1 Lucky Texan

I did change the o-rings at the comp. Have looked-over the hoses at the crimps. Again, I had a perhaps anomalous vacuum leak, but my 'pro' didn't find anything severe so, he charged it, used dye at my suggestion. Maybe tonight or this weekend I can be more throrough looking for dye. comp may still be pulling in but, it won't be long before pressures are too low for that. It stopped cooling. $$$ is a little tight right now so, if I can find the leak, I'll repair it myself. If not, going back to the pro I guess....

several weeks ago, I gave up working on my WRX's a/c (wouldn't hold a vacuum - but I admit I may not have closed-off the center line on the manifold) and took it to a pro. He couldn't find a leak, charged it. I asked about dye and he put some in, worked for many weeks, now, it is blowing hot again. So, hoping i could spot a bad hose or leaking connection, I checked around tonight with a UV light. No 'smoking gun' really. there are small spots under and around the compressor. The low pressure port cap is bright, but I figure the tech put it back on with dye on his hands. No big blotch on a hose or near comp. or firewall connections,, didn't see anything on brief look around the condenser.... How common would a compressor failure be and could it dribble-out spots around itself?

I've read that valve lash should really be checked on a 200K+ H6, exhaust valves stretch. Checking is not too difficult, making changes to the adjustment can be brutal...

any chance you had a little water in the tank? Condensation on plug wires? maybe cracked IACV hose?

broken ring land? dropped valve guide?

you might find a used trans with half that mileage.

we test drove an element back in the early 2000s, I didn't care for the frt-to-bk 'pitching' it did. Maybe they improved them later?

original transmission? there was a recall for broken parking pawls - but starting in 2001 I think. mightbe time to check car-part.com for a trans....

DOH! , nvrmd

while you're back there, check the diff mount bushings. not long after I bought it, I had Subaru SPT 'Pinks' put on my WRX. About 3/4" lower and about twice as stiff as stock I think. Dunno if anything like that is still available....

probably a clogged evap 'drain' hose or malfunctioning/stuck evap valve. Try a search for the problem there are several threads about the issue. Locate the charcoal canister and try fueling with various hoses disconnected, you might locate the area of the problem that way.

check car-part.com for trans prices, then decide how deep into the diagnosis you want to go. Certainly not impossible for the diff to be shot, but odds are 90% axle vs 10% diff.(a very generalized statement) If I wasn't dead-certain, I'd even consider taking the inner boots off my axles to inspect the doj before condemning a diff.

exactly, low pressure sensor will prevent damage to the compressor by inhibiting operation. after vacuuming, repairs, etc. , there's usually enough pressure to satisfy the sensor when the first can of refrig. goes in. there may be 2-3 youtube videos that show the process.

a 99 anything could easily have leaked out refrigerant below the amount required to run the compressor. You may need a coupla o-rings and new schrader -type valves in the system and a re-charge. An a/c tech will have vacuum/recovery equipment and the knowledge to diagnose and fix the system. or, read here;

^^^^ good point FerG, I had something similar happen on a Toyota in the past.

were OEM hub assemblies installed? any recent work on that area of the car? maybe the brake dust shield is rubbing on the rotor?

Everything is shades of grey and black - I frequently use a flashlight underhood and sometimes under the car - more so in the garage.

I also am no expert. If there are no trouble codes, perhaps there's a very specific issue with the cruise, maybe even in the roll connector/clockspring in the steering wheel. Does the horn work? Test at different wheel positions. Bad brake switch? Some issues can 'back feed' from bad/shorted brake light sockets.......even the wiring in the boot from body to hatch.....Or, there can be transmission and other controllers besides the ECU (TCU?) that could be involved. Some cars in 2005 to 2008,9 w'ever 'era' can have poor solder joints. Or, maybe some contact cleaner sprayed on the switch with some vigorous working up/down/forward/back w.ever could help? maybe someone else will respond.

sometimes there are pending codes stored - you might scan the ECU for DTCs. A parts store can do that for you.

check for loose heat shields on that rattle.

you might look into King or Rallitek springs too.

Fresh fluid will often clean/open-up any gummy valves so, fingers crossed the issue gets better. Some folks have also had luck using a product like TransX so, you could try that on a future fill if fresh fluid doesn't help. Valvoline MaxLife DexIII/VI compatible, w'ever, auto trans fluid is what I would use. this topic does come up a lot, but most of the guys here aren't cranky most of the time so, you don't get 'as much'; "Use the search function NOOB!!!" -type responses as you might at some other forums.

I wonder if the hose to/from the IACV is loose? that will kill the ability to idle. skipped cam/crank timing 'might' behave that way....

If the present trans fluid looks pretty good, you could do a single drain/fill. That gets you about 40%+ new fluid. many folks will then drive a little, do it again, drive a little, do that a 3rd time. 3 d-f cycles get you over 80% fresh fluid. Or, do it once, maybe again next year, then do it every 2 years...? w'ver you're comfortable with. The tourque conv. holds a lot that won't reach the drain plug. There are slightly more complicated ways to to do a full change. Remeber to shift thru each gear after top-up, and check while IDLING on level ground. Also. the marks on the stick are only a few ounces apart - NOT a qt like on the eng. oil dipstick so, fill slowly. Also, fill the front diff slowly - I use a funnel that has a hose attached. For the front and rear diffs - you might check into a WalMart semi-synthetic/synth'blend' GL-5, affordable and reports are it's OK fluid. If you do the rear diff, take the FILL plug out first. Don't want to drain it and then have no way to move/drive it if the fill plug is stuck. I had to use my floor jack on a breaker-bar handle. A gear oil pump will help fill it. some cars go to their grave without getting diffs serviced. But, if you do it, probably never have to do it again.

possible clock spring/roll connector problem? try holding the horn down and turning the steering wheel - maybe it's intermittent and you'll hear a chirp - that would cinch it.