Tips for cooling down a hot car

[Smokescreen]

The Japanese method would be better if they put more emphasis on illustrating the pulling open of the door does the cooling rather the repeated slamming.

You'd look like a bit of an idiot slamming your door over and over for 8C...

 

[mjoekingz28]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
But I would guess it would be like why an economy car gets hot inside while idling in summer at redlights.


Please explain.



In some of the cars Ive driven, if The rpms get (and stay) below a certain point, AC performance is lousy and you sweat. If you sit in traffic and rev the motor or select a lower gear when riding the neighborhood streets then you get cold air.


Is this explanation satisfactory?

 

[mjoekingz28]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
The Japanese method would be better if they put more emphasis on illustrating the pulling open of the door does the cooling rather the repeated slamming.

You'd look like a bit of an idiot slamming your door over and over for 8C...




You mean the Pro Stock / Pro Street drag racing method. They do this to get tire smoke removed from the cabin. I wonder too if the flapping does any more than just letting them hang open.

 

[surfstar]

AC usually does the trick.

 

[01rangerxl]

The thing that seems to help the most for me is using sunshades.

My black truck has window vent visors, so I leave the windows cracked throughout the day with the sunshade up, and it's not too bad to get into at the end of the day. Cracking the windows is a small difference, the sunshade is a huge difference. If I forget the sunshade, the truck is HOT regardless of if the windows are open or not.

Personally, I run A/C immediately, sometimes with the driver window all the way down for a few minutes. I usually start with outside air, but put it on MAX (recirc) after giving the system a minute or so to dump the really hot air from the cabin/HVAC plenum out.

 

[bdcardinal]

I have one of the Auto Shade sun shades for my Mustang. The only bad thing is I keep forgetting to use it. I wish they made one for the side windows as the sun mostly comes in the driver's side window when I am at work. If it gets down to it, I will have the windows tinted even though Johnny Law is not a fan of it here.

 

[PeterPolyol]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I also let it idle in parking lots with the A/C on

But...but...what about the environment and the birds and snails!?
The plants will love the extra CO2 especially on a bright sunny day, the birds will love the plants growing bigger and the snails will be unaffected. And all the NOx from the VWs will be cherished by all nitrogen craving plant life. Ah science!

 

[surfstar]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I have one of the Auto Shade sun shades for my Mustang. The only bad thing is I keep forgetting to use it. I wish they made one for the side windows as the sun mostly comes in the driver's side window when I am at work. If it gets down to it, I will have the windows tinted even though Johnny Law is not a fan of it here.


I have Llumar Air 80 on my front windows. Can't tell they're tinted (78% VLT), yet "rejects 43% solar energy" and 99% UV. http://www.llumar.com/choose-a-product/automotive-window-films/clear-window-films
Highly recommended. With a quality sunshade (VW made by covercraft), my interior is much, much cooler than you'd expect for a sportwagen with tons of windows. Rear windows are tinted with Llumar CTX 35. Light, yet blocks heat well, no ill affects for night driving.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
In some of the cars Ive driven, if The rpms get (and stay) below a certain point, AC performance is lousy and you sweat. If you sit in traffic and rev the motor or select a lower gear when riding the neighborhood streets then you get cold air.

Is this explanation satisfactory?


No, you said that driving around with the compressor off at first would cool down the car faster. Then you brought up the decrease in performance at a stop as an explanation. I was referring to how these two were connected.

 

[MDettling]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
In some of the cars Ive driven, if The rpms get (and stay) below a certain point, AC performance is lousy and you sweat. If you sit in traffic and rev the motor or select a lower gear when riding the neighborhood streets then you get cold air.

Is this explanation satisfactory?


No, you said that driving around with the compressor off at first would cool down the car faster. Then you brought up the decrease in performance at a stop as an explanation. I was referring to how these two were connected.


Actually that was pretty true. My 81 Corolla had ice cold a/c when driving.

at stops, the compressor wasn't cutting in very often or for long.

I located a 'black box' under the dash, attached to the heater box.

there were 2 control pots in there.

1 is black,
1 is red,

the red one turned down allowed the compressor to kick in, and stay engaged longer, in drive, at a light.

in other words, you could control the length of the cooling cycle, how long the compressor stays off.

Btw this was at 210k miles. Good ol' R-12 and a new fan clutch.

On the Lincoln, I roll the back windows down, put it on normal a/c for a couple minutes

then hit max a/c and start rolling up the windows.

Guess the japanese method is good, if you have a few minutes to look like an OCD freak..

 

[EchoTech1945]

My cool-down method (and heat-up in winter) - remote start car, gather up everything I need, usually 2-3 minutes (unless SWMBO catches me, then 5 minutes), head out.

My car, 2012 Buick Verano, seems to have a really good "Auto" climate control, I leave it in "Auto" all the time. If it's cold or hot when started it switches to outside air and high fan for a few minutes then down to recirculate and low(er) fan speed. It does a really good job of maintaining the set temperature year round.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: EchoTech1945
My cool-down method (and heat-up in winter) - remote start car, gather up everything I need, usually 2-3 minutes (unless SWMBO catches me, then 5 minutes), head out.

My car, 2012 Buick Verano, seems to have a really good "Auto" climate control, I leave it in "Auto" all the time. If it's cold or hot when started it switches to outside air and high fan for a few minutes then down to recirculate and low(er) fan speed. It does a really good job of maintaining the set temperature year round.

My 2011 Regal works well also, but it doesn't switch to recirc on its own when in "Auto." I start my car and drive for a few minutes with windows down, then touch the "Auto" button with the temp wheels set to "LO." In moments I feel cool-to-cold air. Then I press "Recirc" and roll up the windows. My commute home is about 35 minutes, and recently, with 93 F. temps, within 10 minutes I've bumped the temp up to 65, sometimes a bit higher, because (in a short-sleeved shirt, anyway) I'm cold.

 

[KrisZ]

With Mazda I roll down the windows and let the AC rip on max and recirc. until I feel cool air coming out and I close the windows.
I let the auto climate control in the Grand Caravan take care of things, as it does it very well I find.

 

[badtlc]

High quality window tint makes all the difference.

 

[oilpsi2high]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
High quality window tint makes all the difference.


True. Unfortunately NY thinks otherwise as it is illegal.

I start the car and roll both windows down. Turn AC and Recirc on with fan on max. Roll up windows once AC starts to blow cold. Turn off recirculate once cabin starts to feel cool.

This is the best method, and also what's listed in the owners manual. Engineers know what they're doing.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Originally Posted By: badtlc
High quality window tint makes all the difference.


True. Unfortunately NY thinks otherwise as it is illegal.

I start the car and roll both windows down. Turn AC and Recirc on with fan on max. Roll up windows once AC starts to blow cold. Turn off recirculate once cabin starts to feel cool.

This is the best method, and also what's listed in the owners manual. Engineers know what they're doing.
I have found the opposite to be the best as far as recirculate. I keep a rear window cracked 2 inches so it acts like an evaporative cooler, outside air in and then back out, it pushes the hot air out. Then once cool recirculate on and windows closed, like the A/C in your house.

But this is in 115 degree heat daily, the inside of the car is literally over 180-190+ degrees.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high

High quality window tint makes all the difference. [/Engineers know what they're doing.




So it is smart that everytime I start my car the headlights come on as I turn the key. Then they go off as the starter engages. Then they come back on again as they are automatic. Then when I pull out of the driveway they go off again as it may be daylight. Sure sounds better than me flipping a switch if I can somehow determine whether I can see or now.



The space race engineers of the 1950s and 1960s did wonders for aviation and all kinds of other areas. In the 1980s - 1990s electrical engineers did wonders with EFI and the internet/electricity. Now, NOW I just think they are bored and their bosses are making them add to the plate every four years or whenever a car model gets redesigned.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Nick1994, try opening/cracking a window on EACH side of your car (RR and LR) as this could result in airflow or a breeze and may help you.



I was kind of embaressed in Phoenix in June going somewhere and having sweaty pants. Just didnt look right. Shelter makes a world of difference, but I suspect you wont be carrying around a canopy.

 

[oilpsi2high]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Originally Posted By: badtlc
High quality window tint makes all the difference.


True. Unfortunately NY thinks otherwise as it is illegal.

I start the car and roll both windows down. Turn AC and Recirc on with fan on max. Roll up windows once AC starts to blow cold. Turn off recirculate once cabin starts to feel cool.

This is the best method, and also what's listed in the owners manual. Engineers know what they're doing.
I have found the opposite to be the best as far as recirculate. I keep a rear window cracked 2 inches so it acts like an evaporative cooler, outside air in and then back out, it pushes the hot air out. Then once cool recirculate on and windows closed, like the A/C in your house.

But this is in 115 degree heat daily, the inside of the car is literally over 180-190+ degrees.


Using recirc as regular a/c is a good way to get mold in the system. I'd avoid it unless absolutely necessary for cooling.

 

[Benzadmiral]

One more tip: When you open up the car, if possible open all the doors and let some of the accumulated heat blow out; if not all 4 on a sedan, then 1 on each side. I do that when I can. On the rare occasion that I ride with someone else who usually doesn't bother to put up a sunshade or park in shade, I open the passenger door and leave it open while I stand for a few moments. The driver looks at me like he thinks I'm afraid to get into a strange car or something . . . but it's usually a bit less hot when I do climb in.