so sick of losing power when a/c is on
 

Ive had my SVX since Nov of 2003 so this is my first summer with this car. Now when i drive other peoples cars i never really notice a loss of power when the a/c is on but in the SVX it is veryyyy noticeable. When i have my a/c on i usually have it in the middle on the second setting with the temp down to 65 degrees. If I am at a red light and i acclerate the car wont rev or and it will move a tiny bit then it will burst out with energy and be fine. When i turn off the a/c this never happens and the car runs normal. Why does the a/c drain so much power?

A lot of newer cars use electricity to drive the ac much like electric fans. The SVX uses an older system. It is going to suck power.

You could always just not use the ac;)

Your compressor may be bad
 

Never happens with my cars. I think the AC drain is very minimal, especially with the variable displacement compressor. Try driving a Loyale or 4 cylinder XT with the AC running if you want to feel some serious AC-related power loss.




Dave

Not much of an A/C-related power drop in my car, either. (I had a GL wagon with air; like throwing-out a @%&*ing anchor.) But I have noticed an occasional, momentary hesitation from a standing start with the air on, particularly before the engine warms-up. Is that what you mean, soobiesvx93? In my case, it doesn't strike me as a mechanical issue with the compressor.

(Is this the sort of thing the "bead crush" ECU mod is supposed to remedy?)


dcb

It's very non-noticeable on my SVX also...on my I4, V6 and H6 engines...H6 has the least noticeable issue on the AC drag....

"But I have noticed an occasional, momentary hesitation from a standing start with the air on, particularly before the engine warms-up. Is that what you mean, soobiesvx93? In my case, it doesn't strike me as a mechanical issue with the compressor."

yes that is exactly what i mean. But this is after the engine is warm. If it was cold i could understand but the engine is warm when this happens.

I thought the AC compressor was supposed to disengage under full throttle. I don't notice that happening on mine. I remember in my Im,preza that if I was flooring it I'd get a burst of warm air from the vents as the AC turned off. I never notice that happening with the SVX.

I also notice a difference in response when I manually turn off the AC before going into "b4tTl3 m0dE".

I still catch myself doing this. It's a holdover habit from the aforementioned GL wagon, in which the practice was essential to allowing the car to accelerate, period.


dcb

I am so sick of driving with "auto" on now. I can have the throttle pressed down and the damn car won't move and then all of a sudden it kicks in. Its 95 degrees here and the inside of my car is like a sauna. I got so mad i was losing power that i decided to drive with "vent" on and i was drenched in sweat when i got home. It was only a 10 minute ride. I mean its absolutley ridiculous.

If it's that bad, I'd have someone check it out.


dcb

Agreed. I don't notice any major drop in power when accelerating with the A/C on... :)

-Chike

same here. it's more of an inconvenience than a handicap.

Yeah, I agree with (absolutely no technical knowhow to back it up) getting it checked out.

When having the mechanic ride along with me to reproduce the current engine problem I am experiencing, the first thing he did when I started the car was fire on the AC as cold as it would go and as high as it would go to see if it was related to my problem. I experience no loss of power related to the running of it as far as I/we could tell.

Good luck!

I get the warm air treatment any time I floor it with the ac on.

I never really had AC before the svx, but I don't feel too much of a drop in power with it on under normal acceleration.

I think the "Power" light has to come on in order for the AC to disengage itself.



Dave