erobinson1
Bainbridge,Ga.
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Joined: 08/25/2005
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I know this is not a TV question but I thought I'd try anyway in case any of you are auto mechanics. I have a Ford Taurus that is a company vechicle but I am responsible for maintenance and upkeep on it. A couple weeks ago the a/c compressor locked up and I had the entire a/c system replaced. Cools fine now but it feels like when it cycles on and off it has much more strain or load on the engine. Mileage before the breakdown averaged 26-29mpg. The first tank with the new a/c was 24mpg. Seems like the new compressor is loading up so hard it is actually decreasing mileage now. Is this normal? will the new compressor "loosen up" as it wears in? COuld it be overcharged or something making it harder to turn as it cycles? Thanks in advance for the help. Ed
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LittleBill
Scranton , PA USA
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Joined: 08/29/2003
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overcharge could cause it to run harder, have it pressure tested
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MAJESTYPOINTERS
MONROE, MI.
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Over charged...Your compressor won't last....hopefully your repair came with warrantee....under charged....your air won't work....
Was your gas mileage better before because the air already did not work.
If your air did still work when you got better mileage and your mileage has changed since the repair it might be worth a trip back and have then check it over again...It might be something as small as a cracked vacuum line....happens some time when they are under a hood working...or possibly some other minor plug or sensor that might have been hit or misaligned while under the hood.
One other thing if your car is still within its original EPA MPG rating you may have a hard time getting any shop to try to do any better that the original specs.
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erobinson1
Bainbridge,Ga.
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Mileage was up to 29 while air was still working. The day after the compressor locked up I took it to the shop. The tank before the a/c went out was 29. The first tank with the new a/c was 24mpg.
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MAJESTYPOINTERS
MONROE, MI.
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erobinson1 wrote:Mileage was up to 29 while air was still working. The day after the compressor locked up I took it to the shop. The tank before the a/c went out was 29. The first tank with the new a/c was 24mpg.
I would take it back and have them check it over but as I said if you are still within the original MPG for your car....(Vehicle performance was tested and found to be within original manufacturers specs.)....the previous sentence will release the repair shop of any liability. How can they be expected to make a car get better MPG than it was originally designed to get?
D@M IT JIM I'M A MECHANIC....NOT A MAGICIAN 
It is going to be a hard thing to take ...especially now with high gas prices....but if you got better MPG than the specs. before the repair it was just a bonus that you might have lost.
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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Our Taurus got 29 when it was new, sometimes even better than 29. I think 24 is below normal mileage for that car. We have had 4 Tauruses (Tauri ???) from '92 to '98. The '96 and '98 both got great mileage, 29 was not at all uncommon for both of them.
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erobinson1
Bainbridge,Ga.
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Like I said the average over many tanks,(I check the mileage on each and every tankfull) varied from 26 to over 29. Never cracked 30 mpg but I did get 29.9 on one tank. Yesterdays fillup showed something like 24.4. It it wasn't so hot I'd run a full tank with a/c off just for camparison purposes. You guys think it's most likely overcharged or more likely a compressor problem? I will try to have a shop hook it up tomorrow and check the pressure. Thanks.
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