legacycentral bbs

Hey guys ... I hope I can get some info from you guys. The GF legacy 91 MT is having the AC compressor clicking like mad when the defroster or anything else that turns on the compressor on the engine (the thing next to the alternator ).

It has 200k miles on it and the compressor doesn't look so good likely the original unit. Given in washignton and don't always need AC but for a few weeks out of the year I figured perhaps I could just pull the thing out entirely and plug the lines. I don't know however if this will cause any other side affects...absent of reducing the car weight and reducing the load on the engine. Haven't looked at the cost of a used one which I probably can get at a local subaru yard.

Suggestions on course of action would be nice. Thank you

It's probably low on freon, and the pressure switch is switching on and off.

Probably needs to be charged up....

how much does that run? ... never recharged a unit before.

Well....it's probably still R12....which is no longer made, so the cost for just the freon is going to probably be around $50 or more, and that's if you can find a shop that still has some.

Otherwise, it'd have to be converted...which isn't too bad if you do some of the work yourself. Otherwise it can get costly.

R12 isn't that hard to come by. My Uncle took a course on A/C. He's now got like 100 or so canisters of R12 sitting in his garage. Lots of other kinds too. And I know he doesn't have the greatest finances available either.

the pressure clicking on.. the recharge.. that something I can do myself?... never added / recharged a unit before

You technically can't get r12 yourself. If you could, and had the fittings, yes you could do it yourself.