Problems: mileage, A/C, clicking front wheel

[swordsmanrex]

I hope someone can help me with a few problems. I recently spent almost $1000 on repairs and am not looking to spend more in the next year. I have a 97 Subaru Outback Sport Auto.

 

Problem 1: I'm only getting 250 miles to a full tank. Does this sound low to anybody? I thought I should be getting something like 300 or so. I noticed that acceleration is sluggish. Not that the transmission is slipping but it seems like there is a delayed reaction between my stepping on the accelerator and the engine.

 

Problem 2: sometimes my A/C works and most of the times it doesn't. Any particular way to check wiring on this for a newbie?

 

Problem 3: there is a clicking on my front left wheel when I do slow speed sharp turns. It doesn't happen when I drive fast or when I turn a little. By sharp turns, I mean I'm turning the wheel more than once all the way around.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[tunered]

I might help a little, the clicking is the axle, unless there is a busted boot and no grease in there replacment is the answer there, for the low milage sounds like the converter might be plugging up, for the air, does the compresser run when you turn it on? ed

[nipper]

I hope someone can help me with a few problems. I recently spent almost $1000 on repairs and am not looking to spend more in the next year. I have a 97 Subaru Outback Sport Auto.

 

Problem 1: I'm only getting 250 miles to a full tank. Does this sound low to anybody? I thought I should be getting something like 300 or so. I noticed that acceleration is sluggish. Not that the transmission is slipping but it seems like there is a delayed reaction between my stepping on the accelerator and the engine.

 

Problem 2: sometimes my A/C works and most of the times it doesn't. Any particular way to check wiring on this for a newbie?

 

Problem 3: there is a clicking on my front left wheel when I do slow speed sharp turns. It doesn't happen when I drive fast or when I turn a little. By sharp turns, I mean I'm turning the wheel more than once all the way around.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

how many miles?

 

250 is low. Can be a tired o2 sensor, can be a tuneup. Check your tires too.

 

Ac you need to have gauges thrown on it, as it may be as simple as low gas in the system and a leaky o ring.

 

last one is a cv joint, an outer in the front. look and see what condition your cv boots are in.

 

nipper

[swordsmanrex]

how many miles?

 

250 is low. Can be a tired o2 sensor, can be a tuneup. Check your tires too.

 

Ac you need to have gauges thrown on it, as it may be as simple as low gas in the system and a leaky o ring.

 

last one is a cv joint, an outer in the front. look and see what condition your cv boots are in.

 

nipper

 

My sub has 167K. Tires are new and recently balanced and rotated. I've had the check engine light on for sometime for the 02 sensor but have had it replaced and the light now turns on and off without any predictability.

 

As for the A/C, very few times it works nice but the great majority of the times it doesn't. To give an example, the other night it was cooler but decided to turn on the fan to avoid driving with the windows down. The A/C turned on and was working fine. I made sure by turning the A/C button on and off to make sure there is an actual difference in temperature and there was. It was pretty close to being frigid when it was on. The temperature outside was in the mid 70s. A few hours before that, it was working. Then the next morning, it wasn't working anymore. So it can't be the charge. Also, I recently had the compressor changed. It worked fine continuously for about a week and then now it works on and off.

 

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[Manarius]

Maybe the clutch on the compressor is worn out. I'd get another person, and turn on the A/C and if it doesn't blow out cold air when the compressor is turning, then something else is wrong.

[swordsmanrex]

Maybe the clutch on the compressor is worn out. I'd get another person, and turn on the A/C and if it doesn't blow out cold air when the compressor is turning, then something else is wrong.

 

Well, the compressor has just been replaced (one month ago) and it does work some of the time. Just these evening it started working again. For some reason it only seems to work when the weather is cooler (less than 80 degrees) otherwise it doesn't work. Any idea what this could mean?

 

Also on the clicking, could we get a concensus whether it is the cv joint or the axle. How can I check? Really guys, I don't know much but appreciate all your input. Thanks again.

[nipper]

Well, the compressor has just been replaced (one month ago) and it does work some of the time. Just these evening it started working again. For some reason it only seems to work when the weather is cooler (less than 80 degrees) otherwise it doesn't work. Any idea what this could mean?

 

Also on the clicking, could we get a concensus whether it is the cv joint or the axle. How can I check? Really guys, I don't know much but appreciate all your input. Thanks again.

 

for all intensive purposes they are the same thing. The cv joint is part of the axle. And when you replace the cv joint, you usually replace the entire assembly.

 

and i would check the pressure in ther AV system first.

 

nipper