer but I'd rather put in a new reman than starting with an unknown from a JY. I only want to have to do this once. Since I don't work on my own car I have to pay a mechanic to do so and I don't want to get into that cycle of installing & pulling, installing & pulling. Very expensive, very time-consuming, and this is my only vehicle. Just for knowledge's sake, which one (that you have) is the wrong one?

Maybe your throttle linkage is still binding up. A quick and easy thing to check out. Does it have return spring? If Colorado has strict emissions controls then you won't get away with having a Weber carb on the car during a check. Installing a Weber means getting rid of many of the emissions system's parts and your car would be deemed "illegal" during a check.

There is a kit for manual choke as well as en electric choke. K731M and K731, respectively. Those kits supply the adpaptor plate.

I got mine at http://www.redlineweber.com/carb-kits/ I bought mine a few years ago and the kits are not available there anymore but this will show which one you need and what the kit # is (universal) so you can look for them elsewhere. Just had it installed recently and it is fabulous. Everything necessary was in the kit. They are not cheap! In the meantime, sounds like you're dealing with a vacuum leak or leaks.

It's already been to a shop & been tested & diagnosed. The best electric & HVAC shop in town. I took it in to have it chargd with refrigerant. It hadn't been done or needed to be done in 23 years or so. They filled it and then discovered that the compressor was bad so they drained it. Thanks for the directions on where to look in the photo.

Giving this a bump before it falls into obscurity and hoping that mdjdc sees it.

I thought these things I copied and scanned from a book on Subarus would be helpful to some. If I have posted inappropriately please feel free to report or remove this post. You may have to get a magnifying glass to read them - these are as large as I could get them to open up here. They are larger files on my hard drive. If you want the larger files I can email them to you - they aren't huge.

I'm not a mechanic so all I can tell you is that the air coming in the vents when the AC is on is ambient-temp air, not chilled. I already know the compressor is bad. The are dozens of hoses. Which 2? Which thing is the the clutch? When you are telling me these things please bear in mind that under the hood I recognize: the battery, the coolant reservoir, the carb & air cleaner, where to check & add oil, and the radiator. After that it is all parts, wires & hoses.

Does everything electrical work?

I now have photos but I can't tell what's what in all that mess. See if you can. Where/which is the AC compressor?