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A/C Question


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Heres my delima.

 

Im needing to replace my valve cover gaskets at some point and the stupid A/C condenser is in the way. Now this isnt my daily driver anymore and the A/C doesnt work anyways. Though the A/C doesnt blow cold the system is still pressurized so it might just need recharged with r12 which i have:grin: Now it could also get thrown back into daily use again this summer which if i had working A/c it woudl be awsome plus the fact that if the condensor is hooked up buy a belt it might help with my defrosting problems in the winter. I wouldnt have a problem removing the AC if the system was bad but because it still holds pressure it makes me believe the system is salavagable.

 

So here are the questions.

 

Even thought the AC might still work would it be more in my favor to just remove it since its mainly going to be a wheeler wagon or winter car.

 

If i decide to remove the AC since it is still pressurized what dangers might i encounter trying to remove the hoses.

 

If i do remove it would anyone like to buy it.

 

Or should i just leave it on and try to see if it will recharge. And then cut up my hands changeing the valve cover gasket.

 

Heres the system

picture.php?albumid=52&pictureid=922

Edited by The Dude Abides
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The Main Problems with the A/C are the Electric Relays... They Trend to Fail with Age... I Replaced all those Round 12V X 20 Amps Relays with Standard Bosch 12V X 40 Amps ones and Problem Solved.

Also the Slippin' Belt gives Headaches... But Fixed both Problems the A/C Works Awesome! ... and is Pretty Easy to Fix.

But This...

 

...If i decide to remove the AC since it is still pressurized what dangers might i encounter trying to remove the hoses. ...

 

...Could be Very Dangerous, 'cos if the Freon R12 Gas Leaves the Presurized System to the Atmosphere by Just Opening a Pipe and on its Fast Way Out, Touches your Skin, in Example a Finger; it could get Frozen inmediately and it could be Breaked and Lost! :eek: Also Freeing the R12 will Send Pollution that Damages the Ozone...

So if you want to Remove the A/C System from your Subie, I Kindly Suggest you to take it to a Place where the R12 can be Drained with the Proper Equipment First.

Kind Regards.

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Well... Those Old School Subaru A/C Systems are Very Long Lasting as the Car Themselves, their Problems are Related to the Relays and the Slippin' Belts.

 

So if you Leave it Like That, it could last for Long Time Charged... in that Case could it be Better Idea to let it Work Again, it is a Weekend Job and if you Need Help with the Relays Swap, you can find my Writeup About That, Full of Pictures just by Clicking on my Avatar and Follow my Writeups List.

 

The A/C Relays are Three: The Main One is inside the Car, just above the Fusible Box under the Dashboard; and Two more Relays are located in the Engine Compartment, just behind the Passenger's Strut Tower, below the Windshield.

 

By the Picture you Posted I See that you have the Rare Panasonic Compressor Setup, which is Better than the Regular Hitachi Compressor. The Hitachi goes Between the Alternator and the Power Steerin' Pump, just where yours have the Alt.

 

Kind Regards.

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Well... Those Old School Subaru A/C Systems are Very Long Lasting as the Car Themselves, their Problems are Related to the Relays and the Slippin' Belts.

 

So if you Leave it Like That, it could last for Long Time Charged... in that Case could it be Better Idea to let it Work Again, it is a Weekend Job and if you Need Help with the Relays Swap, you can find my Writeup About That, Full of Pictures just by Clicking on my Avatar and Follow my Writeups List.

 

The A/C Relays are Three: The Main One is inside the Car, just above the Fusible Box under the Dashboard; and Two more Relays are located in the Engine Compartment, just behind the Passenger's Strut Tower, below the Windshield.

 

By the Picture you Posted I See that you have the Rare Panasonic Compressor Setup, which is Better than the Regular Hitachi Compressor. The Hitachi goes Between the Alternator and the Power Steerin' Pump, just where yours have the Alt.

 

Kind Regards.

 

See mick, who needs options when you can have something rare.

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You can as Haynes suggests you can unbolt the compressor and swing it onto the side.

 

Could you get your covers off from below?

 

Years ago I had the exact same set up, and was doing an engine swap. I went ahead and had the ac evacuated- it was no charge at a shop, they only charged to fill back up. You may want to make a few phone calls either way- good luck

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I have done this job before. ou can easily unbolt the compressor (not the condensor) and move it up and out of the way. Fikx the cam cover gaskets and then put the compressor back it. It is very easy to do.

 

As far as the system is concerned, I am willing to bet the farm that all you need is some freon. Charge it up and you should be good to go.

 

Good luck

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ditto on moving the compressor out of the way. If you go to get your system up again re-post. If the charge is low the compressor will drop out on safety. You can test it by jumping across the lpdo switch and see if the compressor comes back on. If it's low - there is a reason. Squirt all the fittings and shaft seal down with soap water and see where it's going. Should raise bubbles at leak.

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If your in good graces with any wrecking yards, they have recovery units. I had made the mistake of not thinking when I had to swap my engine, and I didn't just set the compressor off to the side. I'd never in my life swapped an engine in anything in my life and just wasn't thinking just got flustered and loosened up the line and let it go, certainly not what I was expecting don't know if I had expected some sort of a check valve or what, just wasn't thinking. Anyways drove around for a year with very little residual freon in it.

Last year I finally brought it to our wrecking yard and had them pump out what little bit there was left in it. Went to Walmart and bought a R134a kit for it (bought 35.00) came with 2 bottles of R134a and an adapter kit for filling it (fittings for R12 are different size than for the R134). Took about 15 minutes, I've had good cold A/C every since. I'm 99% sure that this isn't the appropriate way to do this, but considering I had nothing to start with, but i've got good a/c now to me it was worth it.

 

Just wish I hadn't been a ********************* and not thought through the whole scenario that led up to me screwing up the ozone in the first place:mad:

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Check that the sensor that tells when the compressor is running is there and properly aligned. If it is not detecting compressor rotation then the clutch will disengage and the air won't be cold (because even though the pulley is turning the compressor is not).

 

I didn't see that sensor in the pictures. Now, my AC is the other one where the alternator is on the outside of the compressor, so I don't know where it is supposed to be on your system. But on mine it is on a bracket that goes over the belts and hangs over the compressor. The little "arms" on the compressor pulley pass by and it detects rotation magnetically.

 

I had mine come loose once while in Florida and was woried that it would be a very long trip.

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