jtow

I heard some cars will dis-engage the a/c compressor to poll more power from the motor when you go full throttle. Does that happen in our TL's?

Thanks in advance.

-J-Tow

cM3go

Yes.

CBRTLS47

i see you have an 05 tl does this happen with the 02tl-s

ndx2

certainly does on my brother's 03 tl-s

crazymjb

Thats good cause those things suck a shit load of power. I think it is in the neighborhood of 15 Horse Power, but I am not sure.

AcidHorse

ru for real?

bluenoise

I think most cars made in the last 10-15 years do this. On some (I don't know about the TL), the compressor clutch is tied to the vacuum system. Lots of vacuum disengages the compressor.

TLOBLLC

Whoa!!!!

A supercharger will put boost in the vac system at WOT. If vac disengages the compressor, then the compressor is engaged under boost. More WHP should be found in supercharged cars by using the TPS to trigger the compressor clutch.

Someone please confirm how the compressor clutch is triggered

bluenoise

The vacuum method is very low-tech. I suspect newer cars, and boosted cars, would use a more sophisticated system, such as the computer to control the compressor.

I didn't mean to imply this is how it works on all cars.

Ron A

From the service manual, page 21-59:
NOTE: It is normal for the compressor to turn off under certain conditions, such as low idle, high engine coolant temperature, or hard acceleration.

I looked for a while but couldn't find anything about how this works or what turns off the compressor.

KJSmitty

The clutch itself is operated electrically. Whether or not the electric signal to the clutch is sent via a "vacuum sensor" or from the computer I don't know. As mentioned, I would also surmise it's computer related in todays vehicles.
Now, as for a "vacuum sensor" activated setup, I would have to say it is disengaged due to "low" vacuum rather than a high vacuum situation. At wide open throttle you get a serious drop in vacuum. At an idle and normal driving is were engine vacuum is the highest.

A supercharged engine on the other hand would/could change the whole vacuum discussion......

Either way, if one was really concerned about this you could always install your own WOT switch/relay to kill the compressor and/or alternator etc. if desired...

quake97

If the TL does this, it's a nice feature. I remember the gold old days with my '86 Buick Century when you absolutely couldn't pull out in front of someone with the A/C on.

Joe

SilverQuartzTL

FYI... a MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor is a "vacuum" sensor.

At idle vacuum is high and at WOT vacuum is low

Ytsejamr

Old days? How about me still driving my '92 Civic VX. I call it turbo boost when I switch off the AC. I can't have more than 80HP total! Though it is nice to still get 40mpg. Not for long though . . . will be getting a TL soon.

-Brian

wildchild_8635

Well just to let you in on a little something. after 6500 rpm, the compressor shuts off so that it wont explode. That's what's up. Its not to give you more power. Its a "dummy proofing" feature to keep idiots from blowing up compressors just to show off a little speed. I know I just turn off the compressor before lift off. It's common since. If you know you wanna punch it, why niot turn off the compressor?

Aegir

This is a pretty simple feature that's probably been around for as long as air conditioning in cars. I've worked on some pretty old carbureted cars that had AC cutout switches activated by the carb linkage at WOT. On computer-controlled cars, it's pretty simple to have the AC relay controlled by the computer with throttle position one of the inputs. I'd be surprised if any car made in the last two decades didn't have this (WOT AC cutout).

Aegir

Where did you learn this from? This response implies access to some detailed TL knowledge. Whatever your source was it sounds like it could be a good reference to obtain.

cM3go

I did say yes did I not?

wildchild_8635

well in that instant, I got my info from the dealership. I went back to em like a dummy to ask them if It was supposed to do that. I had somewhat of a lead foot when I first got the car. Because I was flooring it all the time. I had an acura legend before my tl and it never did that. I later learned that, the same info is in the owners manual, and on top of that, I learned that youre not supposed to make swift accelerations in a new tl. THats proly why my gas mileage is so bad now.