HVAC on the Camaro

[GhostOutlaw]

I do about 1k miles per week in my camaro, at 4$ a gallon, it adds up.

Thats why I'm concerned with fuel usage.

[MickeyD]

Why does this bother you so much? This is how it works, and believe it or not GhostOutlaw but Fastball is 100% correct. When the cabin air fan is in the "O" or OFF position you climate control system is off. As in the oposite of on. THe reason the you feel a very slight amount of air coming through the vents is a little thing called pressure variation due to temerature cahnge. This happens on every vehicle, of every make make, and every size. Now that air gets warmer when you turn the temp dial to heat because the air is then directed through the heater core. Fact of the matter comes to this. If MPG is your concern due to AC use, that compressor does not come on unless the fan is on. Try it out, turn you AC off, start the car, grab a case of Bud Ligh and count how many times that compressor comes on while you drink that nice cold beer. (I'm in Afghanistan and can't drink, so beer is on my mind. Feel free to use Hi-C if thats your thing) Have a nice day!

[born-to-fish-]

Just guessing, but even with the fan off, the intake for air is in the cowl, which becomes a high pressure area when the vehicle is moving, so you'll always have air moving into the vents. Turning the temp to hot will still allow hot coolant to flow thru the heater core, so yes the vent air will get hot.
My solution, duct tape over the cowl....jk

[MickeyD]

P.S. My typing skills really suck, and so does this keyboard. You got to love the cheap as shit they give Marines to work with out here. Thanks for tax money guys!

[MickeyD]

born-to-fish, spoken like a true man of men! Duct tape fixes everything... including that annoying sound that comes from my wifes mouth I like to call "Nagging"

[Neriah]

the air vents always stay open, when the car is in motion air will come in. The heat/cool selector just dictactes fresh air vs hot air from engine. So weather your fan or all of your buttons are off. Air will always make it into the cabin...hot or cold depending on where your selector is. There is no way to change this, no your AC or heater is NOT turning on....its fresh air from the hood vs hot air from engine compartment. So you cant turn it off if neither are engaging... its pretty simple.

[HufferSS]

Originally Posted by GhostOutlaw

Ok, not that anyone has been flaming, but I will prove to you that the HVAC is on while the fans are off (in the O position).

Go out to your car, start it up, take it for a drive. Turn the Fans to the O position, the recirculate button doesnt matter, it happens in both instances. Make sure the fan vents to the top are open (easiest to demonstrate).

Now turn the temperature all the way to the right (HOT), put your hand over the vent. OUCH! It may take a second, but its going to get very hot! Now turn the temp dial to the left (COLD). Give it a minute or two, but it will start blowing air that is noticeably cooler then the ambient temperature.

Now to prove my point. Turn it back to hot. OMG, hot air is blowing. All while the fan is in the O position.

I noticed this in the winter and when we had some nicer days, I didnt need the heat, so id turn the fan off. But it would still get rediculously hot in the car, even with the fan off. Then when I turned it cold, my legs would grow icicles. There was no winning.

In the summer, if its nice I want the windows down. I dont want to use the AC cause that burns extra fuel by robbing power from the engine, and robs my power from the engine. I dont want to turn it to the right cause then my legs burn.

I want it off, completely. This is a real phenomenon, sorry it took so much to explain it fully though.

Put the heat control dial in the middle instead of the far right or the far left..that way you get neutral temp air.

Problem solved.

[khislop007]

I had the same problem with the heat getting in when the AC was in the off position.

But this seems to work for me.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showpo...2&postcount=39

[Stormyone]

I am not trying to be a smarta** but I have seen several posts/comments about Camaros and gas mileage.... The same question pops in my head, "Who buys a Camaro for the gas mileage?"

[Cam 427]

Originally Posted by GhostOutlaw

Ok, not that anyone has been flaming, but I will prove to you that the HVAC is on while the fans are off (in the O position).

Go out to your car, start it up, take it for a drive. Turn the Fans to the O position, the recirculate button doesnt matter, it happens in both instances. Make sure the fan vents to the top are open (easiest to demonstrate).

Now turn the temperature all the way to the right (HOT), put your hand over the vent. OUCH! It may take a second, but its going to get very hot! Now turn the temp dial to the left (COLD). Give it a minute or two, but it will start blowing air that is noticeably cooler then the ambient temperature.

Now to prove my point. Turn it back to hot. OMG, hot air is blowing. All while the fan is in the O position.

I noticed this in the winter and when we had some nicer days, I didnt need the heat, so id turn the fan off. But it would still get rediculously hot in the car, even with the fan off. Then when I turned it cold, my legs would grow icicles. There was no winning.

In the summer, if its nice I want the windows down. I dont want to use the AC cause that burns extra fuel by robbing power from the engine, and robs my power from the engine. I dont want to turn it to the right cause then my legs burn.

I want it off, completely. This is a real phenomenon, sorry it took so much to explain it fully though.

I have this problem in my Buick, Sierra, Camaro and previous other GMs. I think the HVAC doors stay in whatever position they are when you turn it off. Even in the vent position you'll have heat depending on the position of the temperature control. So, I resigned myself to adjust the temperature to where I want it and then shut it off. Air will move through the system when driving.

With the fan control in the off position, the fan and the AC pump clutch should not come on. You can verify this by turning the system off and look at the AC pump clutch and for the fan, check the the vents for airflow with the car not moving.

[GhostOutlaw]

Originally Posted by Stormyone

I am not trying to be a smarta** but I have seen several posts/comments about Camaros and gas mileage.... The same question pops in my head, "Who buys a Camaro for the gas mileage?"

Why buy a camaro for the gas mileage?

35 highway... and when I do about 800 highway miles/week, thats why.

Oh, and babe magnet...

But yea, Ill try the one thing with the lights and the restart, see what happens.

[Wizard1183]

Remove the compressor all together and get a shorter belt?

[bbiermanski]

GM has always used positive air pressure in there cars to deal with wind/road/whatever noise. At least that has been my experience in older models and I am guessing it is still true

[nak3dsnake]

Originally Posted by GhostOutlaw

I do about 1k miles per week in my camaro, at 4$ a gallon, it adds up.

Thats why I'm concerned with fuel usage.

Its to circulate the air in the cabin and pull in oxygen, if you outside air vent is open it will pull in more. Just make sure the temp dial is in the middle so that the heating element and AC is not on. Your going nuts over something insignificant and normal. It has also yet to adversely affect my gas mileage