PlaneDriver

The green square outline is the only light. Your description of the square light sounds normal. There is no light behind the turbo icon itself.

I am slowly going about converting my '89 RX from R12 to R134a because the pulley bearing on my original compressor failed. I removed the evaporator today and took it apart to get the expansion valve out. The first thing I noticed was some weird rubber/tar gunk around one connection of the expansion valve and around where a piece of it touches a coolant line. What is this stuff? Is it necessary? I hope it wasn't put on to contain a leak. It wasn't tight on the parts so I don't think it was to fix a leak. The pictures below show what it looked like. I took the pictures after I peeled it off so it is just laying there as a representation in the pics. The new expansion valve I bought from RockAuto has different thread sizes than the original so it won't fit. It also won't fit over the pipes to seat against the O-ring. I will have to return it. It also has a third connector coming out of the top. I found this thread that says this was a feature of Hitachi A/C systems, but mine is Panasonic. I was going to get together with a local Subaru group on Saturday to work on this but I don't think I can get a new expansion valve by then. My thought is to use new O-rings and reuse the original expansion valve. It seems people frequently do this when switching to R134a from R12 with no adverse effects and I never noticed anything to think my original had problems. Thoughts on the weird gunk and reusing the expansion valve?

I know I could save a lot, but like I stated before, I don't have the time to wait for a set to arrive nor the time to fix it. If I had a second car, I definitely would do it myself. In this case, it will be cheaper to have them do it because it will be done tomorrow.

I had just started to drive to work this morning and was about 0.25 mi from home when my RX gave a shudder like it was stalling and the engine quit. I pulled over and tried to restart it and it cranked, but no start. I popped the hood and checked that the battery and alternator cables were connected and tight and that the distributor was connected. Nothing changed. I unplugged the distributor and cranked for a bit and went to smell the tailpipe to see if I smelled fuel. I couldn't. If the car is backed into a garage, I know this works, but being outside which is not a confined space may be the reason I didn't smell anything. I was out of ideas and so was my dad, who I awoke with a phone call at 0530 because I live 2 hrs ahead of my parents now. I called a repair shop recommended to me and had the car towed there. They called back in the afternoon and said they thought a timing belt had failed. This was very surprising to me because I had inspected the belts a month ago and they were in great condition. I had put them in in December 2009. The shop hadn't actually taken the covers off to check but said the distributor wasn't spinning. They started talking about it being an interference engine and I informed them it was not and they checked their books again and said I was right. They must have looked at a DOHC 1.8 engine. Most people on this site probably have more experience with EA8x engines than all the technicians at a non-Subaru shop. It will be $850 for the repair including the tow, which is hugely expensive but I don't have a spare car nor the time to wait for parts to come in and for me to install them, so I am going to let them fix it. Morals: I should have left the covers off after the work I did a month ago. I should carry a spare timing belt set and tools in the car. I should save up a lot of money if I am going to keep it as my DD (at least until I save enough to get something new so the RX is my spare).

I haven't done much on this recently because I was in the process of moving from Tucson to St. Louis. Before I left Tucson, I had the R12 evacuated from the system. Yesterday I took the AC compressor apart. The front armature came off without trouble because there is only the one hex screw. At this point I saw that the cover for the sealed pulley bearing was no longer attached to the bearing and I could take it out. Turning the armature around, I saw streaks of bearing grease that must have come out when the cover came off. With the cover off and the lubricating grease coming out, it was only a matter of time before the bearing seized. When I rotated the pulley, the ball bearings moved with the pulley and did not rotate themselves; they were just dragged along. I removed the snap ring and it took some hammering to get the pulley off. There are some indentations around the back side of the pulley at the outer diameter of the bearing. I don't have access to a press so I don't think I will be able to get the bearing out. There also appears to be damage to the magnetic coil that was behind the pulley. This is a Panasonic AC compressor. Were these compressors used with all EA-82 engines? A pull-a-part store in STL has a 92 Loyale. I am going to go this weekend and see if it has its compressor still. Damage behind pulley Bearing sealing piece Indentations behind bearing

So it looks like the compressor bearing is done for. I noticed a strange smell the past couple days when driving, with the AC on or off. It's unlike any smell I have experienced with a car before. Almost like cigarette smoke. Yesterday there was a constant rubbing noise when I was driving. I opened the hood when I stopped and noticed a little bit of smoke coming out of the three holes on the front of the compressor clutch plate. I took the belt off so the pulley no longer rotates. I didn't see a fuse labeled specifically for the AC in the fuse box. Is there one? I am moving from Tucson to St. Louis later this week so I don't have time to fix it or look for parts at a pull-a-part. I am considering just having the system evacuated and working on it in St. Louis. I found on RockAuto that I can buy a new bearing for the AC compressor. This would be an inexpensive alternative to replacing the whole thing. Is it worth trying? I would then convert it to an R134a system. Besides seals and O-rings, anything else I should replace? Edit: I had planned a few weeks ago to use a trailer and tow the car to STL. Now I won't have to drive through the desert in the summer with no AC. The pulley is also more difficult to spin now. When I replaced the belts a couple weeks ago, it spun easily, and now it does not.

I was doing some work on the car this weekend and replaced the accessory belts. The A/C compressor now runs without making a groaning noise. Must have been a belt tension problem. I should still have the system topped off with R12 because the car did not cool off much driving around this afternoon with air temps around 107F. The air was cold, but not cold enough, IMO.

I will second grossgary's comment to crossreference the part numbers on RockAuto. I ordered new pads for my RX last year and there were different part #'s for sedan and coupe. I have a coupe so I ordered those. When I went to install them, I noticed the front pads I received were much smaller than the ones on my car and couldn't be held by the calipers. They were not mistakenly labeled rear pads either. The rear pads I received were correct and smaller than the too-small front pads. I went to AutoZone to check part numbers and the AZ part #'s for coupe and sedan were the reverse of what RA had. I bought what AZ said were RX coupe front pads and they fit perfectly. I emailed RA about the incorrect labeling and they refunded me for the front pads I bought but didn't want them shipped back, so I have a new set of what apparently are RX sedan front pads I'll never need. I also wonder why the sedan has smaller pads than the coupe. So, double check with another store to be sure.

The A/C compressor on my '89 RX has started to make a groaning noise when the clutch is engaged. When the A/C is off, there is no noise. It sounds like the bearing needs lubrication. When the engine revs the groaning increases. What is the easiest way to fix this? Should I add more R12 (I don't think it was ever converted to 134 previously and I have never touched it) or is there another way to relubricate the compressor? Could it be a belt tension issue? Understandably, I would like to avoid replacing the compressor.

Does that include the EA-82T? I think the pumps are different from what I have seen listed in parts lists, but how about the seals?

The brake pads on my RX had started to squeak recently so I checked the pads and decided to replace them. I searched the forum for what other people were using and saw most used the organic pads as were OE. I went to Rock Auto and found some organic pads part #'s PD314 and PD291. The description said "Organic; Front; Coupe" and "Organic; Rear" and that they were ThermoQuiet. This car is my daily driver and I don't auto-X it or anything like that so I don't need any extra performance from the braking system. I got the shipment today and the pad boxes say "ThermoQuiet Ceramic". From what I read about the ceramic and semi-metallic pads, they are ok replacements but will wear down the disc more quickly. Should I return these ceramic pads and get some actual organic ones or should I install them and live with it?

I have searched the forum and couldn't find and threads on this, but I'm sure someone can help me. Where do I connect a hose so my boost gauge reads vacuum and boost? I looked around the engine bay and found what appeared to be the line the controls the turbo light and when I am boosting I read about 8 psi. I don't ever see any vacuum though. Can someone post a picture of where they have their vacuum/boost gauge connected? I would appreciate it very much.

Last weekend I replaced the transmission and diff fluid in my RX with Redline 75W90NS. While under the car I noticed the outer right front CV boot had cracked so I had that replaced today. Since I had a coupon for a free oil change from the shop I use, I figured I would let them do that too. I need to address to oil leaks at the front of the engine sometime. It will have to be after this semester, at least.

Is that the Extra-S you are referring to?

Not if you know where to look. http://www.fredbeansparts.com/index.php/subaru-75w90-extra-s-gear-and-transmission-quart-bottle.html