How cold should the AC be?

[jeffreyprince]

As some of you know, I'm shopping around for an 80 and I was wondering how cold the AC generally should be. I've driven a few that just don't seem to cool down. Granted, I'm in Austin and the temps are hot, but I wonder if weak AC is typical.

If so, are there ways to reduce the AC temp to super-low ranges?

 

[cruiser88]

burrr

 

[hatman406080]

My '93 is cold enough to keep you comfortable when the outside temperature is 90+.

 

[airlaird]

In Texas....I don't think most 80's can keep up. I 've installed the aux motor fan, put a functional scoop on the hood and had the A/C tuned up....it helped a bit, but the 100 degrees were' having...the 80 isn't up to it...
airlaird

 

[cary]

I would call the 80 A/C marginal to acceptable. On the highway, even in 100f weather it works great. At lower speeds, especially stop and go driving or idling, it doesn't work so wonderfully. It will cool the car (barely when idling) but it is not like the newer BMW or Mercedes AC that you can freeze meat with.

 

[sonoranfun]

Mine would get as low as 29 degrees at the vents in 80-90 degree weather on the interstate and it would go up to about 40 city driving... With the temps at 105 this all changes, I would say 40-50 on the cool end if I'm lucky and 60ish in the city.. This isn't enough even with DARK tint to keep anybody in the rear cool.. Every summer I wanna sell the Cruiser for a Suburban just to enjoy dual AC...

 

[flintknapper]

In Texas....I don't think most 80's can keep up. I 've installed the aux motor fan, put a functional scoop on the hood and had the A/C tuned up....it helped a bit, but the 100 degrees were' having...the 80 isn't up to it...
airlaird

I concur.

I believe its generally accepted (in really hot regions), that at idle or low speeds.. the A/C basically sucks. Once you get up to highway speed though.. it is more than adequate.

If there is one thing about my Cruiser that I am truly disappointed with, its the A/C.

 

[haulin79]

In addition to a good working AC, I recommend tinted windows. But I guess that is already assumed for TX.

 

[landtank]

on a 90* day a few weeks ago I recorded 52* vent temps while idling in the sun in my driveway.

On a highway drive this past Friday in near 100* heat it was uncomfortably cold, unfortunately I didn't have a thermometer with me.

 

[Parvot]

Ac

I just had my AC recharged for a RHD81, it was set at 34F.

 

[medtro]

Mine would get as low as 29 degrees at the vents in 80-90 degree weather on the interstate and it would go up to about 40 city driving... With the temps at 105 this all changes, I would say 40-50 on the cool end if I'm lucky and 60ish in the city.. This isn't enough even with DARK tint to keep anybody in the rear cool.. Every summer I wanna sell the Cruiser for a Suburban just to enjoy dual AC...

I am surprised your system is not frozen at 29F. What kind of thermometer are you using?

 

[Kalawang]

I concur.

I believe its generally accepted (in really hot regions), that at idle or low speeds.. the A/C basically sucks. Once you get up to highway speed though.. it is more than adequate.

If there is one thing about my Cruiser that I am truly disappointed with, its the A/C.

I disagree.

I get very good cooling even on very hot days if I drive with the windows closed, and we run above 80 most days except in the rainy season.


Kalawang

 

[SLC-Joe]

I just relocated to the desert and the 100+ was roasting me. The AC was trying but all that glass was more than it could keep cool. I just had the windows tinted last week with best metalic tint I could find (metalic tint blocks out heat) and now the AC is fine.

 

[flintknapper]

I disagree.

I get very good cooling even on very hot days if I drive with the windows closed, and we run above 80 most days except in the rainy season.


Kalawang

I'm glad to hear someone is comfortable. I don't know what your average (hot season) temps. are, but your "above 80 most days" is the level where we start to talk about how cool it is.

I live in East Texas, so we get to enjoy the stifling humidity as well.

 

[LoneStar]

I am a Dallas native, 104 this afternoon, and I am always comfortable. I don't have back seat passengers that often, but the front seat area is cool. I will probably have the front windows tinted soon as they are too light. A new fan clutch made a difference in AC cooling. I have the auto climate control and after the new clutch I had to adjust the temperature up 4-5 degrees to keep the temp the same as before. In the 100k I have had the vehicle I don't believe freon has ever been added. I have convered parking at work and I always use a reflective sunscreen if I park outdoors. Those both make a big difference.

 

[Bob_Garrett]

About 95F here today. On the highway, the outlet temp is around 48F, but sitting still it will climb up to 55-58F. The truck is in the garage at home and is parked in a parking garage at work and under those conditions, the AC is ok. Parked it in the sun for about 3 hours today and took about 10min of driving to get the outlet temps below 70F.

I just had the front side windows tinted with a metallic film that is supposed to reflect up to 55% of the heat. It does seem more comfortable, especially in the late afternoon. I just bought a 14" electric aux fan to put in front of the condenser to see if I can improve the AC performance.

 

[Dansan]

I lived in Chicago for 3 years and the balance in LA with my 95 LC. I notice that when I go back to Chicago in the summer, the AC feels more effective, possibly because its cooling very humid air.

In LA when its over 100, its very hard to cool any car that's also soaking in the sun. I can't rate the AC worse than any other vehicles I've been in, except perhaps some domestic trucks. Domestic vehicles have always seemed to me to have better heating and cooling than non-domestic.

 

[rgsiii]

Both of mine are capable of making it uncomfortably cold on any day in the Mississaippi delta. Windows are tinted.

 

[cary]

Well I threw my thermometer on mine today driving around on the freeway trying to get my 2yo son to fall asleep. It was right at 100f, about 25% humidity, 65mph, A/C on next to highest fan speed in recirc mode, was running right around 44-46F temp output. (1996 model).

Now the interesting part. My bike was in the back, and has a thermometor on its computer. It was about 12" from the roof, 12" from the rear of the car and about 6" from the side windown in the shade. After 1.5 hours of driving around, it was reading 92f. Basically, if you are sitting in the 3rd row, you get toasty, no matter what.

 

[Razorshock]

Very happy with mine. I think the key is highway versus in-town driving. Yesterday we were mid to high 90's with humid conditions and on a 25 minute highway trip I was asked by the 2nd row passengers to please turn the A/C down as they were getting too cold!