Scoobywagon

R12 is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). R12a is a hydrocarbon and, as such, is essentially unregulated as a refrigerant. It is not corrosive in the presence of moisture like R134a. It is less flammable than R12. It is less toxic when burned than either of the other 2. Its mostly propane and butane. Its also more thermally efficient which, in some cases, leads to increased compressor life and improved fuel economy.

As a refrigerant, R12 is more efficient than R134A. That is to say it requires less refrigerant to achieve the same cooling effect. However, R12A is even more efficient than R12 and it costs about 1/3 what R12 will cost you. You don't even have to change anything in the system to make it work properly. However, the EPA generally wants to see a conversion taking place, so we usually replace the R12 fittings with R134a fittings which meets their criteria for a "conversion". Now, a lot of things have been said here, so I understand you getting confused. Let me try to clear things up for you. Your car originally shipped with R12. The EPA has gone to a lot of effort to get it out of circulation. It can still be had, but its expensive. R12 will cost you about $80/lb and, as previously mentioned, cannot be bought without a license. R134a is the newer refrigerant. It is not as efficient as R12 and that necessitates some changes in the A/C system in order to accomodate it. Converting a car from R12 to R134a is generally labor intensive and so it can be very expensive to do. But it also means that you can run R134a which costs about $30/lb rather than $80. That fact has led to the development and sale of R12a. R12a is propane-based and so is very cheap. R12a will set you back about $25/6 oz can. Which sounds very expensive until you realize that 6 oz of R12a will provide the same cooling effect as 12 oz of R12 or 16oz of R134a. Your car will require ~10oz of R12a. Since this is an older system and you're putting in a used compressor, you'll want to make sure there's plenty of oil in there. Most systems take ~4 oz of oil. We generally use oil with fluorescent dye in it because it keeps the system, particularly the compressor, lubricated and also gives us a diagnostic tool in the event of a system failure. You should DEFINITELY replace the receiver/drier. And, to elminate any confusion here, the terms receiver/drier and accumulator are somewhat interchangeable. If you go to a parts store and ask for the part by either name, they are likely to know what you want. However, to be completely correct technically, the part in your car is correctly called a receiver/drier. If this were my car, I would replace the oil in the used compressor you are getting with fresh oil. Most compressors ship new from the factory with ~2oz of oil in them. Since yours is not new, you have no way of knowing how much is in there or what condition its in. Drain it and replace it. Put the "new" compressor in place BEFORE you replace the receiver/drier. Any o rings you disturb in this process need to be inspected for flat spots or pinches. If there's even a QUESTION about one of them, replace them all. They're a few cents each and they are EXCELLENT insurance against system failure. Be very careful putting things back together so as to avoid pinching any o-rings. This is also a good time to put the other 2 oz of oil in the system. Once you've got everything put back together, pull the system down to a vacuum. When we do this kind of work, we leave the vac pump running for 20-30 minutes, then make sure it holds 30 inches of vacuum for at least 20-30 minutes. If it does, all is likely good and its time to recharge. I would recharge the system using one can of chemical dessicant (which in this case contains 4 oz of R12a) and one can of R12a. This gives you your 10 oz of refrigerant and the chemical dessicant does a good job of binding any moisture that may be left in the system and converting it to a synthetic lubricant. If you should end up with a slow leak, you can add a can of sytem seal which will help seal up any pin holes in the system and, just like the dessicant, contains 4oz of R12a. If you have any questions, by all means ask away.

No, actually, I mean R12A. Please note the "A". R12A refrigerant is cheap. I know this because I sell it in my shop. As for "flush kits", its very difficult to flush all the moisture out of a system if you then open it back up to atmo when you attach your manifold guages. Having said that, a flush kit is DEFINITELY advisable if the compressor has died and spewed little bits of itself all through the system. However, if that is the case, it becomes even MORE advisable to replace the receiver/drier as that is the FIRST place crap will accumulate.

Personally, I've never bought a Subaru because I needed a tow vehicle. Ever. They're cars. If I need to tow something, I'm MUCH more likely to use a truck even if I have to rent one. So I don't see this as a downside. Frankly, I suspect that most Subaru owners aren't using them that way so its a safe bet for Subaru.

The Metra harness will NOT plug into the stereo. It plugs into the car's harness. It then gives you all the appropriate wires in standardized colors. The harness that comes with your new stereo will also have all those wires in the same colors. No soldering required. You can definitely do it with a fist full of butt connectors. The other thing to be aware of is that some Subaru's require an antenna adapter as they don't use the standard Motorola antenna connection.

I can hook you up on the refrigerant. I'd recommend and R12A conversion. This can be done with just a regular set of manifold guages. If you go that route, I recommend also using R12A system seal which helps to seal any pin hole leaks. And, since you are reusing a receiver/drier, I also recommend an R12A chemical dessicant. These systems call for 1.74 lbs of R12 which converts to ~10 oz of R12A. The chemical dessicant will run $31.68, The system seal is $33.02. Each of those contains 4 oz of refrigerant. Technically, you'd need another can of refrigerant ($13), but you'd have to waste about 4 oz of it. On the other hand, if you replace the receiver/drier, that'll cost you about $60 or so at napa. Doing so saves you the $31.68 in dessicant and allows you to put a whole can of refrigerant in the system with out wasting. And, really, replacing the receiver/drier with a new unit is THE way to go. You need to keep moisture out of the system as much as you possibly can.

Kenwood makes a decent little entry-level unit. The KDC-MP142 should be available locally for about $100-120. You'll need a dash kit and wiring harness. These should be available at any car stereo shop between $15-20 each. All you have to do is match up the wires color for color between the harness for the stereo and the harness you bought. Remove the stereo. Mount the new stereo in the dash kit. Connect the harness and antenna to the stereo. Mount the dash kit w/ stereo where the old stereo was. Put the dash back together. If you've NEVER done this before, I'd be surprised if it took you more than an hour. Disassembling the dash is the hardest part of it.

Here's how this is likely to break down. Obviously, labor varies between shops, but it sounds like Dave's shop charges $40 labor. Which really means $40 labor plus refrigerant. An 01 Outback is going to have R134a refrigerant in it. As a rule, you can expect to pay $20-40/lb for R134a. These cars take 1.43 lbs of refrigerant. So you're really looking at between $28.60 and $57.20 for refrigerant. Also, some states and municipalities charge environmental fees on refrigerant. So, in this case, you'd be looking at up to $97.20 + tax and any applicable environmental fees. I would not recommend just adding refrigerant to a system that's not operating. It is possible that the system is already charged but won't run due to other problems. If that's the case, overcharging can lead to other problems. The ideal way to do this is to have access to an A/C machine. You recover whatever refrigerant is in the system. Pull the system down to vacuum. Make sure it holds vacuum for at least 20-30 minutes. If it does, then you can recharge and continue testing. If you want, I can give you kind of a step-by-step rundown. But it won't matter if you don't have access to the right machine. ----Edit---- Just called a couple of shops there in Denver. Looks like a lot of shops there use menu pricing for basic A/C service. Most of them are between $75-80 + $22.50/lb refrigerant. So figure $112.18 + tax. Probably out the door around $125.

You might be thinking of the ProDrive P2. I'm not sure, but I don't think this car is that one.

But I think I'm in love and I need to have one!

Just remember...you can put an AWFUL lot of maintenance into a car for what a car not will cost you. Fix it up.

An oily spot in the middle of your condenser is a good indicator of a leak. Adding oil isn't a bad idea. As Legacy777 said, it has lost some oil over time. However, I would not add more than about 2 ounces of oil as there is still some in the compressor and over-filling with oil can be a real problem since it is not compressible. It can drive up head pressures and reduce compressor life. Also, adding dye isn't a bad idea, but it is (usually) also an oil so use it as a replacement for the oil you're adding. If you want dye in the system add dye. If you want oil, add oil. Don't add both. You will find O-rings at EVERY fitting in the system. Depending on what compressor you have, there will be at least 2 and up to 4 at the compressor. There will be 1 at each end of the condenser. There will be 2-4 on the receiver/dryer. 4 at the expansion valve. There are usually some connectors under the hood between the condenser and the compressor and the reciever/dryer. Also, when you replace the condenser, make sure you also replace the reciever/dryer. They are usually about $30-40 or so and, since they provide filtration and moisture separation for the system, are some REALLY cheap insurance against a corroded A/C system. Another thought you might consider is going to R12A instead of R134A. Old R12 is usually about $80/lb. 134A is usually around $30. R12A is about $15-20/lb. It is a more efficient refrigerant than either R12 or R134A. The result of that is increased compressor life and improved fuel economy. There are also some REALLY good additives available for R12a that can seal pin-hole leaks and chemically bond with moisture to create a synthetic lubricant. Just something to think about.

What, exactly, is the mode of failure? Does it burn traces? Cook off the bakelite....what exactly dies?

If the problem is that the voltage regulator dies, that should be pretty easy to replace. Anybody got one that I can poke and prod?

I'm not sure what causes it, but it has been my observation that lamp cord also oxidizes MUCH more quickly than wire sold as speaker cable. The only theory I have on this is that speaker wire is usually sold "OFC" or Oxygen Free Copper where lamp cord is not. It may just be that lamp cord wire already has some oxidation (Lower QA standards?).

I have the appropriate adapter. If you want one, let me know. $12 + shipping.

Memphis Car Audio make a pancake sub. Its available in both 10" and 12" sizes. The 10" will fit (and play properly) in .3 cuft. Read up here. Let me know if you want one. I can either get you one or locate a local dealer for you.

Check the underhood relays. Sounds like one of them may be shot.

Yes, you can run a sub without a box so long as it is mounted to some kind of baffle. Doing so requires LOTS of power and a cheap sub is just not gonna deal with that. A pancake sub is probably a better answer, but be aware that they tend to not perform as well as a more traditional sub. Its those pesky laws of physics. Depending on what kind of music you listen to, a 6" might work. As a rule, however, I'd advise you to go with the largest possible subwoofer. It will move more air and so provide a more satisfying sound. And there are some 10" pancake subs that can fit in there.

The low pressure switch is usually in the low side somewhere near the compressor. Though as I think about it, some of these cars put the switch in or near the expansion valve. I'd have to look it up. Can't remember right off hand. If you feel the need to test the clutch, yes, you can just run a jumper to the battery. I would NOT recommend running it that way. If, for some reason, you feel it necessary to run the a/c clutch that way, then yes....you DEFINITELY need a fuse. Now, I'm going to ask the obvious question...how have you determined that you have a full charge in there?

First thing to check is the fuse for the A/C. After that, make sure that there's power at the the low pressure switch. If there is, then make sure that you get power up to the Compressor's clutch. If there's power there, but the clutch still doesn't go, then check the gap on the clutch. It may just be worn too far and the magnet can't engage.

$164???? Good LORD! Maybe its just the price diff east to west, but that's just highway robbery to me! Having said that, I'd say they are at least on the right track. Charge it, throw some dye in it, come back in a week or so. Or whenever it stops blowing cold. As has been said, the most common point of failure is the myriad of o-rings in the system. Depending on which style of compressor you have, there will be at least 1 and perhaps up to 4 on the fittings at the compressor. There will be at least 1 each for the inlet and outlet on the condenser coil. There will be at least 3 on the receiver/dryer. 2-4 at the expansion valve and 2 more at the evaporator coil. IF they are going to set about replacing o-rings, whether they replace 1 or all, make SURE that they also replace the reciever/dryer. Its usually about a $30-40 part, but its worth far more than that as insurance for your A/C system. R134a is corrosive in the presence of moisture. Since most of your A/C system is constructed of fairly thin aluminum, this will eventually result in having a convertible A/C system. Well, ok....a converted A/C system. So its important to keep that reciever/dryer in good shape. If they are going to have the system open for any reason, its probably a good idea to change it.

If somebody can sell you HID's at $70 a set, I'd say go for it. Just be VERY careful about who you get them from. The cheaper kits generally have poor quality ballasts which make for noisy electricals (noise in the stereo, for example) and reduced bulb life. The kits I sell run about $125 a set with standard ballasts, about $140 for slim ballasts.

Frankly, I think single turbo is the way to go for any street engine, Subaru or otherwise. I highly recommend the Megasquirt. And since you're running a turbo, Megaboost and Megaspark are good ideas as well.

Personally, I'd drop to a single, larger turbo just to save on some of the plumbing. Aside from that....all the usual stuff. Forged internals, perhaps a more aggressive cam grind, better engine management.