[motoracer51]

I'll be pulling a trailer about 10K from NY to CO. The last two trips I've gotten an average of 11MPG, but without using the A/C.

Do you think I'll see a noticeable difference in MPG's as well as power with the A/C on?

Thanks.


John

 

[ryandye]

I won't make that much of difference. I just came back from a 2400 mile trip up the CA coast and back thru Nevada. I averaged 11.6 mpg and ran the a/c nearly the entire time coming home.

 

[teamroper60]

I recently went from St. Louis to Gettysburg, PA and back towing my 5er. I ran the A/C the whole trip. I kept track of my fuel and miles and did the math when I got home... 12.1 mpg... On my previous outings with the same rig, I got 12.3 mpg. So no, the A/C shouldn't affect your fuel mileage much.

 

[powerstrokin05]

Any body watch Mythbusters?

 

[wingfoot]

I may be wrong here..but I think your compressor/air conditioner is running all the time..even in the lower temps/winter (defogger)...what actually determines compressor activity is your manual temp setting...So, running the fan is/will not make any difference in one's MPG...

A tech needs to chime in here..because I could be all wrong!

 

[Bansheechick]

[ QUOTE ]
Any body watch Mythbusters?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I did, but can't really remember.... Didn't they prove it was about the same, or better mileage with ac on because less air resistance when windows were up?

 

[zpd307]

they proved that by the actual drive test, that running the a/c uses more fuel. at one point, the testing equipment that they had plugged into the data port showed that there was no difference in fuel consumption. they then put in equal amounts of fuel into both vehicles and drove laps around a track. the vehicle running with a/c ran out of fuel sooner. i dont think it was by much, maybe a lap or two.

 

[weasel79]

Anything running off of the engine will rob horse power. Robbed horspower is mpg. It might be very minmal or it might be alot. In turn it will effect fuel mileage. Whether it is noticable or not is a different story.

 

[GregH]

It takes less than 7 horsepower to run the air conditioner. In fact, after initial startup, it's probably less than 3 horsepower.

By comparison, it takes 25 horsepower to move my car down the road at highway speed - and it's a Pontiac Sunfire.

I would think that value would be triple - or more - to move your truck with a trailer.

No,you probably won't see much of a change in mileage. You can probably offset the MPG decrease by dropping your average speed by 2mph.

 

[Casey_1]

It also takes more horsepower to push a truck down the highway with the windows open than with the windows closed. At higher speeds, like over 50 MPH, the A/C takes less horsepower to run than you lose by opening the windows.

For those that saw the Mythbusters episode where they tested this running around a small oval track at 45 MPH, they blew it. I think they revisted this myth at a higher speed an had the opposite results.

 

[jimmy]

IF the radio quits- drive it
IF the brakes are marginal- drive it carefully
IF the transmission is missing some gears- drive it easy
IF the A/C quits- CALL ROADSIDE ASSISITANCE AND PARK IT!!!
IF it runs hot towing- slow down and if that doesn't work, pull over and leave the trailer, BUT DO NOT TURN OFF THE A/C.