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A/C Power issue


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Guest Sweet82

I have an 01 Forester. It has great power with the A/C off and good power with it on...but when the A/C is on and I'm accelerating or using the gas pedal, it hesitates. The hesitation is a split second hick-up, just enough to feel and real intermittent.

 

I turn off the A/C and no hesitation.

I understand that I'm going to loose power with A/C on but why does it hick-up?<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/embarassed.gif ALT=":o">

 

Glenn,

82 Hatch, off road buggy

01 Forester

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Guest remarcable

At least your car still moves when you have the AC on.

 

With the AC on when I slam the pedal to the floor, it takes about 5 seconds for ANYTHING to happen. I've never driven a car that is this unresponsive and I'm really beginning to hate my outback. It seems to be a money pit of no return and the frame squeaks when I brake or go over anything that 100% smooth pavement.

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Guest meep424

remarcable: what kind of intake are you running?

 

Ours was always sluggish when the air was hot, which made it eeven worse w/ AC. Insulating the intake made a big difference under these conditions and it was CHEAP.

 

Maybe we can help? I may even have a pic somewhere...

 

Mike

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Guest remarcable

I'm using the stock intake with the silencer removed, so it sucks in cool air from the right front fender and not the engine bay.

 

The lack of power isn't from the snorkusectomy since it only started recently. My mileage has also dropped to about 13mpg and the car is burning a quart of oil every 500 miles. My coolant also turns brown within a week after a full radiator flush. There's water in my oil.

 

I'm so ready to ditch this car but the trick is finding a sucker who doesn't know about the 2.5 time bomb.

 

The kicker is I paid cash for the car and it is all paid for so by selling it I would lose money. Not sure if losing money by selling it or losing money by replacing the engine...then the 4eat, then whatever is causing torque bind... then whatever is causing the frame and glass to creak.

 

The way I figure it the car needs about $3000 worth of parts and a new engine, and a damn 5 speed. I'm so sick of the 4eat being unpredictable it isn't even funny. Not to mention the soggy brakes the car has had since it was brand new... ever since it was new I have been able to push the brake pedal to the firewall with very little effort and when the AC cycles on the car will lurch forward several feet when the brakes lose vacuum assist. It's been to the dealer a half dozen times and they find nothing wrong with the brakes.

 

Yeah, I do drive the car rather hard but 50k miles in 4 years is pretty low mileage. Never done any stupid stuff like neutral drops or brake stands, and I change the oil and atf fluid every 5k miles.

 

Sorry to hijack this thread with my ranting but it's past the point where I enjoy driving the car, now its more like "what will break first and leave me stranded?". I walk alot more now.

 

It probably doesn't help that the two local (hour drive) subaru dealers are horrid, horrid, horrid. They couldn't repair their way out of a paper bag.

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Guest 1 Lucky Texan

Well you could look at it like this, 3K is like - what - 8-10 monthly payments on a new car. Also, if you copy/paste this thread with your problems to the SOA 'zone' guy maybe he'd arrange to have a 3rd dealer in a nearby town take a look at the vehicle - maybe hook you up with a loaner.

I am sympathetic cause I've had a vehicle that seemed to have unending problems before - the it finally setlled down.(after a lot of complaining and money).

 

Perhpas a local tecnical high school needs a project car?

 

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

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Guest Legacy777

Marc,

 

I'll feel your pain, My auto sucks, mileage is crap. I do think I can do a trans swap and fix the motor stuff, it's just that I'll need another car in the mean time. It sucks......personally....I'd probably try and bail on the car unless you really like it, or you can't get anything out of it. In that case, try and do a temp fix, or cheap fix. Then either sell it, or keep it.

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Guest meep424

marc,

 

wow! I would say that insulating the intake would help, as under partial throttle conditions the intake will heat the air inside -- you only get advantage of the cold air intake currently if there is a lot of flow -- but at cruising and city driving there is not much difference without insulation.

 

But, in your case there is obviously much more going on, and probably not worth the effort because it won't help that much...

 

How about a captain's chair in the engine Bay, and outboard motor and two pontoons? You wouldn't even need a trailer...

 

Mike

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Guest remarcable

Considering how quickly the window seals are deteriorating, I may need a life jacket next time it rains and I want to drive anywhere.

 

I bought a subaru because of their history of reliability and what I thought was excellent 4wd. Reliability? Try liability.

 

I spent 2 hours rotating tires today (insane heat - had to take breaks every 5 minutes) and I still love the car so I'm going to try and keep it. Maybe I can find an independant mechanic around here who doesn't say "Subaru? Damn those are worse to work on than Nissan. It'll cost extra hours."

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