Damn air con again I'm already £1000 deep help

[iainmd]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

never experienced this, I just feel car holding back too much for my liking, and its not even the power itself but the way its delivered (lack of smoothness). Its just not the same.

Something not right there. I had my old S40 T5 for 12yrs and never felt the AC system holding back any power at all or affecting smoothness. Like has been mentioned, the manual states that the system disengages at full throttle but you won't see the dash lights change as a result. The only issue I ever has with smooth throttle response and power delivery was down to an early software map. The Volvo garage updated the ECU software after a few years and power delivery was smooth as silk from that day on.

Of course the A/C kicks in and out as required during running in auto mode. You can hear the compressor click on and off when required from outside the car. With a 220/230bhp engine with so much torque nobody should really feel any noticeable difference between AC on or off IMO. I certainly never did during any driving conditions in 12yrs.

Our 1.6D has so little power that I wouldn't give a toss if it did make any difference. It's like driving a tractor ;-)

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

The mighty placebo,

It's allllllllllllll in your mind

With all due respect to you - no, its not
I can feel when my seat is moved 1cm and when one of wheels is drop on 2psi pressure (honestly - happened few times!), same as I can feel power output affected by compressor. I am really OCD about my car (and I mean it with all seriousness) so I detect stupid things other will never notice. Its a gift and a curse in the same time... :/
(in the same time I cant feel the difference between Coke and Pepsi even if my life depended on it so, what can I say? )

ianmd - you are right in general and maybe I should clarify - its not like engaging AC makes my car violently jerking or takes half of power, no. Its the same subtle difference like when you drive with 1 extra passenger or dirty air filter or on low pressured tyres etc - technically it all is ok but its a small deviation from usual "default" you are used to. Even taking laws of physics, when compressor is engaged it does affect an engine because of the way its powered up so it MUST have some relation to the way engine works. I just probably feel it much more than you or most people

[Bendolfc]

I leave mine on auto all the time, can't stand the windows misting up which happens a few mins after turning the AC off. Got to say I've never noticed it have any impact on the drivability of the car but then it is a stinky tractor.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by Bendolfc

I leave mine on auto all the time, can't stand the windows misting up which happens a few mins after turning the AC off. Got to say I've never noticed it have any impact on the drivability of the car but then it is a stinky tractor.

totally BTW - with issue above you might need to have a look at your pollen filter and double check if carpet is not wet from whatever-reason, unless ofcourse you already know this. I can assure you that mine doesnt mist up even during rainy day but it does happen after 4 ppl get in the car with wet clothes or during torrential downpour.

[phil1968]

I seem to remember reading somewhere (probably on here) that the A/C compressor kicks on for a few seconds after the engine's started to keep the compressor drive shaft seals lubricated, irrespective of whether the A/C is switched on or not? I replaced the original condenser on mine myself about 3 years ago with genuine Volvo one, has been fine since & hasn't needed re-gassing. Just out of interest the A/C's left switched on all year round, apart from when the roof's down, because it says in the handbook that the A/C is "subdued" with the roof down but I don't see any reason for it to be on at all in that scenario.

[phil1968]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

With all due respect to you - no, its not
I can feel when my seat is moved 1cm and when one of wheels is drop on 2psi pressure (honestly - happened few times!), same as I can feel power output affected by compressor. I am really OCD about my car (and I mean it with all seriousness) so I detect stupid things other will never notice. Its a gift and a curse in the same time... :/
(in the same time I cant feel the difference between Coke and Pepsi even if my life depended on it so, what can I say? )

ianmd - you are right in general and maybe I should clarify - its not like engaging AC makes my car violently jerking or takes half of power, no. Its the same subtle difference like when you drive with 1 extra passenger or dirty air filter or on low pressured tyres etc - technically it all is ok but its a small deviation from usual "default" you are used to. Even taking laws of physics, when compressor is engaged it does affect an engine because of the way its powered up so it MUST have some relation to the way engine works. I just probably feel it much more than you or most people

I've never noticed any change in power with the A/C on in any vehicle I've ever had & I'm quite perceptive to that sort of thing as well, same as you

[phil1968]

Originally Posted by Welton

Excellent £20.00 fix up there!

Although I had my compressor replaced once this was put down to a dodgy 're-gas merchant' not adding sufficient oil to the system.

Once I found someone who knows what they're doing (not easy) I am still running with my original (2004 dated) condenser!

The one thing I do religiously is clear away the leaf debris that gets trapped between the conny and the rad, this prevents acidic corrosion on the bottom edge of the aluminium. To be fair I've not had any stone damage which is surprising given the speed at which the stones will be hit.

Oil shouldn't need to be added with a re-gas as the system doesn't consume oil the same way an engine does, the only time (a small amount of) oil needs to be added is if a component is replaced, say a condenser or receiver drier, as oil is spread thinly around the system. A complete charge of oil is required of course in the case of replacing a compressor.

[FunkyMelon]

Based on the replies LOB, I reckon it is a placebo!

If you think about something enough you can convince yourself anything is true :P

You will get a tiny loss in power as it's belt driven from the engine, but you wouldn't be able to feel it, especially since our car has a cut out at WOT, there is literally no loss of power to feel.....

If you can feel a difference then you probably have a fault somewhere, I'm like you with sounds/something feeling 'off' and can't say I've ever had this issue.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

Based on the replies LOB, I reckon it is a placebo!

..

Ah well, in that case me, Welton and everybody else who switch off AC before laptime on track must be wrong :> Also Volvo must be wrong if they implemented WOT AC cutoff feature, I wonder why they bothered if there is absolutely no difference between AC on and off...

look, lets just agree to disagree, as I said its personal preferences with AC, everyone do whatever you wish :>

on a sidenote - just for science, gonna test my 60-140kmh time with and without AC and with VIDA connected, I wonder if that compressor cutoff is visible on readout data for CCM, would be cool to actually see if my car really has it.

[FunkyMelon]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

Ah well, in that case me, Welton and everybody else who switch off AC before laptime on track must be wrong :> Also Volvo must be wrong if they implemented WOT AC cutoff feature, I wonder why they bothered if there is absolutely no difference between AC on and off...

Re-read what I wrote

There will be a bit of loss due to it being belt driven via the engine, however, you won't notice it, due to the air-con cut off on WOT which Volvo have put in to ours cars....

It's standard practise on older cars to turn it off because cut-off's weren't a thing. No longer the case it seems now.

Either way, each to their own