Poll: Does your AC work well?

[doma]

(100 degrees today, little humidity; AC blows cold and cabin stays cool. Nya-nya! )

[LW Elise]

Originally Posted by saudio

Lots of talk lately here about the Elise having a hot cabin. Many have complained about the poor AC, many more have said the AC works great.

I'd like a better consensus. How does yours do?

Mike

It works like the owner's manual says it works...... not well in extreme conditions. Plus,on an uphill in third and fourth gears, with some second gear slow travel thrown in, air conditioning on full blast, engine heat water temp goes up, once above 226. Not good.

[TekZones]

Just a question which I think I know the answer but have to ask. Is there any way to access the interior of the side rails without removing body panels or other major assemblies? My thoughts are to possibly use a reflective (solar) blanket with injectable foam that solidifies like some companies use to ship fragile items like computer monitors. The stuff is really light weight and and be molded to some extent. Even a 1/2 to 1 inch barrier would creat a huge insulating factor. Estimated total weight would be about 1-2 pounds. Thoughts? Coments?

[an0nym0u5]

This thread needs an actual POLL!!!!!

[David]

Great write-up. If you get a kit together, I'd be glad to reimburse you for time and shipping.

[Tonywa28]

LW,
Are your fans running when the AC is on? They should be howling like the devil up front.

[CALtd]

Originally Posted by TekZones

Just a question which I think I know the answer but have to ask. Is there any way to access the interior of the side rails without removing body panels or other major assemblies? My thoughts are to possibly use a reflective (solar) blanket with injectable foam that solidifies like some companies use to ship fragile items like computer monitors. The stuff is really light weight and and be molded to some extent. Even a 1/2 to 1 inch barrier would creat a huge insulating factor. Estimated total weight would be about 1-2 pounds. Thoughts? Coments?

Would it affect the structural integrity of the tub to lift the sill covers and drill a 1/4" hole for the foam fill tube? I just hope you don't have to replace the oil cooler lines after you do that.

IIRC the oil cooler lines enter and exit the tub visibly where the wheel well covers are. Maybe access is possible from the ends.

[Joetz]

Originally Posted by Tonywa28

I have a couple of observations and opinions about the variance found in the thread concerning AC performance.

1) The AC is undersized for the southern or other very hot and/or humid parts of the US. This opinion is also held by 3 different Lotus techs and one customer service advisor at the two dealers I have information on. Weak AC for the US market is something the European cars have struggled with for decades. Several aftermarket companies used to exist that just made Porsche 911 air conditioning upgrades. I never have heard of a general lack of heating in a European car. They design with their own climate in mind. So do we.

The older 911s had an AC system that was even worse than the one in the Elise and that's really saying something. Here is one of those companies that fixed that sorry excuse for an AC system:
http://www.griffiths.com/porsche/ac/ice/index.html

Too bad the elise is such a low volume car or more companies would take an interest in fixing its shortcomings.

The 911s heating left a lot to be desired as well, but only when temperatures got close to zero degrees. It seemed like every 5 degrees would reduce the heater's effectiveness by 50%...something the elise has in common with the porsches as well.

[SirBedevere]

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being cold, I'd say mine is an eight.

[qball]

I responded to Tony... I will probably be the next "guinea pig" install being that I am about 15 minutes from him... just gotta set a time.

[Bruce]

Who actually saw their car go into the heat soak mode. I never have. Can you hear that pump?

[®ob]

You can't hear the pump. But yes, in Texas, everytime you shut off the car that pump runs.

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by ®ob

You can't hear the pump. But yes, in Texas, everytime you shut off the car that pump runs.

Rob, is that observed or assumed? If observed, how? Can you feel the pump run if you touch it? Have you ever observed the fans come on in the heat soak mode (239 F)? I'm absolutely sure I have never had the fans come on in the heat soak mode.

BTW, I don't see the point of turning on the fans but that's what the manual says.

[®ob]

Observed. Shut off the car, wait a minute, touch the pump briefly (HOT!). Fans don't come on after the car is off...only the pump runs

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by ®ob

Observed. Shut off the car, wait a minute, touch the pump briefly (HOT!). Fans don't come on after the car is off...only the pump runs

So are you saying you can feel the pump running or are you just thinking that because it's hot. Because the punp will always be hot when the car is up to temperature because water flows through that pump because it is pumped by the engine water pump.

[hblotus]

In 2300 So Cal miles my air conditioning unit has failed twice. The first problen was something frozen. The present problem is yet to be determined. These continuing air conditioning problems should be address by the factory.

[dakotan50sw]

Mine is working well. Drove this weekend fromeastern Co. plain's to Estes Park and back. Was quite hot on the plain's and all was well

[t65tampa]

I took my car in to the local Lotus dealership for regular maintenance. I explained that the AC has been freezing up lately after 20 to 30 minutes of use (air going warm, volume of air pushing through system decreasing). I know this is a common problem, so that's why I am posting this. The service technician told me they have a repair that can help limit the condensor freeze that causes the problem. I will find out what the repair or fix is specifically when I pick the car up Friday.

[Buz]

I drove the Elise about 300 miles in Texas yesterday. My car was built after the temp sensor issue was supposedly resolved. Mine froze up after an hour in Houston so the dealer did the temp sensor relocation. It took about 2 hours to freeze up yesterday with afternoon rush hour and 80+ highway driving, an improvement. It kept up amazingly well in 100 degree weather and thawed out in about 10 minutes of freeway driving with the compressor off. I passed a bank in Bastrop that said 104 and I was comfortable. I would still like to give the relocation another shot and the bypass would be nice for stop and go driving or when my wife is along.

[Tonywa28]

This might help you out with the freezing.
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...8&postcount=87

BTW - I answered your PM. Email me.