I have noticed that the AC in my little Xa on really hot days isn't the most efficent thing in the world so on the passenger side AC line I installed water heater insulation tubing you can get at a local hardware store. This idea came off of the echo forums and has shown a 4 degree diffrence inside the car. so for 2.79 cents and some wire ties you can get a little bit cooler in the summer. I would be interested to know if anyone can think of a better insulator this stuff looks like black foam. I have been thinking of wrapping it in reflective AC duct tape thinking it might help more but i would like so imput thanks. I'm sure everyone will provide awesome answers to help insulate that cold line.

 

Another approach to heiping the AC is to reduce the interior heat gain. The huge black dashboard becomes very hot, raising the interior temperature, which the AC must constantly overcome, which reduces how much the AC can drop the temperature in the cabin.

I have found that while a bare dashboard can become almost too hot to touch, a dash mat only beomes warm. I got a black velour Dash Mat from this place:
http://204.228.150.1/products/store_...STEM=storelink

 

park in the shade with the sun reflecting window covers over the windsheild

 

I would not sport a dash mat for a 20 degree difference.

 

It does help the AC keep the car cooler, and velour does not look too bad:
http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...%20Dash%20Mat/
I don't tape it down, and it just rolls up and stows under the passenger seat when there is no need to use it on cloudy days or at night.

 

I'm looking for a good window cover

 

That's fine for parking when the AC is off. But AC efficiency is when the AC is running.

The most obvious efficiency improvement is noted on the dashboard and in the Owners Manual. Close the fresh outside air off when running the AC. The AC is more efficient at cooling the chilled air inside the car, than cooling 100 degree outside air.

 

thank you very much for all of your wonderful imput and replies you guys are always very innovative and bring great thoughts to the community.

 

I will say this when I went into the dealership with my car under warranty and said my ac didn't feel cool enough they said that there isn't quit enough r134 put in when it's manufactured so they topped it off under warranty and it will freeze you out of the car now totally diffrent. I would recomend this to anyone experienceing cooling problems and still under waranty just complain about it they will top it off and it will blow cold like an artic night my laser temperture guge used to read 73 degre's at best now it will get down to 39 degree's in the car no joke.

 

On hot days the ac feels about the sama as having the windows down going 35mph. So I just turn mine off.

 

I have also recently found that crank pullies make a huge diffrence in the load that the AC puts on the car and the gas mileage loss. now I can run my AC on really hot days and minimize fuel economy loss.

 

delete

 

This would either make the AC compressor run faster or slower. How is either way going to reduce the energy it takes to compress the refrigerant? How is either way going to improve on the factory engineering that selected the best speed for the compressor?

 

Will adding more r134 reduce gas milage? T_T

 

for some reason the engine doesn't seem to be so strained by the operation of the air conditioner when the pulley was installed. why this is I cannot tell you because I don't make pullies but I always noticed before the pulley that when I ran the AC the car seemed to bog down easier especially being an automatic and now you cannot tell a diffrence when the AC is running and the cars gas mileage has seemed to improved over what it was getting running the stock pulley with the AC on. I found it weird myself but I noticed a big diffrence.

 

see, i noticed exactly the opposite occurence. before the nst pulley set was installed, the a/c had a noticeable difference on the car. Afterwards, it feels like the car got hit with a ton of bricks when the ac kicks on.

the shifts get notchier, the engine revs down more quickly, hell, even the exhaust note changes.

dont get me wrong, it did this before the crank pulley, but it seems more apparent after it's installation.

 

hmm interesting diffrent cars diffrent mods diffrent products might equel diffrent results. I have aheavily modified scion Xa 2006 automatic with the agency power pulley and I love the pulley it is awesome weighing in at 1 pound compared to 4.2 pounds stock huge diffence like night and day with no underdrive

 

mine's underdriven. I don't see how that would worsen the effects though. if anything, the underdriving should lessen them!

 

I don't know but I have heard alot of argument that the underdriven pullies can really affect the charging system smaller pulley size may also be affecting other things I am no expert. I noticed on alot of threads most people are staying away from the underdriven pullies. you may want to consult some of the TC owners on this they would be able to adress this issue better. The agency power pulley has been the best mod I have done to the car performance wise. It made the most diffrence. you should also consider weighing your stock pulley and this underdrive pulley see what the diffrence is. The TC is a diffrent beast than the Xa or Xb they are diffrent engines so I would let the TC guys evaluate your issue either way it should be corrected and they may tell you to go with an agency power pulley or a perin the agency power is a tad lighter but both are good or they may tell you not to run a pulley on the Tc.
I would do a post TC pulley problems list your pulley and your mods and let people give you the solution. Thats my best advice because I know it was like night and day on my car it really was.