idosubaru

How sure are you the charge volume is correct? A little low or high will cause poor output at specific conditions. When it’s running at idle how much is the ac compressor cycling on and off?

I doubt it’s flywheel as well. I’ve repaired and charged dozens of no working unknown Subaru AC systems. They seem simple and robust with few issues and very forgiving. I don’t pull vacuums and haven’t dusted off my professional grade gauges or remember where my vacuum puller is in over a decade because Subarus are so simple and easy and don’t need them. Compressor may need replaced? If it’s turning on but not cooling it seems like it almost has to be wrong charge or bad ac unit. What else could it be? Compressor is only failure I’ve seen...though I’m sure there are others. Ive always just installed used Subaru compressors and never had an issue doing that. And they’re usually like $30-$50, cheap and easy to replace. Subaru only take roughly a little over 20 ounces. Like 21 or 22. I don’t even pull a vacuum and it works fine in our miserable 90 degree 90% humidity summers

Absolutely. I do too and like and use KYBs almost exclusively on Subarus. Sorry - I didn’t mean to sound like I didn’t like them or theres no improvement. They always feel much better. I think I’m hopeful for a pre-2010 with new KYBs to feel like a newer Subaru with only 50,000 miles and factory original struts so they don’t drive quite as nice as I expect. my expectations are too high, there’s more to it than just struts.

I always felt like the cars don’t drive quite as good as I’d expect after installing new KYBs. I wondered if they weren’t quite up to OEM specs but figured it was more likely because I’m installing them on older cars. Can a 10 year old Subaru with new struts drive like a brand new one? Maybe I’ll try an OEM set one day.

Very cool, thanks. How did you figure this out?

Well done! Thanks for the pic and nugget of gold information !

A friend had 4 new struts installed on her 2004 Outback and they were complete bolt in units. I’m not picky with suspension but they were awful, they were soft and floaty. I don’t know what brand but they were complete bolt in units installed by Firestone so I think they were likely a Monroe or Gabriel. If they performed that bad new I didn’t have much hope for long term quality either.

should be well over 120. If compression is the same across all cylinders then it’s possible the measuring set up caused the low compression reading, not the engine. Device is in good condition, not leaking, fitted well, intake all open up, strong power source to turn engine over and not it’s only battery in equally horrid condition? Leak down test might be better here. Timing being screwed is possible if each cylinder is giving the same low readings.

Yes it could - vibrating under load that goes away when letting off the gas is 100% of the time inner axle joint or front diff. Front diff usually has noise associated with it (whining), axle is noiseless. You didn’t mention any noise so I assumed it was the axle. Draining the diff oil might show some swirling Apparently the axle was part of it, though you seem unsure? It took 7 or 9 axle changes to figure out the bad passengers side axle. How much confidence do we have in the drivers side?

1. Is the car lifted? How much? If it’s stock height then yes the chances of that many axles having the same symptom seems absurd. But I’ve had aftermarket axles vibrate or click on lifted Subarus but work fine on stock height Subaru. anything beyond moderate use is torture for them poor things. If it’s lifted I would wonder how high it’s lifted and 2” or more I’d be a little (maybe not a lot) suspicious 2. I would check those front control arm rear bushing *bolts* for looseness or stripped captive nuts. I’ve seen that before on 00-04 models. 3. Also while you’re there - I’ve seen those front/rear 00-04 aftermarket bushings on that same car last a year or so and tear. Shortest lives bushing I’ve seen from aftermarket cars on any Subaru part - that same bushing on 00-04 models. I’ll still use them since they’re so easy to replace and cheap. If you replaced it before symptoms and are assuming it’s good you may want to double check them. 4. how’s the front bushing on that front control arm? 5. 00-04 had rear subframe rust issues. Have you gotten a really good look at the rear subframe? I think you’re not in a rust prone area but maybe it spent time in one with a prior owner?

$10,000 hahaha - I’ll pass on that. Fuel being cut due to a bent rim, wow. What position were the bent wheels in - both front, both rear, or one front and one rear? didn’t know that was possible, forgive me for being inquisitive. How do you know this isn’t like previous times when a fix was coincidental and the issue returned? It seems odd for a bent wheel to cause limping and fuel trim issues. my 2009 has a bent wheel that can’t be balanced. No CEL and engine runs fine. have had bent wheels before though I don’t recall which model/years... So if I temporarily hang some weights on one or two of my wheels....?

Does that always mean they’re NLA forever? I’ve purchased some of the “last Subaru part in the US”, only to see them available later. I take that to mean sometimes current US supply is zero and more will be coming.

Agreed - axles are particularly prone to vibrating (no noises) at the inner joint under load - accelerating, up hill, and then it immediately goes away when letting off the gas. I think he said he swapped axles already...and is adamant they're good. If they're aftermarket - there's no telling. I"ve seen so many bad aftermarket axles, getting a few bad ones in a row would not shock me at all. It's annoying but OEM used axles are available - at yards, cars-part.com, ebay (usually pricey), etc.

I'm assuming you have no guess as to whether this is coming from the front or rear right? Did you replace both inner and outer tie rods? I'm inclined to think this is bushing related. Check front control arm bushings and make sure all the bolts are tight with no stripped captive nuts. If the steering rack bushings are shot there's often (always?) a slight delay or sloppiness in the steering, or a light noise, due to the rack shifting within the weak/nonexistent bushings. I doubt this is steering rack mounting related. No. Definitely not.

That’s gotta feel real good. Enjoy.

Agreed. I like legacy and outback’s way better too. For that effort might as well get what I want. Good luck getting it sorted.

But it’s rust free! I’d love to buy that and drive it back when I fly to Colorado in Sept. I need to look into Colorado out of state temp tag options, though most states don’t allow that. I drove back like 10 years ago and picked up some MWE axles for spares while I was there. Good stuff.

I see what you mean, yeah I’d never expect to see it again here. It’s archaic now.

Check all the clutch cable linkages underneath.

He’s in Canada and I think some industries can still get it for legacy (old) equipment in the US but it’s pricey usually here. It may be damaging on an individual basis, but large scale is different and not that simple. retrofitting every AC system in the US would be problematic and not environmentally advantageous over a slower roll out of new refrigerant. New equipment, supplies, travel, logistics, costs, manufacturing costs, and ramping up for inordinate one time production, and labor are an environmental disaster too. 134a is nice but asking companies to produce enough to retrofit every US unit in a short period of time requires manufacturing, delivery, storage, etc. and companies would have to ramp up for a huge 1-3 year supply boost and prepare for a HUGE let down when it’s all done. That’s a manufacturing and logistics nightmare. Slow phase outs and roll outs are economically viable, and imperfect but reasonable environmentally as well.

Yes sir. I’ve got the gauges just in case I need them like you. I learned on them 15 years ago and haven’t needed them/forgot about them since. But their they’re if I need to relearn the ropes like you need to right now. I’d just be asking and poking around like you.

Yeah gauges and all is beyond our need most of the time for Subarus. Your refrigerant availability may be better and/or worse than us in the US.

+1 I got a case of cans for like $5 and use two cans per Subaru. Wash rinse repeat every time.

Sounds like it’s too little. It’s cool but not cold abs the compressor cycles on and off. Id just add some more. got a left over/old cheap auto parts store cans that come with cheap simple gauges with too little-correct-over or whatever colored gauge? They work well enough to get it cold it’s always those two orings on that car. Fixed a ton of them.

Good point. I havent seen, or remember, any when pulling them apart but they may have something. If they do I don’t think they’re problematic like turbos. good luck moosens, enjoy many trouble free years and miles!