A/C with Superchip
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Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi Dan,
It's perfectly normal for the A/C compressor to cut out on full-throttle, many vehicles have had this "feature" since the late 70's or so. Not all of course, but many do.
It's done for a couple of reasons......early on, the initial & main reason was to prevent compressor damage from too many rpms, this was noticed mostly in Police cruisers, when they first started giving our poor law enforcement officials air conditioning in their patrol cars. It used to be common practice in many police departments for them to put labels, stickers, etc. on the dash reminding the officers to "turn off A/C before pursuit", so they'd hopefully protect the compressor, but also give them more power to chase the bad guys with.
Those have traditionally been the 2 primary reasons, for power and to protect the compressor from high rpms, and from gaining rpms very quickly when acclerating hard in first gear, for example.
Today's A/C compressors can generally take the higher rpms, etc., and so now it's mainly done to give more power on full-throttle.
If your compressor is shutting off when it shouldn't, for example, at less than full-throttle, or if it's "cycling", you may be low on R134a refrigerant, and you'll want to have your dealer give that a quick check perhaps, to make sure everything is kosher.
Good luck!
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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer
It's perfectly normal for the A/C compressor to cut out on full-throttle, many vehicles have had this "feature" since the late 70's or so. Not all of course, but many do.
It's done for a couple of reasons......early on, the initial & main reason was to prevent compressor damage from too many rpms, this was noticed mostly in Police cruisers, when they first started giving our poor law enforcement officials air conditioning in their patrol cars. It used to be common practice in many police departments for them to put labels, stickers, etc. on the dash reminding the officers to "turn off A/C before pursuit", so they'd hopefully protect the compressor, but also give them more power to chase the bad guys with.
Those have traditionally been the 2 primary reasons, for power and to protect the compressor from high rpms, and from gaining rpms very quickly when acclerating hard in first gear, for example.
Today's A/C compressors can generally take the higher rpms, etc., and so now it's mainly done to give more power on full-throttle.
If your compressor is shutting off when it shouldn't, for example, at less than full-throttle, or if it's "cycling", you may be low on R134a refrigerant, and you'll want to have your dealer give that a quick check perhaps, to make sure everything is kosher.
Good luck!
------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer
Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Dothan
A/C with Superchip
Mike T
My A/C compressor quits running momentarily when I accelerate, even moderately. Is this controlled by the computer and/or does the Superchip do this? I only really notice it when the cab is hot and the A/C is working hard to cool. I take off from a light or pass someone and the air gets warmer for a little while. I've never noticed any other Ford I've owned doing this, such as my '94 Aerostar or the '99 F-150 I had before the Supercrew.
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2001 4X2 Supercrew, 5.4L, 3.55 LS Axle LT245/75R-16D Tires Class III Towing
K&N Filter, Gibson Swept Side Exhaust, Superchip
My A/C compressor quits running momentarily when I accelerate, even moderately. Is this controlled by the computer and/or does the Superchip do this? I only really notice it when the cab is hot and the A/C is working hard to cool. I take off from a light or pass someone and the air gets warmer for a little while. I've never noticed any other Ford I've owned doing this, such as my '94 Aerostar or the '99 F-150 I had before the Supercrew.
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2001 4X2 Supercrew, 5.4L, 3.55 LS Axle LT245/75R-16D Tires Class III Towing
K&N Filter, Gibson Swept Side Exhaust, Superchip
Thread Starter
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Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi NPD69,
Glad to see you drop in on this thread to give us some feedback!
By the way, I hope you realize that when I said "poor law enforcement officials", I meant that in terms of you guys having to go without A/C for many years after most cars came with A/C, it was not meant in any disparaging way at all. We've had the pleasure of knowing a number of people in law enforcement on many levels, and here the past few years, it's been my feeling that much better performance is needed in current "patrol units", for lack of a better term.
We hear so much from law enforcement departments around the country about needing quicker 0-90 mph acceleration capability, to cut down on the length of high-speed pursuits, etc. With so many fast vehicles available straight off the showroom floor these days, sometimes law enforcement has it's hands full. It didn't used to be that way, in fact, it was almost the opposite: for a number of years, one of the hottest if not the hottest packages available from the factory were the infamous "Police Interceptor" packages, back when that really meant something, when you really did get considerably more power, etc. Personally, I'd like to see a return to that.
Thanks for your post, have fun & be safe on the job!
------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer
Glad to see you drop in on this thread to give us some feedback!
By the way, I hope you realize that when I said "poor law enforcement officials", I meant that in terms of you guys having to go without A/C for many years after most cars came with A/C, it was not meant in any disparaging way at all. We've had the pleasure of knowing a number of people in law enforcement on many levels, and here the past few years, it's been my feeling that much better performance is needed in current "patrol units", for lack of a better term.
We hear so much from law enforcement departments around the country about needing quicker 0-90 mph acceleration capability, to cut down on the length of high-speed pursuits, etc. With so many fast vehicles available straight off the showroom floor these days, sometimes law enforcement has it's hands full. It didn't used to be that way, in fact, it was almost the opposite: for a number of years, one of the hottest if not the hottest packages available from the factory were the infamous "Police Interceptor" packages, back when that really meant something, when you really did get considerably more power, etc. Personally, I'd like to see a return to that.
Thanks for your post, have fun & be safe on the job!
------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer
Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Rockwall, TX, USA
Hey NPD69,
I too am one of the "poor Police Officers" who drive a Crown Vic. I work the deep night shift and drive a 2000 model. The a/c on my car cuts waaaaaay down also when I stomp on the pedal. I think all of the Crown Vics from 96 - 00 have done that, and maybe even the Caprices from 94 - 95. Some of the guys have their new 2001 Crown Vics already, but mine is still at the shop being readied for service. I'm anxious to see the differences, if any, from 00 to 01. You're not missing much by driving a 99.
Mike,
I didn't take anything personally by the phrase. And I'm still enjoying the Superchip and AF1. I get a lot of compliments from the guys at work about how it looks under the hood. I saw a post somewhere on this site where someone had replaced all of the black wiring wrap with the blue like on the AF1 and it looked sharp! Maybe one of these days...
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2000 XLT Sport Pkg 5.4l
Oxford White Super Cab
Duals Flo-Pro Twisters
17" BFG Radial Long Trail
Superchip
Air Force One FIPK
Ford Bug Deflector
Tinted Windows
Black Westin Nerf Bars
I too am one of the "poor Police Officers" who drive a Crown Vic. I work the deep night shift and drive a 2000 model. The a/c on my car cuts waaaaaay down also when I stomp on the pedal. I think all of the Crown Vics from 96 - 00 have done that, and maybe even the Caprices from 94 - 95. Some of the guys have their new 2001 Crown Vics already, but mine is still at the shop being readied for service. I'm anxious to see the differences, if any, from 00 to 01. You're not missing much by driving a 99.
Mike,
I didn't take anything personally by the phrase. And I'm still enjoying the Superchip and AF1. I get a lot of compliments from the guys at work about how it looks under the hood. I saw a post somewhere on this site where someone had replaced all of the black wiring wrap with the blue like on the AF1 and it looked sharp! Maybe one of these days...
------------------
2000 XLT Sport Pkg 5.4l
Oxford White Super Cab
Duals Flo-Pro Twisters
17" BFG Radial Long Trail
Superchip
Air Force One FIPK
Ford Bug Deflector
Tinted Windows
Black Westin Nerf Bars
Thread Starter
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Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi Zeek,
Glad to hear you weren't offended, I wrote it thinking nobody could possibly be, but then, sometimes the written word just doesn't convey the intended perspective.
Glad to hear you're enjoying your Superchip & AF1 combo as well, they do work together rather nicely.
You're right on the money about those 9C1 police-package Caprices & Impalas having that WOT A/C cutout for the compressor as well. If memory serves, I don't think we've ever seen one (a 9C1 car)without that feature, and we've tuned a lot of them. Most of them still had a 130 mph top speed limiter, as many mulitipalities, cities, etc. specified that so they wouldn't have to spend money on higher speed-rated tires over 130 mph. So a number of departments & individuals have come to us to over the years to eliminate the top speed limiters & add power.
Most of the police-package Crown Vics also have a top speed limiter, usually at 124 mph, which we can and have removed in a number of them.
I still say that those types of vehicles should have more power, and if any ts limiter, certainly higher than 124-130 mph, but then, that's easy for me as a "citizen" to say, I have no idea of the "issues" invovled with this, if any, other than the price of higher speed rated tires. There many be plenty going on I don't have a clue about that factors in to that for various law enforcement agencies. Just as a layman, it seems to me that most in law enforcement would want what they have traditionally had up until recent years, a truly potent police package in terms of all around performance, from sheer acceleration to outright top speed to braking, handling, etc. in commensurate levels with what "the bad guys" have. Again, that's easy for me to say.
Be safe,
Glad to hear you weren't offended, I wrote it thinking nobody could possibly be, but then, sometimes the written word just doesn't convey the intended perspective.
Glad to hear you're enjoying your Superchip & AF1 combo as well, they do work together rather nicely.
You're right on the money about those 9C1 police-package Caprices & Impalas having that WOT A/C cutout for the compressor as well. If memory serves, I don't think we've ever seen one (a 9C1 car)without that feature, and we've tuned a lot of them. Most of them still had a 130 mph top speed limiter, as many mulitipalities, cities, etc. specified that so they wouldn't have to spend money on higher speed-rated tires over 130 mph. So a number of departments & individuals have come to us to over the years to eliminate the top speed limiters & add power.
Most of the police-package Crown Vics also have a top speed limiter, usually at 124 mph, which we can and have removed in a number of them.
I still say that those types of vehicles should have more power, and if any ts limiter, certainly higher than 124-130 mph, but then, that's easy for me as a "citizen" to say, I have no idea of the "issues" invovled with this, if any, other than the price of higher speed rated tires. There many be plenty going on I don't have a clue about that factors in to that for various law enforcement agencies. Just as a layman, it seems to me that most in law enforcement would want what they have traditionally had up until recent years, a truly potent police package in terms of all around performance, from sheer acceleration to outright top speed to braking, handling, etc. in commensurate levels with what "the bad guys" have. Again, that's easy for me to say.
Be safe,
Last edited by Superchips_Distributor; Jul 1, 2001 at 06:42 PM.
