Sorry if this has been brought up before, i did try a search but came up with nuthin and was really interested and was always asked this by friends but yeah i know that in piston cars if you have your AC on while driving hard or uphill it affects your perfomance because the aircondition takes up valves? or pistons? (i ono its late -__-) but since the rotary engines doesnt have pistons or wat not does it still affect the cars perfomance? not as much as pistons cars? just as much? or even more? does just having the fan on do anything or does it have to be AC? thanks :D

 

Well when ever you are going up hill, you should have you AC/Fan's off. That can over heat your car. Your 8 will run better with no AC/Fans on streets. Its just like a Piston car.

 

In my experience, the AC certainly robs some engine power. It is not as bad as some other cars I have owned though.

 

Time for remedial shop class, boys.

Piston engines have two power take-off points, the front of the crankshaft and the rear. The rotary is the same except it is called the eccentric shaft.

The rear end of the shaft goes to the transmission, the front goes to the accessories (water pump, alternator, compressor etc). Anything taking power at the front increases the total power demand on the engine and reduces performance. Modern compressors are pretty efficient and won't impact normal driving.

 

thanks good to know :D so as i expected just like piston engines ac robs power but does just having your fan on rob power?

 

Yes it will.

 

Note also that when you exceed a certain engine load/throttle position (might be one or the other) the AC is disabled also. I think this is mentioned in the owner's manual so you may want to take a read through that also.

 

only to the extent that it pulls electricity from the alternator. That's damn little. If you're racing, it might make a difference (that's why I had an alternator disconnect switch in my '59 Plymouth Fury when I raced it every Sunday).

 

I know the AC compressor is disabled under WOT (there is a noticeable difference in the air coming out of the vents). Haven't noticed it cutting out under any other conditions yet.

If I know I'm going to take off from a dead stop I turn it off for a minute until I'm done, if I'm cruising and want to pass I don't worry about it.

 

i think its 65% throttle and up the AC cuts out.