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A/C Compressor Swap ~ Has Anyone done that?


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Hi all!

 

My Weberized EA82 Wagon has always had a Good Working Air Conditioner, the only Problem it had, has been to properly engage due to electric problems; so I Had only Changed all its Relays to a Bosch standard ones (as I Explain Here) and beside that, the A/C has been Working good since the Subie was New.

 

I Really Need the A/C, Not for the Hot Weather we have here, at the Caribbean Tropics, but to Safely Drive under our Heavy Thunderstorms we have; I Need it to Keep the Windshield Clear.

 

About a Month ago, the A/C compressor Started to have a Rattle Sound that was only noticeable at idle... Specially if the engine was Just Started (Cold, in the Morning) and that rattle Sound Disappeared when engine was under Normal Driving Conditions.

 

But the Rattle Noise became Louder now... So I Believe the inner Bearings on the A/C Compressor are bad, well, it has more than 26 years of Use.

 

Here in my Country, there's no problem to Find Freon R12, but since it contaminates very Bad the Atmosphere, I Want to Retroft a Newer A/C compresor, capable to Run with R134a.

 

Does anybody already Swapped Successfully the Old A/c Compressor on their EA82 engines?

 

Mine has the Hitachi one. (The Panasonic has Different Belts Layout) So my Main Concern is the Alternator, Because it is held by the A/C Bracket.

 

Any Idea, tip and Picture will be More than Welcome!

 

Kind Regards.

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Well, if you have access to r12, then use it instead of doing all this swapping business. Seriously. Don't fuss with changing anything over. Just swap out your compressor for another one, and refill with r12.

 

For that matter just convert your current system to r134a. Just swap out your hitachi for another hitachi, replace your drier, and just use r134a with the proper oil if you really want to be "environment friendly" (read up on how to do this properly, I just paraphrased the whole process there are a few more key steps to the conversion). There is no need to change over to another compressor for r134a to work in your system. I just did this conversion and really didn't have any issues with the conversion itself but I would NOT have converted if I had access to r12. No way, no how. I would really just stick with r12 if I had the choice. Not to mention that r134a will not cool as effectively in a system designed for r12, since r134a does not dissipate heat as well as r12. So a converted system will not function the same as it did with r12 since it needs more room to disperse more heat.

 

On top of all that, if you did swap your compressor, you would have to swap all the lines as well, since all the fittings will be different. r12 and r134a do not have the same fittings, so basically your entire system will have to be swapped out in order for you to use an r134a compressor. Or a bunch of splicing has to happen to the ends to make it all compatible with each other. This is also known as too much work, for hardly any gain. Just convert your existing system over to r134a if you insist on going that route.

 

r12 is still used commercially BTW, so it's not like it's evil and it all must go away. It's also a better refrigerant compared to r134a. The government just doesn't want Joe Blow venting his r12 system to the air, and if he does, they would rather it be r134a then r12, hence the change. Both are bad for the air and environment, don't kid yourself about that :)

 

But honestly, if you evac your system correctly, replace your compressor, refill your system using your old stuff that should still be good, and top if off with r12, you are doing the world a favor by not wasting good r12!

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what he said: just use R12 properly and you're golden.

 

or - get another EA82 compressor and just convert that to 134a, that's what most folks over here do. there's little $10 kits that are basically just adapter that go over the ports so you can charge 134a into an R12 system via R12 ports. technically speaking i think 134a is a bit less efficient so they say it doesn't get quite as cold as R12 when used in older systems that weren't designed for the lesser capacity of 134a. but i think the difference isn't huge so personal preference there.

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Thanks for the Replies.

 

The Freon R12 is Plenty available here in my Country, so I Believe I'll Stay with that.

 

Now the Problem is the Compressor unit itself... it sounds really bad and the Rebuild kit isn't available.

 

A salesman at one large A/C Store here told me that they are able to Bring a Rebuild kit for that Hitachi compressor, but it will cost Much more than to Purchase a New one! :eek:

 

Our Local Junk Yards (Called here: Yonkers) Doesn't have many Subarus and the Few they Bring, are New Gen only... (They bring all their Cars & Parts from U.S.A.) ...so there's no Chance to Find a Good Workin' one around.

 

Plese, Could you Tell me if there's any "Direct" Swap Compressor?

 

I Mean, if any Nissan -or other brand- came with the same Compressor (I Wrote Nissan due to the Subaru Partnership in the 80's) that I can Just Swap and will Work the Same...

 

...Or if is there any Known A/C compressor that Will work fine with the EA82 setup?

 

Thank you for your Help.

Kind Regards

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
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Well, what's the part number for your compressor? We might be able to cross reference that number and see what else that compressor went into.

 

Checkout http://www.car-part.com/ as well. They might have someone that would be willing to ship internationally for you...

 

Or find someone that would be willing to ship an ac compressor over to you. I would ship a compressor over to you, if I got one to ship. I don't mind throwing it into a box and shipping it for you, but shipping might be a killer though. But it's an option.

 

I have a compressor off my 1990 loyale turbo, but I don't remember what setup it is. Here's a pic of my setup, sounds kinda like yours...

 

DSCF0001.jpg

 

My compressor works, but it's got 215k or so on it. But it does blow cold and I don't *think* it made any noise, but I can't find out now nor do I remember, it's been almost a year since that car ran. The car is totaled and has no engine and technically it's not mine anymore, but the new owner of the hulk would probably get rid of it with no issues, if it will work for you. LMK and I will talk to him and see what he says...

 

Other than that, you might just have to order a new compressor man, which TOTALLY sucks :-\ Let's hope we can find something for you man!

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Thank you Eulogious for your Kind Reply!

 

Well, what's the part number for your compressor? ...

 

That's a Good Question, I'll take all its Numbers tonight and post 'em here, maybe someone can help me doing the...

 

...cross reference that number and see what else that compressor went into...

 

Good Idea.

 

... I would ship a compressor over to you, if I got one to ship. I don't mind throwing it into a box and shipping it for you, but shipping might be a killer though. But it's an option...

 

Well, I have a Mailbox in Miami, Florida (USA) there's an international Mail Shipping company named "G-Box" from "Gutierrez Logistics" that gives to anyone who needs, their address in Miami and you only add your Name to it, No monthly nor yearly payments, you just pay the Fees and Shipping Costs to their Honduras Office from miami for anything that reaches onto your Mailbox.

 

That's How I Received my Weber Carb, my Special H.I.D. Kit, etc... So the USA Shipping will be only to Miami, and I Pay here the Shipping Cost from Miami to Honduras when I Pick up the Packages. That way Becomes Cheaper than a Direct international Shipping.

 

... Checkout http://www.car-part.com/ as well ...

 

I'll Do that, Thanks!

 

...I have a compressor off my 1990 loyale turbo, but I don't remember what setup it is. Here's a pic of my setup, sounds kinda like yours...

 

DSCF0001.jpg

...

 

 

Nope, yours got the Rare Setup, which have the Panasonic / Matsush¡ta (or Wynn) Brands A/C Compressor at the Right end of the Belts.

 

This is my more Common Setup, which have the Hitachi Brand Compressor Between the Alternator and the Power Steering Pump:

 

 

JesZeK-SubaruEA82AnimatedEngine.gif?t=1228797413

 

 

That Won't work, because the Problem with my Setup is that the Alternator is Held by the A/C Compressor Bracket.

 

But Thank you, I Really appreciate your offer, You're So Kind!

 

For Now, I Believe that maybe the Route I'll Take to Solve this Problem could be to Ask to a Store online to Send me Not a Complete Compressor but the Rebuild Kit for it...

 

Any information about those Hitachi compressors Rebuild Kit, or about another Compressor which can Work fine in my Wagon, will be more than Welcome.

 

Kind Regards.

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
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Found online a Couple of A/C Hitachi Compressors, Both Remanufactured:

 

Compressor.jpg

 

http://www.tomsforeign.com/p-20509-ac-compressor-subaru-loyale-85-86-87-88-89-90.aspx

 

Compressor2.jpg

 

a Close View of its Part Number:

 

20509_4_.jpg

 

But it seems to be Known as Part Nº

682-58245

 

I'll continue Searching for a Suitable Replacement from other car Brand or for its Rebuild Kit, 'cos its almost impossible to find here the Original Part.

Kind Regards.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Solved! ... Somehow...

 

The Rattle Noise that I thought the Culprit was the A/C Compressor, it turned to be a Worn Fan Clutch on the pulley driven fan.

 

Here is the Thread about that: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=127948

 

So seems like my A/C Compressor will stay there for a while...

 

It keeps Working but is Hard to Turn and rob too much Hp from the EA82, so maybe I'll Rebuild it soon anyway.

 

Kind Regards.

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