I have a 350z and went riding around town with a couple of trans am/formulas the other night. One of them didnt run their a/c the whole time b/c he said it takes from the engines power. (the other had his girlfriend with him so he kinda had to have ac on i guess). Is this true? if so how much could it be crippling the performance of my car?
2007-08-23 09:29:15 · 23 answers · asked by tailor_harper 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
yes i do take it to the track doodle
2007-08-23 09:38:33 · update #1
Sure - it takes power to run the compressor, and that's power that never makes it to the wheels. If you have cruise control, get out on straight, level highway, and set the cruise control to 60 or 70 mph. Watch the tach, and then turn the AC on. You should see a jump of several hundred RPM. That's because your engine has to work harder to keep the car up to speed. Now turn the AC off, and watch the tach drop. It's easier for the engine to maintain speed now, so it slows down a few hundred RPM.
2007-08-23 09:34:51 · answer #1 · answered by Ralfcoder 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes this is true and it can make a huge difference.
the older the car the more it effects the power. I have stingray (vett) and when I turn the AC on it is like a 120 lb generator for a single lightbulb. I can feel a big power loss due to the old technology of the AC compressor.
In my 05 truck I still loose power but not enough to turn it of. I guess if I where to race I would turn it off first but for cruising Ill take the cold air.
2007-08-23 09:34:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, happens to me. If I need to accelerate onto a freeway, I shut the a/c down until I'm up to speed. Once you are up to speed, it is a non-problem. This mostly is an issue for older cars, but I've had it with some 4 cylinder cars as well.
Crippling your performance? You didn't notice it before, so clearly it's not crippling you. Are you out on a track or something? It's a non-problem for most driving.
2007-08-23 09:34:51 · answer #3 · answered by CarbonDated 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it can, but only minimally. It does take engine power to turn the A/C belt, which in turn spins the A/C compressor. The less power a car has, the more noticeable the drag of the A/C system is.
Good luck!
2007-08-23 09:35:58 · answer #4 · answered by Doug K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it can. In some cases, the a/c can take as much as 25hp from the motor just to turn that compressor. Also it can raise the engine temp by 30 degrees.
2007-08-23 09:34:16 · answer #5 · answered by turbocivic89 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it does. Next time you are in your 350z. After you start it up and turn your A/C on listen real good and you should be able to here/feel a little power lose.
2007-08-23 09:39:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mine reduces fuel consumption by 3 - 5 mpg (average mpg without it on is around 35). This is on a 2 litre MPV. The A/C unit takes about 3 kW (4 bhp).
2007-08-23 09:38:04 · answer #7 · answered by Michael B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if its hot out side yes, about 5-7 horse power.
if its cold no.
some people never turn it off.
it just comes one when needed.
but if it is cooling the cab ,you are using lots of energy.
the engine has finite energy and as such the total energy remaining will be reduced.
so racing with the A/C on would be dumb.
unless you fully intend to lose.
2007-08-23 13:00:37 · answer #8 · answered by gearhead 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Old model cars A/C provided with separate belt when you switch on you car A/C this will add load on your car engine,new model cars there only one belt for engine and all accessory,but it is not recommended to start A/C on high speed .
2007-08-23 09:49:36 · answer #9 · answered by NAJEEB A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it cuts horsepower 1-5% depending on size of motor
2007-08-23 09:33:40 · answer #10 · answered by James B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋