So my air conditioner is on no matter which setting I use.

I'm thinking of goin in there and installing a switch so that the compresser is always off.

I know it's always on b/c when it's warm outside, and I put it to just vent, I get cold air

 

I've got a question about a/c being on all the time. My mom was driving my truck a while ago and she noticed that if you have the regular air on with the temp gauge set to all the way cool, it feels like the a/c is on. I never noticed it before until she said anything, and then i checked it out and the air seems awfully cold for not having the a/c on. Is it just on all the time? I notice that if i turn the a/c on though you can feel the load on the engine.

 

I think its that way with almost all cars/trucks. its been like that with all of the vehicles that ive been in

 

i've never seen another vehicle that was like that. The air is just the same temp as the outside air.

 

Installing a switch tommorow

I'm sick of bad gas milage just because I want to run some heat into the truck, or because I want the windows up...

shouldn't be to hard to wire a switch in to the wires for the air conditioning electro-magnetic clutch

 

I noticed the same thing with my recently purchased 1997 4.6L ext. cab longbed.

If you set the switch to PANEL or FLOOR the a/c should not come on from what I've been told, and this seems to be true.

By the way, all other settings except for PANEL or FLOOR
will run the a/c Hope this helps.

 

let me know how that goes. I'd be interested in doing something like that myself.

 

all done

took about 5 minutes, and it seems simple as hell to do.

okay your A/C gizmo is at the bottom left. Atleast it is on my truck anyways.

So I noticed a connector with 2 wires going into the A/C magnetic clutch. All I did for now was pull the clip out, and cover the connections so they wont get dirty.

I now get normal outside temp air (the a/c is not on). Later on I'll wire in a switch or something

 

your a/c compressor only runs when the outside air is above a certain temp (I don't know the number)

these trucks all have automatic climate control installed in them (It saves money for ford) but most of us have the manual dials if you want outside air put the selector on panel and back the cold/hot dial towards hot a little until the compressor stops running.

if your compressor runs 100% of the time you have a problem and your mileage will suffer. but normally the computer will handle things and it will not hurt your mileage. having one window down with your arm out the window produces much worse drag than your a/c does!

remember the computer is set up to make things the most efficient.

 

I have over 28000 miles on my 2000 SuperCab with stock 4.6L V8, and have been tracking mileage on it for every tank since I got it. I would like to report some remarkable data.

1) I have an Extang soft Tonneau cover, which I usually have on the bed, but sometimes have gone for a tank or two without. I am fairly sure that that cover is good for 1/2 to 1 mpg. Without the cover, I get 15.5 mpg or so as the base case, about 16 with the cover

2) Without thinking about it, I will drive my truck like a mid-sized car, and expect the same acceleration. Not Jack-rabbit, rubber squealing hard starts, but I am not particularly patient, either. For the last 3 months, I have decided to always strive to keep my RPMs below 2000 except in emergencies. This forces a more leasurely acceleration to speed. This habit is good for another 1/2 to 1 mpg. These two are not strictly additive; under both effects one might get 3/4 to 1 1/4 mpg. Under these conditions, I get 16.5 or so mpg

3) Recently in Houston, they lowered the speed limits on all the freeways from 70 to 55 (no, most people do not obey them...) so I decided to try to stay below 60 mph when driving under these conditions. This has an incredible effect on mileage, to the point where I get well over 17 mpg, sometime 18 or 19 mpg. WOW! This is great! So, with a little patience, you can drastically increase your gas mileage. 2 mpg can mean 40 extra miles between fillups, or over 2 gallons saved over 350 miles. To me thats something like $2.50 a week.

Any comments?

 

I usually don't log my gas mileage and review it, but i try to take it easy when i drive just to save gas. I start out pretty slow and usually don't go above 70 on the interstate. But sometimes you gotta have fun and have a few hard starts and leave some rubber behind

 

a couple side notes on gas milage


I tossed a K&N air filter on, I noticed a difference with the K&N air filter pretty quikly. The engine seemed to rev alittle better, and I got better gas milage.

this ones my own damn fault. Hint Hint, check your tire pressure once and awhile. My fronts were 10Psi lower then they should be. My backs were 2 psi lower.

Last of all I had an exhaust system installed awhile ago. I stayed close to the stock tube size up to the muffler. and went with a straight through 1to2 setup. The dual exhaust is also very pretty. When I had the system installed I feared a loss of low end torque. Guess what? I gained low end torque. I believe the trick to it is to not lose to much back pressure. (well duh)

by the way, I went to L&N exhaust, had a custom mufler, tubes and tips installed for 408 canadian. (the muffler is pretty much the same as a magnaflow mufler, just not name brand)



heres a pic^