losing power when a/c is on?
 

i took my car out today and it was veryyyyy hot....so i switched the a/c on and i noticed that i lost some power when it was on.....someone told me once that the SVX has a different compressor for the a/c so that you dont lose gas or power when its on....when im at a stop sign and then i accelerate the car doesnt move at first but then it goes after a second...i mean it goes but doesnt go according to how much im pressing the throttle.....also loses power when climbing hills....doesnt happen all the time but it has happened a couple times.....the ac is cold sometimes and then sometimes its not that cold.....im guessing its because its Automatic that its not the same cold air all the time and it goes with the temperature its set on....in my case its at 65 which is the lowest it goes

1. SVX manual, it recommends you put your SVX in 3-2 while climbing hills to help the motor out...and 2. Of course you lose power with AC is on, its an Accessory....thats why they make underdrive pulleys'n'****.

i do shift the automatic sometimes if i need more power....i usually shift down to 2 when going uphill.....i was just worried because i thought that might be bad for the car

It will go to the lowest acceptable gear given your current speed.
its one of those "smart cars" it wont let you hurt the tranny, unles your nuetral dropping it, i havent tried going into reverse from a 45mph roll, my jeep let me do that...muwhaha...

ok then is it bad to shift into neutral when im rolling into a red light or rolling down a hill...or when im jus crusing.....i might sound dumb but i hate driving automatic...i have a 1988 porsche 911 5 speed that im used to driving....i like being in control all the time

I hate the automatic too...its lame....such a mistake subaru, i could throw rocks at their children for putting a automatic i the svx...

All right, I think this thread needs to get back on topic.

The A/C in your SVX will always rob your "power". If you look at the drive belts on the front of your wonderful little EG33 block, you will see that one goes to the power steering and alternator, and the other goes to the A/C compressor. Both of these belts originate from the crankshaft pulley.

When you turn on your A/C, the compressor starts doing its thang. This places resistance on the belt that's driving it, thereby putting resistance on the pulley that drives the belt. This obviously makes it more difficult for your pistons to drive the crank.

And since it is more difficult for your pistons to drive the crank, you notice it and start to press on the throttle more. This increases the quantity of fuel that your car consumes in order to increase the combustion rate, effectively giving you the perception that your car is now performing the way it should be: Just like when the A/C is off.

So, yes. A/C does rob your SVX of some "power" and also increases fuel consumption (both from you pressing the throttle more, and from your engine's natural reaction to another accessory being turned).

In addition to this - the svx will disengage the AC compressor pulley upon wide open throttle acceleration to give you full power.

-heheheh... smart little car :) -sort of "defcon" mode (skiptheaccessoriesnowwearegoingtoracethatporsche) :D



/Sonny :cool: