Has been seized since I bought it. Winter wasn't bad but now its hot and this car just does not blow cool air from the vents like some do.

 

Car part shows a 2001 Impreza going back to 1998 cars but 2001 forester only goes 2001-2002... Local place has both but Impreza listing brings up a $45 one, other is $65 for forester

Buy both, install one, return the other for a refund.

I would do that, except the yard has a strict 25% restocking fee. They cut me deals from time to time but they really don't like parts back

Did the pulley seize or did the hub seize?

 

If just the pulley seized then you can just pop a new compressor on and recharge it.

 

If the compressor seized internally there's a good chance the rest of the system is full of metal, which means there's a good chance the new compressor will fail quickly if you don't flush out the lines and replace the condenser and filter/drier at the very least. Take the lines off the compressor and check for metal flakes in them. Any metal at all in the system will ruin a new compressor in short order.

I'm not sure. I know the belt remements were stuck around the pulley when I got it and it had been there a while

Probably just the pulley seized. I would recommend removing the lines from the top of the compressor and checking them for any metal flakes.

Edited June 7, 20169 yr by Fairtax4me

If I open them and put them right back, it won't hurt will it?  I know the standing rule with Subaru A/C is they don't 'need' evacuated to work sufficently. But I don't want to buy a compressor till I know it's worth messing with.. I'm at 228k miles but only 10k of them are mine so it's still an unknown car really

For just a couple minutes, it won't hurt a thing. Gotta remove the compressor anyway eventually, the system will be open for longer when you do that.