High horsepower cars with AC

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Maybe? Probably depends upon what vehicle. The OEM should be testing for that, but who knows, there's probably an example someplace of it being a problem. Track usage is outside the "norm" for most vehicles, but the OEM's have been ramping up their testing. I recall GM going out to the desert and parking their cars in front of a brick wall and letting them idle, full electrical load, to see how they fare.

I know they used to have WOT cutout on the compressor, to keep it from dying. I recall reading one of the driving schools disabling that feature--they accepted the fact that ac repairs would be frequent.
 
It shouldn't. Carmakers do a lot of testing for exactly that kind of thing. Once in a while, testing doesn't quite reveal some things that happen in the real world- eg. the early supercharged C7 Corvettes that would get too much heat-soak in the intercooler system (I don't think air conditioning was a factor) and pull power back sooner than expected. But not very often.
 
Rig up some instrumentation and test your setup. You could try some baffles or other devices to modify or contain the flow of air. Maybe use some tufts of yarn like they used to do with airplanes years ago, put your little video camera to work and get some real time information. You might just be surprised and what you find out.
 
Not airflow, but with the AC in use you might have limited cooling effect. Vehicles towing over the Alps regularly need to turn off the AC as coolant temperatures start to rise and get out of control.
 
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Not airflow, but with the AC in use you might have limited cooling effect. Vehicles towing over the Alps regularly need to turn off the AC as coolant temperatures start to rise and get out of control.

Who would run AC at the track
spankme2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Not airflow, but with the AC in use you might have limited cooling effect. Vehicles towing over the Alps regularly need to turn off the AC as coolant temperatures start to rise and get out of control.

Who would run AC at the track
spankme2.gif



Why wouldn't you?
 
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Not airflow, but with the AC in use you might have limited cooling effect. Vehicles towing over the Alps regularly need to turn off the AC as coolant temperatures start to rise and get out of control.

Who would run AC at the track
spankme2.gif



I recall the first ZO6 turned its best Lightning Lap time with the AC on.
 
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Not airflow, but with the AC in use you might have limited cooling effect. Vehicles towing over the Alps regularly need to turn off the AC as coolant temperatures start to rise and get out of control.


Thin air reducing the efficiency of the heat exchangers? Or just high load from the grades? Or both?
 
At higher altitude there is less air to cool your radiator and condenser. Like wise there is less air to pass over the evaporator and cool the cabin. Both the engine cooling and climate control systems have to work harder.
 
I have ridden the Homestead raceway infield track in a 300C SRT8 with a professional driver with 4 people in the car, AC blasting, both rear tires smoking all the way, tach bouncing at 6200 rpm.

3 laps and we needed new tires!

No overheating at all...
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Not airflow, but with the AC in use you might have limited cooling effect. Vehicles towing over the Alps regularly need to turn off the AC as coolant temperatures start to rise and get out of control.

Who would run AC at the track
spankme2.gif



Why wouldn't you?

"There is no such thing as a free lunch". Takes HP to turn a compressor.
 
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