[Sooners]

Was not sure where to post this so I'll start here. I have been told by several of my buddies that if you are running and high speeds 90-110mph range that you should turn off your AC because the clutch in the compressor cannot keep up. The reason I ask is that on several occasions when I really got cooking on the interstate with the AC on I smelled a funny burning odor. Not horrible just very faint. It does not smell like an electrical burning odor though. Any truth to that....should you turn off the AC at high speeds?

 

[Fox Mulder]

The compressor is controlled by the ECU and will disengage at RPMs that would damage it. The engine RPM at 90-110 isn't that high (look at your tach). There is another reason for the smell and you should get it checked out.

 

[ls6gto]

Yep, the A/C compressor is shut off when you hit higher RPMs. If you have your A/C on and run through the gears to redline on an open stretch of road you will notice that the air coming in is now only outside air and not cooled air. If you were running high RPMs..that funny burning odor could just be from the exhaust. If it doesn't go away after a little while and continues after winding down and cruising for a few minutes...could be your clutch burning, or worse.

 

[yellowjacketfever]

my 04 has a on and off mode in the ecm. when i am running on cruise i can tell when the ac kicks off and on. when the car sences the affect of a pull or incline where the ecm has to accelerate it will automatically cut off the ac and put it back on. if i am doing 90 or a 100 on cruise or on foot control the compressor does not kick off or smell. only at a severe accleration it will cut off and come back on after the ecm eases back on the throttle. as far as the compressor not keeping up. i have had my 04 up to 160 with the ac on. and there was no smell anything that i saw. i have set the cruise at 130 several times and the ac works very well at those speeds. more than likely if you smell wires or something getting hot, it's coming under the dash. if it's under the hood and you smell it you had better get out your fire extingisher.

 

[Sooners]

I had a feeling that the ECU would shut off the comprressor automatically at high speeds. I'm thinking that the funny odor is exhaust as it goes away pretty quickly.....thanks guys.....