does a car AC use gas?

[5489]

i've heard that it does, and that it doesnt

 

[Pilsnerpete]

your mpg will definitely go down.

 

[bunker]

Not directly.

The ac is powered by a pump that puts an extra burden on your engine which can cause the engine to use more gas.

 

[iamwiz82]

well, the tooth fairy isnt uner your hood cranking the AC compressor by hand

 

[Quixfire]

Yes it does, most modern cars use a gas called R134a, but older vehicles, pre1993, use R12.

Does this answer your question?

 

[Encryptic]

The A/C itself doesn't run off gasoline. It runs off a belt connected to the engine, but takes power away from the wheels to run it. Hence the lower gas mileage if you run your A/C a lot while driving.

 

[Pilsnerpete]

You will also notice a slight decrease in horsepower.

 

[MegaloManiaK]

If you have a newer car riding with the windows up and AC on will give you a better MPG than the AC off and windows down. At least thats what my internet told me once.

 

[Confused]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
Yes it does, most modern cars use a gas called R134a, but older vehicles, pre1993, use R12.

Does this answer your question?

I saw the best registration plate on a Lotus Elise a couple of years ago: R12 GAS

Owner must have thought he had a cool car


Confused

 

[busmaster11]

Originally posted by: MegaloManiaK
If you have a newer car riding with the windows up and AC on will give you a better MPG than the AC off and windows down. At least thats what my internet told me once.

You have an internet? I want one!

 

[busmaster11]

Also, I heard that you can't control how much AC your car produces, only how much of it goes into your cabin, so if you're going to use the AC, turn the red/blue knob all the way toward blue.

 

[Ranger X]

I thought it was MY internet.

 

[Mr N8]

No, its Al Gore's internet.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: busmaster11

Originally posted by: MegaloManiaK
If you have a newer car riding with the windows up and AC on will give you a better MPG than the AC off and windows down. At least thats what my internet told me once.

You have an internet? I want one!

I have *two* of them!

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: busmaster11

Originally posted by: MegaloManiaK
If you have a newer car riding with the windows up and AC on will give you a better MPG than the AC off and windows down. At least thats what my internet told me once.

You have an internet? I want one!

I have a copy on diskette that I could send you.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: busmaster11
Also, I heard that you can't control how much AC your car produces, only how much of it goes into your cabin, so if you're going to use the AC, turn the red/blue knob all the way toward blue.

The compressor will just run more or less depending on where you set the temp, but the AC can't produce any specific temperature...this is the case with pretty much any heating or cooling system

 

[Rob9874]

I heard that AC only has a 10% effect on your mph. The wind drag from driving with your windows down is something like 8%. So it's not worth it to go windows down over AC.

 

[Bryan]

Originally posted by: Cyberian

Originally posted by: busmaster11

Originally posted by: MegaloManiaK If you have a newer car riding with the windows up and AC on will give you a better MPG than the AC off and windows down. At least thats what my internet told me once.

You have an internet? I want one!

I have a copy on diskette that I could send you.

Don't copy that floppy!

 

[Pilsnerpete]

You get the most power though with the AC off and the windows up. Not recommended if you have small animals or children in the car with you.

 

[Ime]

That's strange about the A/C sapping power, I've never noticed it.

In fact, I used to have a '98 Firebird, and whenever I floored it from a dead stop I'd actually stop getting cold air for a little while, as if the compressor was cut off.

Was I dreaming, or was the engine turning the compressor off doing heavy acceleration?

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: Ime
That's strange about the A/C sapping power, I've never noticed it.

In fact, I used to have a '98 Firebird, and whenever I floored it from a dead stop I'd actually stop getting cold air for a little while, as if the compressor was cut off.

Was I dreaming, or was the engine turning the compressor off doing heavy acceleration?

You weren't dreaming.

You needed the horsepower for acelleration, so the car turned off the compressor to get that power to the wheels instead of going to refrigerant.

 

[isaacmacdonald]

Originally posted by: Rob9874
I heard that AC only has a 10% effect on your mph. The wind drag from driving with your windows down is something like 8%. So it's not worth it to go windows down over AC.

mph? I assume you mean mpg... but that seems a bit excessive from my experience. I certainly haven't noticed a 10% decrease in summertime versus spring or fall. I would guesstimate a maximum difference of ~4% @ 24mpg (altima).

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Ime
That's strange about the A/C sapping power, I've never noticed it.

In fact, I used to have a '98 Firebird, and whenever I floored it from a dead stop I'd actually stop getting cold air for a little while, as if the compressor was cut off.

Was I dreaming, or was the engine turning the compressor off doing heavy acceleration?

Mustangs do the same thing.

 

[kami333]

Turn on the vent, if you're going past 60mph you'll get a nice breeze.

Or get a rally roof vent, I've heard those are nice

 

[Shantanu]

Originally posted by: Ime
That's strange about the A/C sapping power, I've never noticed it.

In fact, I used to have a '98 Firebird, and whenever I floored it from a dead stop I'd actually stop getting cold air for a little while, as if the compressor was cut off.

Was I dreaming, or was the engine turning the compressor off doing heavy acceleration?

Well, if an air conditioner uses X amount of power, then that amount is relatively small for a car with lots of power like the Firebird.

With my '97 Toyota Camry LE fourbanger, the change in the car's pickup was very noticeable when turning the AC on or off.