Its getting hot
 

as summer fast approces i would like some opinions on how to stay cool with out the a/c. 4 windows and a sun roof is what i have to work with. Under 45 i have the front windows down. over 45 i have just the sun roof open. I started hypermiling in the winter so idk what to do.

Switch the AC over to vent mode. It will blow air in without using any power other than a little electricity for the fan. It's much better than the AC. What I'm going to do once summer hits though is to be decided. I'm thinking about seeing what I can do about finding a vortex area near the front of the car where I might be able to build an aerodynamic vent to funnel more air in.

while you are on what is the speed u drive at on the highway to get those amazing #s

Summer
 

If Summers in Nebraska are anything like Kansas, you almost have to use the A/C or bake.

I modulate the A/C use manually by pressing the button on/off when it get comfortable and then too humid -- but I try to tolerate it as best as possible until the cabin gets too warm.

Rolling down the windows at speed isn't good on aerodynamics, so some tricks would be to get a water mister with plug-in fan, ice-chest and fan for long trips, or just roast. The 'Teg can hold on to a charge of cool air for about 2-minutes of EOC-coasting or sitting (full-blower, recirc).

Climates like the Plains States are just harsh for FE: bitter cold in Winter, Hot and Humid in the summer.

I drive about 52 mph. But here it's always hot out, the ground is flat as a board, and I'm always being passed. I also put acetone into the gas tank which does make a difference on my car because the car isn't maintained very well and has alot of crap built up inside of the tank and engine. My tires are very overinflated, I never use AC, I use premium fuel (makes a difference on this car), and only drive it when it's too far to bike. Also, the Green Machine is a DX and yours is an EX. Your car eats more gas and has more power and torque.

To be honest, the mileage doesn't seem possible to me, but it's happening. There must be something "wrong" with my engine. The car acts funny, feels like I'm driving on a dirt road when I idle, and the maintenance light comes on about once per month. Until it stops running or my FE drops, I'm not getting it looked at.

thanks for some of the tips im tryin really hard to get 30 so i hope this helps

I would think that the sunroof would be more of an aero liability then just cracking the windows. Need to do so FE testing on that. Crack the drivers side window and the opposite rear window. It will create a cross draft and with the fan it will make it manageable. Or treat it like a bike commute and were shorts and a T-shirt and shower when you get there:)

You haven't even gotten above 30 yet? You can do much better with your car. It takes practice, but you need to try to hold a constant speed on flat ground. In the event of a hill (better known as a bridge in Florida), I've found that it's best to just keep your foot steady on the way up if it's a short hill and let the car slow down. Pick up speed again slowly at the top or on the way back down. With the slushbox in the Accords, when you're accelerating even slowly, your RPM's go up about 400 RPM's. As soon as you start to coast at a steady speed, it drops to around 2000 at 52 mph (I think, but I'm not certain about the exact RPM since my speedometer and RPM guages tend to get stuck and skip around).

yeah i started in the winter so i think thats a big part of it. i usaly cruse at exactly 2500 rpm at 58mph. i never go over 4k rpm or 65 a whoal tank. Hills are a huge factor here it does say nebraska but i live on bluffs that have big elevation changes. by the way to u eoc or just normal driving. and i did see something about a extra cat. i think thats somthing i would lookinto b/c i drive 50 miles ++ a day and i feel bad about the poluting

Window tint! I can't even explain to you of how well it keeps a car cool. Utterly amazing stuff.

yeah im really considering it myself what % do u guys have?

Mine is particularly dark. Very close to 100% blockage (you can only see in my car with your face right up to the rear window). I don't see why anyone would want anything less dark if you're going to go through the trouble of tinting.

any one know that link that shows how much it cost to drive per mile i forgot to save the page

Oh yeah, I also forgot about the fact that I have pretty dark tint. I do EOC, but not very often because of the fact that I can't bump start like I would be able to do with a stick and there are no hills to coast down. I only EOC in a few places where I live where I know of routinely long lights. I also EOC down a bridge in my area and about 1.5 miles down the road. People always get pissed at me at the end of that EOC when I'm about to make my left. By the time I get to there I'm going about 30 mph in a 45 in the fast lane.

how many miles do u get on a tank im getting around 400 b4 the light stays lit

Need to check your state laws. In Texas 30% darkness for non reflective is the darkest you can use.

Don't know. I bike most of the time and only need to fill up for trips which normally are 120-150 miles each way. I do alot of business on the other side of the state and need to drive over there at least once a month it seems.

I just fill it up when I get there and fill it up again when I get back.

in IL its 20% but mines 5% and i hate it for havign to back up at night. cant see @#^%# but i only have the rear window tinted on my truck and the rear windows on my chevette.
legal issues. cuz in IL you cant have any tint on the windshiels (except a 6" strip accros the top) or front side windows.


i cant meditate and relax when my vynal seats are cooking my legs....

i can go 500miles in my truck...and the light prolly wont light.(i usually dont let it drop below 1/4)

3 words: beaded seat cover.

https://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...6803_small.jpg

I got caught in traffic one really hot & humid summer day in Toronto about 6 years ago and aimed straight for the nearest auto parts store. A driving instructor I knew swore by them, so I thought: why not?

I now call it "my air conditioning". Still have it. Used it last summer in the Blackfly. Not sticking to your seat does wonders for your comfort level.

PS I found the best combo of windows in my Accord was to crack open the front & rear window on the passenger side. Set up a nice swirl in the car that had air coming at me from behind the driver's seat.

In Saskatchewan, I can have tint as dark as I want as long as it's not on the windshield or the foremost door windows (unless it's factory tinting). When I was in Dominican Republic a few weeks back, some cars had 100% darkness all the way around! I guess you gotta keep cool in the country any way possible.

haha ive had one of those beaded seatcovers blow apart on me onetime...once one bead breaks all hell breaks loose..

Tint - if you're in FL, absolutely.

When I was in FL a few years ago nearly all cars were heavily tinted. Saves mucho heat buildup.

Definitely check the current state laws.

And when you buy the tint try verify that it reflects the heat out as much as possible. As oppossed to converting it to heat energy that stays inside the car. The tint sheet is INSIDE the car so if it doesn't reflect the heat out the only improvement you get is whatever is picked up by the air outside the window. Dig? Because the plastic film would be warming up, and passing the heat to the glass. Better to reflect it back out.

Hockey4mnhs: Nebraska + Summertime, if you have A/C, I'd pay the toll and take the cool, dryer air. Lived in Nebraska, in the summer, pay the toll, if you can, it's worth it.

But that top-10-list is so desireable! When you're sweating like crazy this summer, just think of how great your MPG is going to be.

Peakster -

And the sweat should evaporate and lower the weight of the car too, right :D ?

I just bit my own bullet and ordered these for $5 a piece:

Personal Evaporative Coolers - COOLER BARS
https://www.coolerbars.com/

https://www.coolerbars.com/images/redwhtblue02a.jpg
I will be testing them this summer on the way to work, which is my own little Dante's inferno without AC. Assuming a recharge of twice a week, one bar should last me ... (25+15)/2 => 20 weeks.

Hmmmm, I don't want to take a jet ski to work, though ...

CarloSW2

theclencher -

Your absolutely right, a motorcycle is the best AC on a hot summer day. NO WIND CHILL FACTOR!!!!!!

(start world's smallest violin music)
But in the past I found out (for me) that any commute on a motorcycle just wears me out physically. I am already being worn out by my 35 mile commute in my car, so a 2 wheeler wasn't in the front of my carapace on this one.
(stop world's smallest violin music)

CarloSW2

You're right. There is nothing that can beat it. Until I moved and had to drive in and through a city with a population of 750k or more and had to lay my bike over for the 3rd time I decided that I was to young to be an organ donor:) YMMV

Open the front driver window and the rear passenger side window (if you have a four door). This is best way to roll down the windows. It has less drag on the car (I think).

Here's some awesome tips of how to keep yourself cool without air conditioning.

Peakster -

It also can keep you awake. I heard that on assignments where cops had to follow a convoy or something for hours on end, they would have ice chests full of icy water. If they got sleepy, they would stick their hand in the icy cold water and wake up presto bingo.

But that site you mention. Drinking water? I don't know about that. Sounds kind of like mumbo jumbo to me ;) .

CarloSW2

Come on Clench totally inappropriate. I'm tryin to teach my kids to be hypermilers and that don't help. This is one site I didn't think I would have to sensor.

I agree
 

I agree -- not cool man.

RH77

I have a black car, and park in an open lot in a downtown area. no shade anywhere. vents only blow more hot air. I just roll down the windows, and try not to burn my hands on the wheel.... :)

I have yet to turn on the air this year. I will probably start using it when temps are over 90.

Check out today's temperature map at 6:00pm:

Attachment 774

How are you people without A/C coping with this heat???

Peakster -

My AC is busted right now. It's on the todo list for fixes. My reward is that when I get to work, it's at least 10 degrees cooler outside and always nice inside. When I go home it's usually after the sun sets, so no big deal.

CarloSW2

Brainstorming Cabin Air
 

Arizona cooler than the Dakotas, Montana, and Alberta -- that's just wrong! Last week, we had that Weather pattern with the Jet Stream allowing hot and humid air into the region. It must have moved North...

So, what is it with the "vent"? It's hotter than the ambient air. I swear they channel it over the exhaust manifold first. I guess the engine compartment heat is flowing into the wiper region and into the cabin air inlet.

Instead of windows-down on the highway, has anyone tried an air director?

Picture a flat/rectangular intake (maybe sourced from the airway between the door and mirror), to breeze fresh air onto the driver... I guess installation would be to roll it up in the window. For vehicles equipped, perhaps a sunroof vent director could help also. I'm hesitant to use it since it extends externally instead of inside the roof.

It's just been hard to get fresh air at highway speeds without rolling the windows down. The vent's useless, and yup, it's hot. Drag is really noticeable, but less than the A/C.

RH77

Peakster - I usually run with driver's window down, drivers vent cracked.....or drivers window down 1/2, left rear window cracked. That seems to be a decent compromise on the Jeep....the dark purple exterior and black leather seats can do a number on ya. Course, I also open every window all day long, and try to park so the sun doesn't shine through the windshield.....

Clench - Windows can and will blow out due to increased cabin heat. Don't ask me to explain how it happens, but my father-in-law had a left front window blow out from heat on his 89 Chevy 3500. Far more common, however, would be windshields and back glass cracking. My brother lived in Cali for a few years, outside of 29 Palms. He put 3 windshields in his Dakota, all 3 cracked from heat buildup inside the cab.

One word: "Convertible." :thumbup::D

Mine's dark green, has a black interior, and on Mondays I spend pretty much the entire day on the road, a good part of it in town with lots of low-speed and stop-and-go traffic. Monday afternoon before last I rolled by one of those bank signs that said the temperature was 120F... and I could believe it (the official high at the airport 20 miles away was 98F).

Haven't had the air on yet this year (except cycling it occasionally to keep the machinery happy). It's a little challenging sometimes, but a thousand times better than having a roof over your head trapping the heat in.

I haven't done any serious drag studies yet, but the few times I've had the top up due to rain I haven't noticed an increase in FE. We'll see if that holds true come this Fall when I have the top up more consistently and can get more reliable numbers.

Rick

EDIT: I realize this post doesn't address the OP's question. The thread has drifted more towards "how do you manage" in general, and I wanted to acknowledge that having a convertible's probably the only thing saving me from running my A/C. I, too, don't know how some of you guys do it. I Am Not Worthy.