Question on Ventilation

[PHXGT]

I have experienced this since day one of ownership, 2 and a half years ago. Never brought it up before on this forum. I have noteced when I drive my car during the winter (here in Az), and the outside temperature is 70 degrees or cooler, once my engine temp gets up to 170 - 180 degrees, my vent starts to bring in much warmer air than the outside temperature. I am convinved that the outside duct that sits at the base of the windshield is bringing in some air flow from the radiator extractors. It certainly appears that the extractors were designed to direct air away from this duct. However, whenever the car gets warmed up, in comes the warmer air. The vent temp is always on the coldest setting. Once it gets too warm, I have to turn on the AC. I hate doing this when it is 50 or 60 degrees outside. Have any of you experienced a similar event? I can't believe it woulld only be happening to my car, since they all have the same hood. Could the ductwork between the outside duct and the interior vent be messed up and letting some other source of warmer air get blended in? Any ideas? Shadowman, have you had the occasion to take apart this area of the car?

 

[Team Jeff]

I think this is a common issue with cars in general. In some instances I think it's a combination of heat soak from the engine compartment & heat emanating from the heater core. Obviously the FGT would suffer from the latter, plus the radiator "exhaust" getting drawn in.

I do agree that it is annoying. I had a superduty that was terrible in that department, 60 deg. out side and I'm running the a/c!! :thumbsdow

 

[PHXGT]

Thanks. I'm glad that it is not just my car. Are there others out there that are experiencing this? Let us know. Anybody have ideas for a fix?

 

[MR2Race]

Guys, did some test work on A/C performance.

And yes on this car you do end up using the A/C at lower outside air temps
than with other cars.

The system does pass all the required Ford development Requirements for hot soak & cool down time.

We traced the need to use the air sooner in the season. And the need to stay on max settings longer than other cars to the use of exposed aluminum in the interior.
It was the big hitter that caused more A/C usage.


The visual you get with all the chassis aluminum extrusion showing is so cool.
Everyone @ Ford agreed with the styling guys.
It was so good looking no one wanted to cover it with carpet and insulation.

Aluminum has some exceptional properties.
One of them is its ability to dissipate heat well.

I actually insulated all the bare aluminum on a development car, it was ugly but the A/C performance was improved.

 

[tmcphail]

Guys, did some test work on A/C performance.

And yes on this car you do end up using the A/C at lower outside air temps
than with other cars.

The system does pass all the required Ford development Requirements for hot soak & cool down time.

We traced the need to use the air sooner in the season. And the need to stay on max settings longer than other cars to the use of exposed aluminum in the interior.
It was the big hitter that caused more A/C usage.


The visual you get with all the chassis aluminum extrusion showing is so cool.
Everyone @ Ford agreed with the styling guys.
It was so good looking no one wanted to cover it with carpet and insulation.

Aluminum has some exceptional properties.
One of them is its ability to dissipate heat well.

I actually insulated all the bare aluminum on a development car, it was ugly but the A/C performance was improved.

Awesome ! Personally one of the best things I did on my car to help out was to tint the windows. That helped out huge when its hot down here in FL.

 

[PHXGT]

Thanks for the info. However, this post was more about asking if others are noticing that the NACA duct is pulling in air from the extractors? Seems that the vent (without a/c on) blows warmer air than the outside temp once the engine temp is up in operating range. I assume this is coming from the NACA duct that sits behind the air extractors. I don't think ventilation air comes from the engine compartment.

 

[shesgotlegs]

I think this is a common issue with cars in general. In some instances I think it's a combination of heat soak from the engine compartment & heat emanating from the heater core. Obviously the FGT would suffer from the latter, plus the radiator "exhaust" getting drawn in. thumbsdow

Ditto

 

[fjpikul]

Analogdesigner has some special tube wraps to cover the copper pipes and keep the temp down in the inside of the car. Check his website or look for old posts.