WTF does Max A/C do?

[Homeslice]

10 seconds? Doubt it. I don't drive big old American cars with awesome AC, so it takes awhile for my AC to get cold. I would rather use the Normal setting for the first 30-60 seconds so it can force hot air out, before swtiching to Max.

[Adeptus_Minor]

I thought Max engaged the secret R12 subsystem for that extra bit of cooling that R134a alone just can't give.

[fasternyou929]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

Dude I'm a service engineer for a car company...and have worked with car companies since I was 22. If I know anything in this world...it's cars. You guys just guess at shit...or try to analize things using general common sense. Your original statement that the compressor cycles because of "Max A/C" or "Normal" just is not true.

Those that have Max AC and a Recirc button is simply for air venting direction (Max AC) and then % outside air using the Recirc button.

So two decades in the industry and you think GM builds a quality product and think cars have either a Max AC button OR recirculate. And I'm the one that doesn't know what he's talking about.

All cars I've driven have both. All cars I own kick on the auxiliary cooling fan as soon as Max AC is selected. Observation skills bordering on retarded should still allow you to at least gather that if cars have been your life for 22 years. If I was wrong about the compressor, so be it, I'm not opposed to learning from someone here. Provided they at least come across as knowledgeable, beyond just claiming to be while regularly showing otherwise.

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

10 seconds? Doubt it. I don't drive big old American cars with awesome AC, so it takes awhile for my AC to get cold. I would rather use the Normal setting for the first 30-60 seconds so it can force hot air out, before swtiching to Max.

Or you could do what everybody else does and roll the windows down until it gets cool?

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

So two decades in the industry and you think GM builds a quality product and think cars have either a Max AC button OR recirculate. And I'm the one that doesn't know what he's talking about. ...

It doesn't matter that is SAYS MAX AC, what matters is what it does. FWIW, my 2011 Mazda 3 has both, but the MAX A/C does nothing but ensures that the Hot/Cold is all the way to the full Cold. The condensor fan runs whenever the A/C is turned on regardless if it is all the way to the Max AC position. The Recirc button does just like it says. Recirculates. Why they even put "Max A/C" I can only guess is so the clueless don't leave it still in the "blue", but not all the way in the full blue range. Ford, GM and Chrysler always used only Max AC, which forced recirculation.

...All cars I own kick on the auxiliary cooling fan as soon as Max AC is selected......

Well, apparently you have not driven a GM, VW or Mazda because they don't. The A/C fan on all GM vehicles was always a function of the A/C relay ON and A/C high side pressure. I would be that Max A/C does not even have a signal to the body controller. My Mazda 3 runs the A/C fan when the A/C is on and the A/C high side pressure is above a certain threshold. Max AC is not any type of input.

So now the question remains....do you have BOTH a recirc. button AND a MAX A/C button? Or do you have a Recirc button and lettering that says Max A/C because then Max AC doesn't do anything.

I should have said that Max AC acts as a recirc function if you don't have a button. If they put both there, the MAX AC is only to make sure you put it to full cold.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

my 2011 Mazda MX3

no such car

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

no such car

I meant Mazda 3. I don't why I added MX the first time I mentioned it..so I'll change it.

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

Or you could do what everybody else does and roll the windows down until it gets cool?

Careful! He will attempt to "convert" you now!

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

If they put both there, the MAX AC is only to make sure you put it to full cold.

bzzzzzzzzt- sorry, but thanks for playing. Tell him about his fabulous door prize, Al!

(just selected "MAX A/C" and turned the Temp into the red zone and, woe and behold, hot air came out)

Not trying to bust your balls (okay, maybe a LITTLE) but not all cars function the same way.

[anthonyk]

Wow, you guys put a lot of thought into this whole windows-up windows-down thing.

I wondered the same thing about Max A/C when I was a kid. Our AMC Hornet (yeah, baby) had a label on the knob that said "Max A/C - Desert Only" or somesuch. I spent many a family vacation (of the non-desert variety) wondering from the back seat what would happen if we turned it on.

I was pretty disappointed when I got older and realized it was just a recirc control.