Brett Proctor
Well-known member
Been playing around with the AC system to get the best results out of it. There are no specifications for an AC unit in these cars so I played around with freon and pag oil quantities.
Checking out specs for ac systems on the web varied so going with those was a hit or miss. More of a miss than hit for an AC unit in these cars. (at least for the setup that I have).
OK lets get to it.
Compressor is out of a 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback
Condenser is out of a 2000 Honda Civic
Expansion valve is out of a 1999 Subaru Forester
Drier is from a 1999 Subaru Forester
Refrigerant is R134a
Pag oil is 100
My starting point for how much refrigerant and pag oil to add was 1.5 the amount that Subaru suggested for a 1998 Legacy
Through the testing I added and subtracted the amounts, so the final amounts are a mystery to me.
What I did for the final amount of freon to the system, I added or subtracted amounts to get the pressure readings that Subaru has listed. (since I'm using their compressor)
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback
Low pressure 19 - 36 psi @ 86*f - 95*f
High pressure 187 - 250 psi @ 86*f - 95*f
Ambient Temperatures
Static Pressure
Starting temp
Pressure reading with system running
Output Vent temp
So that's what I ended up with.
Size of the AC lines was whatever the oem lines were. Maybe if I were to do this again I would go with slightly larger lines because of the extra length they run and the added back pressure thats created in the system.
Checking out specs for ac systems on the web varied so going with those was a hit or miss. More of a miss than hit for an AC unit in these cars. (at least for the setup that I have).
OK lets get to it.
Compressor is out of a 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback
Condenser is out of a 2000 Honda Civic
Expansion valve is out of a 1999 Subaru Forester
Drier is from a 1999 Subaru Forester
Refrigerant is R134a
Pag oil is 100
My starting point for how much refrigerant and pag oil to add was 1.5 the amount that Subaru suggested for a 1998 Legacy
Through the testing I added and subtracted the amounts, so the final amounts are a mystery to me.
What I did for the final amount of freon to the system, I added or subtracted amounts to get the pressure readings that Subaru has listed. (since I'm using their compressor)
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback
Low pressure 19 - 36 psi @ 86*f - 95*f
High pressure 187 - 250 psi @ 86*f - 95*f
Ambient Temperatures
Static Pressure
Starting temp
Pressure reading with system running
Output Vent temp
So that's what I ended up with.
Size of the AC lines was whatever the oem lines were. Maybe if I were to do this again I would go with slightly larger lines because of the extra length they run and the added back pressure thats created in the system.