# A/C and Power Loss - 1.4 Liter Turbo



## CruzeEcoBlueTopaz (Jan 5, 2012)

For stop and go city driving the effects of the a/c is very disappointing. Surprisingly during highway travel the effects of the a/c on mpg's and engine performance are minimal. I personally do not use the a/c I roll the windows down but im usually alone so. I recommend a couple things. Consider turning the a/c off just briefly for when its necessary to accelerate quickly, shifting faster and at a higher rpm and also a neck brace. 

But I agree for the average driver who demands comfort in their nice new car the drag on the engine using the a/c is frustrating.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Gapping the plugs didn't solve it and dealers say "it's normal". I usually have it on till the cross intersection light turns yellow. I also wonder if the FMIC being wedged between the condenser and radiator also add insult to injury in stop and go. My Subaru's TMIC would heat up quickly siting at long red lights.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

If you all read the other threads here about the AC in the Cruze, you'll see other's "fixes" for this issue. I like the one that suggests that when the ambient temperature isover 90 degrees F, you should run 93 octane gas to give the engine enough power so it doesn't have to pull the timing and reduce power. Search this site for AC issues and you'll see.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Been running 93 for the life of the vehicle once the 87 the dealership filled ran out.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Richard, do you have an automatic or manual? I know I have to shift a couple hundred RPMs higher with the A/C running full tilt. I also know that the A/C on many Cruzen doesn't work properly and the problem is that dealerships have had very little help and direction for resolving A/C issues from GM unless the A/C completely fails.


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

The weak A/C issue has been a major concern for me, as I currently have a 2014 1LT Automatic on order. I am wondering if the 2014 model year will improve on the weak
A/C issue? My plan is to run 89 octane instead of 87 might be a bit of a help. Any thoughts?


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## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

I've always said the engine is too small for the car. If it was the base engine it would be passable but for anything LT and above it's time GM got serious and put a bigger engine in the Cruze.
Now that the re-model has been delayed for another year I hope GM isn't stupid enough not to make any power train improvements for the car for the 2015 Model. 
In fact, they should shock everyone by doing an upgrade before then.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

steve333 said:


> I've always said the engine is too small for the car. If it was the base engine it would be passable but for anything LT and above it's time GM got serious and put a bigger engine in the Cruze.
> Now that the re-model has been delayed for another year I hope GM isn't stupid enough not to make any power train improvements for the car for the 2015 Model.
> In fact, they should shock everyone by doing an upgrade before then.


Kinda like 12-13 Impala? 


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The 1.8 NA is too small. The 1.4T is just big enough. I do agree that the Cruze could really use Opel's new 1.6T with true start/stop technology. If the Verano didn't exist I suspect we would already see 1.6T, 2.0 NA, and 2.0T engines in the Cruze.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I would love to see the 1.6T here, and I think its probably planned already. Anyone notice the Holden SRI 1.6T exhaust looks just like the some of the photos people have posted of GM testing cruzes in the US?


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

What I find very interesting about this whole A/C issue is that with the dozens and dozens of professional on-line reviews and You Tube Cruze reviews, not a SINGLE review ever
mentions anything about a weak A/C system or reduced power with A/C in stop and go, or anything at all of the sort....NOTHING . This is ONLY discussed here, on this forum.

Which leads me to suspect that some forum members may be nit-picking, exaggerating or just making an issue out of something that is so minor. Just makes me wonder, that's all.

After all, this forum represents, what, well *LESS* than .5 % of ALL the Cruze owners in the USA??


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

There is more delay in the throttle response with the AC on, the off the line performance suffers but I feel no power loss what so ever. In stop & go traffic this is noticeable but not horrible once you get used to it. My MPG however does suffer 2-6mpg loss when on, but still manage 35-39mpg with 70% highway on premium gas with my 1LT automatic. 

I do feel some power loss when above 90 degrees outside even with the AC off, that's running 93 octane premium. I usually just use manual mode and take each gear about 1000 RPM higher than normal, around 3,000-3,500RPM for each shift. I will also use 5th gear on the highway for hills, 4th gear in town at 30-35mph when I would normally use 5th gear(to keep the RPMs up).


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

Well, this must be a very minor issue if none of the professional reviewers have ever picked up on this over the last 4 years.


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

nodule said:


> Well, this must be a very minor issue if none of the professional reviewers have ever picked up on this over the last 4 years.


I'm pretty sure is just due to our small displacement motors. We are driveing a 1.4l just be glad we have a turbo were not even 88ci.

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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> But I agree for the average driver who demands comfort in their nice new car the drag on the engine using the a/c is frustrating.


 This is very true for stop and go driving with the manual trans. I have done all the tweeks, gapped plugs, 93 octane, drop in K&N filter and trifecta tune. The A/C still sucks the life out of the very bottom range of the 1.4T since not only do you have the power loss due to the A/C but you have heat soak of the engine, so it is pulling timing too. It is a little more challenging driving with the A/C running.


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

Would this be the case even with the 2013 Civic EX, or the 2014 Kia Forte LX 1.8 engine?


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

nodule said:


> Would this be the case even with the 2013 Civic EX, or the 2014 Kia Forte LX 1.8 engine?


It will be the case with most small displacement motors 1.8 have been popular in many applications but if they get good MPG they will suffer in other areas.

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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

Well, with my 2.0 liter 2005 Hyundai Elantra, I notice every little power loss with A/C.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

When you reach 2 litres you are starting to get enough displacement to mask the drop in power from the A/C.


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

obermd said:


> When you reach 2 litres you are starting to get enough displacement to mask the drop in power from the A/C.


I loved my A/C in my cavalier I loved the 2.2 l

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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

nodule said:


> Would this be the case even with the 2013 Civic EX, or the 2014 Kia Forte LX 1.8 engine?


Since you asked, no, it is not very noticeable with mine (1.8L NA & 5 spd auto). 87 E10 and mid 90s here this last week. Performance is degraded a wee bit, but unless you are driving flat out, you don't feel it. The cold air doesn't stop when you accelerate or stop at a light. The ECON function seems to make it transparent. However, running the AC in Auto mode or even manual mode drops the mileage by about 2 mpg city or highway, but you can't feel it kick in and out.

Added thought: Comparison is a bit of apples and oranges. A comparably equipped Cruze weighs a bit over 200 pounds more than the Civic. Drive trains are completely different. Way different tire sizes and weights alter acceleration and braking. Final drive ratios also play here. Coefficient of Drag is surely different and other aero treatments may influence things. Computers, firmware, and software also can make a big difference. The ECU in the Civic is the size of a small laptop. Both have engine ratings of 140 hp, but that's the end of it.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> When you reach 2 litres you are starting to get enough displacement to mask the drop in power from the A/C.


 Seems right - with my wife's 2.4 Honda CR-V, A/C seems to have little or no affect on power delivery.


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## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

obermd said:


> The 1.8 NA is too small. The 1.4T is just big enough. I do agree that the Cruze could really use Opel's new 1.6T with true start/stop technology. If the Verano didn't exist I suspect we would already see 1.6T, 2.0 NA, and 2.0T engines in the Cruze.


Dumbing down Chevy for Buick didn't work when Pontiac was around and it doesn't work now. GM needs to let Chevy stand on its own and let people buy the model they want. 



H3LLON3ARTH said:


> I loved my A/C in my cavalier I loved the 2.2 l
> 
> Sent From An Antique,
> My Original Droid.


The 2.2L in my Cobalt is the best thing about the car. GM made a big mistake not making this engine DI and using it as the base engine. An engine for folks who want power more than a few MPG, the tiny turbo for folks who want more MPG. Best of both worlds.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

As some folks have noted, having the temperature knob 1 click up from the coldest setting is like turning the A/C from max to normal. Try that if the drag is too much. I turned the A/C on the max setting one day, and the drag was more noticeable. With the A/C 1 click up from the coldest setting, it does not drag as much, but still cools fine.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

steve333 said:


> Dumbing down Chevy for Buick didn't work when Pontiac was around and it doesn't work now. GM needs to let Chevy stand on its own and let people buy the model they want.


Agreed.


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## nebojsa (Jan 3, 2011)

I have a 2013 ECO M and just finished yesterday a 1400 mile trip from Ontario to Florida. For the first 200 miles no a/c but a very strong headwind. Gas mileage did suffer but the power is OK . From Detroit to Florida i used A/C. Yes there is a power loss but that would be probably be with any car.
I guess you notice the power loss as the engines get smaller. I was more concerned as to how the car would perform through the mountains in Kentucky / Tennessee on I-75. To my surprise it did great as long as i stay above the 2000 rpm. I would. say i am happy.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

nebojsa said:


> I was more concerned as to how the car would perform through the mountains in Kentucky / Tennessee on I-75. To my surprise it did great as long as i stay above the 2000 rpm.


I find the same is true for hills, except when 10% grade or greater, then more RPM or speed is required(5th gear at 55-60, or 65-75mph in 6th). at 75mph+ can drive thousands of miles on the interstate and never leave 6th gear on any grade, however I have not tested in the real mountains. Mines an automatic


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

My power loss is initial take off. If I had to use an example, LS auto if you just floored it from a dig. Cold engine it's not noticeable just after a few stop and go trips in town daytime. It's been getting to about 107* outside for the past few days. I can try and leave the line 2000 rpms and still fall on my ass when the wheels start moving. 


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Power loss is noticeable especially on take off but also acceleration with my 1.4T, even running on 93. 

However, it is much, MUCH better with AC on fan speed 3 and properly gapped spark plugs and high octane. 

Also the intake resonator delete. 

Heat soak is what neuters the Cruze on take off. 

The automatics don't notice as much as the manuals - they just rev higher to compensate. 


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## Richard (Dec 1, 2012)

CruzeEcoBlueTopaz said:


> For stop and go city driving the effects of the a/c is very disappointing. Surprisingly during highway travel the effects of the a/c on mpg's and engine performance are minimal. I personally do not use the a/c I roll the windows down but im usually alone so. I recommend a couple things. Consider turning the a/c off just briefly for when its necessary to accelerate quickly, shifting faster and at a higher rpm and also a neck brace.
> 
> But I agree for the average driver who demands comfort in their nice new car the drag on the engine using the a/c is frustrating.


I agree. Once you're up to highway speed, the A/C has little effect on Fuel Economy and Power. But, the momentum is taking over at highway speeds. I do mostly city driving and it's a very unenjoyable car to drive when the a/c is going. I use the A/C a lot and I'm not going to turn it off when I need extra power. But thank you for your suggestions.


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## Richard (Dec 1, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> If you all read the other threads here about the AC in the Cruze, you'll see other's "fixes" for this issue. I like the one that suggests that when the ambient temperature isover 90 degrees F, you should run 93 octane gas to give the engine enough power so it doesn't have to pull the timing and reduce power. Search this site for AC issues and you'll see.


I've been using 93 Octane at the suggestion of this forum once I started using the A/C. It's helped to a small degree with power and fuel economy, but not what I expected. I'm not particularly thrilled that I have to pay 40 - 50 cents more a gallon because they put an undersized engine in this car. They were better off putting in a more powerful engine. In the long run, it wouldn't have an effect on fuel economy, because the accessories wouldn't drag the heck out of the power.


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## Richard (Dec 1, 2012)

obermd said:


> Richard, do you have an automatic or manual? I know I have to shift a couple hundred RPMs higher with the A/C running full tilt. I also know that the A/C on many Cruzen doesn't work properly and the problem is that dealerships have had very little help and direction for resolving A/C issues from GM unless the A/C completely fails.


I have an automatic. The A/C actually works very well. No complaints there. It cools the interior better than my 2010 Malibu did. Although the maximum fan speed on the Cruze should be higher than it is. But I have to say that even though the Malibu had a small 4 cylinder for the size of the car, the a/c didn't put as much of a drag on the power as it does with the Cruze. And I didn't have to use 93 Octane when I used the a/c with the Malibu.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Try turning the A/C to 1 click ABOVE the coldest setting. That seems to be a normal A/C setting instead of the max A/C that the coldest setting brings. Also, turn on recirculate. The A/C compressor will not run as hard cooling already-cooled air instead of hot outside air. 

Another thing to do is replace the cabin filter if the car is a year old or more. I gained a noticeable amount of airflow back after replacing the 1.5 year old filter in my Cruze.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I have NEVER owned a 4-cylinder car where the AC didn't adversely affect performance.

A lot of drive-by-wire cars I've driven are not as affected at modest acceleration because the computer tries to cancel it out by applying more throttle. Get to 3/4-full throttle though, and if the AC doesn't cut out, the car really, really feels like it's down on power (Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata are guilty of this).

That said, drive a 1.7L Civic some time. You can't even get up hills with the AC on without revving to 4000 RPM. My Saab and Volvo were both terrible under 3000 RPM as well.

Like I and others said, there are little things that you can do to improve response with the AC running.


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

I should have got the Forte, or the Civic.


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

nodule said:


> I should have got the Forte.


Yea because KIA are better lol if an A/C is going to steer you away grom the Cruze well you should have figured you would loose something to get better fuel economy.

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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

We are complainging about drag with a/c from a dig, imagine if the steering wasn't electric. *Mind blown*

I use recirc on dash, vents only fan speed 3 while turning off a/c at times till it becomes unbearable in the city. I use bi level on the freeway and leave it on. Night driving like tonight I had windows down till I got to freeway speeds and it was cool enough to run no a/c, recirc off, and knob coldest setting. The 2013 fan speeds are cool with me and I haven't been in a Cruze prior to confirm/deny the horror stories. I also say yes to filter seeing that a stationary residential/comercial A/C should see 4 filters(one each season) where as our cars are driving into construction zones and freeway debris all the time. They usualy are cheap at Wally World if part number exist.


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## MIPS64 (Sep 10, 2012)

The A/C is my biggest complaint of the car, but since I bought it in March I couldn't really test it in true conditions. I experience the same things. Living in AZ I get 160 degree temps inside the car during my lunch hour. God bless remote start so I can let it cool down for 5 minutes ahead of time.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I'm not so sure the AC problem lies solely with the size of the Cruze motor. Forgive an old programmer, but I'd bet that a different set of software, that wasn't focused so tightly on mileage, would allow the drive train to not intrude on the the AC and other issues. I have no idea what the resultant mileage would be, but I'd guess it would be far enough from the competition to be a detriment. In the competitive compact car class, the mileage margin is very tight and it looks like the engineers sacrificed some things in the quest for high mileage from the bulk of the model line. I'm somewhat surprised that after three years of production, something wasn't done to change this "problem". However, we haven't seen a '14 Cruze owner have this problem, so maybe it got fixed. Perhaps the extra year delay for the second generation's debut will provide that change. End babble.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> I'm not so sure the AC problem lies solely with the size of the Cruze motor. Forgive an old programmer, but I'd bet that a different set of software, that wasn't focused so tightly on mileage, would allow the drive train to not intrude on the the AC and other issues. I have no idea what the resultant mileage would be, but I'd guess it would be far enough from the competition to be a detriment. In the competitive compact car class, the mileage margin is very tight and it looks like the engineers sacrificed some things in the quest for high mileage from the bulk of the model line. I'm somewhat surprised that after three years of production, something wasn't done to change this "problem". However, we haven't seen a '14 Cruze owner have this problem, so maybe it got fixed. Perhaps the extra year delay for the second generation's debut will provide that change. End babble.


Turbo lag + heat soak is what kills it. 

The Cruze has very little turbo lag, but it becomes much more apparent with a huge drag on the engine when it doesn't hit its stride til 1500-1850 RPM off idle.

Then there's the timing pull associated with HOT combustion chamber temperatures. The Cruze (and many other cars these days) run coolant temps extremely hot for emissions purposes. This compounds the problem a little bit as well, especially on lower octane fuels that pre-detonate very easily in hot temperatures.

Other small turbo-engined cars exhibit this same behavior, and even some with larger naturally aspirated engines (my dad's Jeep feels like it's dragging a safe behind it in the summer...but the AC coming from the vents in that car is second to none).


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## tavogl (Jun 24, 2013)

I feel ur pain my 1.4 Turbo is not enough for the car size and weight. I drive daily uphill and I just cant do it with the A/C on it feels horrible, I dont use the A/C on much because of that and fuel economy I only drive short distances but uphill, good thing my cruze is a lease, in 3 years ill change to the ford fusion, really nice car with a Wow engine

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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

tavogl said:


> I feel ur pain my 1.4 Turbo is not enough for the car size and weight. I drive daily uphill and I just cant do it with the A/C on it feels horrible, I dont use the A/C on much because of that and fuel economy I only drive short distances but uphill, good thing my cruze is a lease, in 3 years ill change to the ford fusion, really nice car with a Wow engine
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


The 1.6 in the Fusion is equally as pathetic in the summer, and very coarse/raspy. 2.0 is nice, but feels nothing like a V6 and gets horrible gas mileage to boot.

Just have to rev the Cruze more in the summer, just like you would any other 4-cylinder car. I shift at at least 2800-3500 around town if the AC is running full blast.


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## prince_bigd (Jul 16, 2013)

i just got my cruze a few weeks ago. I live in the heart of the appalachian mountians. Its been 95+ last few weeks with a heat index well over 105. Ive done nothing to my cruze performance wise except the intake resonator bypass and k&n drop in filter, and checked my spark plug gap. Since mine had 20k on it a 2012 2LT 6A i also changed the oil to mobil 1 extended performance 5W30 and put some redline super coolant water wetter in. I also run only 93 octane. So far my mileage has been avg between 34.6 and 37.8 overall avg on each fillup. I drive 65-70 on the freeway and 50-60 on back roads with multiple one lane road trips and some city driving. I have yet to have any issues with horrid lag or non functional a/c. I often switch to manual mode and am able to hold 5th and 6th gear up hills that cause 18 wheelers to drop to 25-30 mph loaded. i have yet to find steeper sections of mountain passes, actually the tail of the dragon is only an hour and a half away. So where are these hills that so many are having issues with? has to be the rockies as they are the only north american mountian range with greater avg elevation change.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Wow, I've been really impressed by how well the Cruze handles the A/C (except for additional fuel usage - yikes! guzzle guzzle). And far as the engine being just enough, again, I couldn't be happier with the power. Of course, I'm no boy racer so maybe that's why i'm so happy.

My other vehicle is an 04 Dodge Caravan with the 3.3L V6. Now that vehicle is dragged by the a/c. I have to turn it off when merging onto the highway because it simply has no acceleration. Heck! Even with the A/C off it isn't a stop light queen.

As far as using a fuel with a higher octane rating, how does that help. My understanding of higher octane is that prevents pre-ignition in high compression engines. Is this what happens when we use the a/c? The compression increases and in order to prevent pre-ignition the computer retards the engine because 87 octane isn't cutting it?

What is the benefit of using a higher octane fuel in an engine designed to use 87?


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

prince_bigd said:


> I have yet to have any issues with horrid lag or non functional a/c. I often switch to manual mode and am able to hold 5th and 6th gear up hills that cause 18 wheelers to drop to 25-30 mph loaded. i have yet to find steeper sections of mountain passes, actually the tail of the dragon is only an hour and a half away. So where are these hills that so many are having issues with? has to be the rockies as they are the only north american mountian range with greater avg elevation change.


There are lots of hills around me that are 8-12% grades, with 93 octane E10 my 1LT automatic will truck right up most at 62-75MPH and remain in 6th gear(in D), with the AC on full blast. However slow down to 58mph or less the trans needs to downshift to remain in the power band(above 1850RPM). 

The AC issues are only apparent to me when taking off at a stop light briskly, there is 1-2seconds of slow accel before the turbo spools. However if you are easy on it this is not noticeable at all. Pretty much with the AC on do not pull out in front of anyone and expect instant acceleration. 

I seem to loose 2-6MPG with AC use, I loose more MPG because I use remote start to cool my car and idle for at least a minute before I get in and drive(every start). Still getting 35-39mpg average with 93 octane E10 and AC use 80% of the time. Totally worth 2-6MPG loss to remain comfortable.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

AlainSDL said:


> What is the benefit of using a higher octane fuel in an engine designed to use 87?


Less chance of knock(pre-ignition of fuel), especially when its a turbo engine and its 80+ degrees outside. depending on your route and driving style most see a 2-4mpg increase switching to premium. The Ultimate Hot Weather MPG Test - Regular vs. Premium - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ Long-Term Road Test


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

The Cruze was designed for premium fuel and then programmed for regular. Actually many cars today have a high and low octane map in the programming. Nonetheless, the 87 octane is just a sales pitch for the Cruze 1.4. 

I think the 2012s with the later ECU tune (this can be updated) and 2013 automatics do just fine on 87 octane from spending time with one. Timing pull is still evident in traffic if you're paying attention. With the manual transmissions, the car changes character a lot more noticeably...just because you have a better idea of what the car feels like to begin with. 


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## CRUZEDAD33 (Feb 24, 2013)

I noticed the same problem you are having and started running 93 octane in my cruze.it didnt improve mpg too much but did give more power to engine while a/c is on.i currently do about 250 miles city driving and my average mpg,s are 27 so i think thats pretty good even with air on and alot of stop and go.


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

Is this A/C issue more apparent in manuals or automatics, or BOTH the same? Any idea if this issue may be improved with the 2014 automatics??


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

nodule said:


> Is this A/C issue more apparent in manuals or automatics, or BOTH the same? Any idea if this issue may be improved with the 2014 automatics??


4 people in the car, 90+ outside, AC running at speed 3-4, 87 octane...really, I found the 2013 automatic to do just fine.

It's more apparent in the manuals because the RPMs drop like a brick back to 1000 every time you shift (normally the ECU holds on to revs a little bit), so you lose all turbo boost and have to slip the clutch more off the line. Just takes some getting used to as the car behaves a lot differently than it normally does.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My ECO MT has no problems running the A/C in the Colorado Rockies. I do have to run the engine speed a couple of hundred RPM higher and the idiot shift up light doesn't take into account the A/C.


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## nodule (Apr 26, 2013)

Great...I guess im worrying about nothing then, since I will have a 2104 Automatic, with 80% of the time just me in the car.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Cold start I can't tell that much but norm op temps + I have to leave the clutch in 3 more seconds longer than I would like to. Driving the car as if the a/c wasn't on will get extreme bog and shudder as if I tried to start off in 3rd gear. 


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## The_Madcat (Oct 6, 2012)

> The Cruze has very little turbo lag, but it becomes much more apparent with a huge drag on the engine when it doesn't hit its stride til 1500-1850 RPM off idle.


You and I must not be driving the same Chevy Cruze, the turbo lag in the completely stock Cruze is terribad. It's easily remedied with intake restriction removal, but still pretty bad. That being said, I have noticed the loss with AC on but as others stated, just shift 3-500 rpm later than you would normally and problem solved.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

The_Madcat said:


> You and I must not be driving the same Chevy Cruze, the turbo lag in the completely stock Cruze is terribad. It's easily remedied with intake restriction removal, but still pretty bad. That being said, I have noticed the loss with AC on but as others stated, just shift 3-500 rpm later than you would normally and problem solved.


Yeah, I have no idea how or what you're driving, but compared to any other turbo car on the market, the Cruze is into boost sooner than anything I've driven.


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## The_Madcat (Oct 6, 2012)

It's the fact that the lag is accentuated so much. Other turbo's I have driven did not have the turbo power come all at once like this sucker does. A more gradual delivery of power is needed, although with such a small base engine to deal with, no idea how you would get rid of that. Twin turbo but not on a 1.4 lol.

It's really not a big deal but to say the Cruze is good on turbo lag is a bit misleading.


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## The_Madcat (Oct 6, 2012)

At least removing the snorkel and factory air filter allows the turbo to spool a little sooner and hence, more gradual.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

The_Madcat said:


> At least removing the snorkel and factory air filter allows the turbo to spool a little sooner and hence, more gradual.


Does this affect the warranty? Is there a "how-to" somewhere?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

AlainSDL said:


> Does this affect the warranty? Is there a "how-to" somewhere?


Nah. My car's been into the shop 23489723478927 times and they've never said anything.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-how-library/5479-how-bypass-intake-resonator.html


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

When I regapped my plugs from < 0.025 to 0.035 my car stopped surging when the turbo charger spooled up. While definitely more acceleration under turbo it is a smooth increase in acceleration while it spools up. Prior to regapping there was a very noticeable surge when the turbo spooled.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> It's more apparent in the manuals because the RPMs drop like a brick back to 1000 every time you shift (normally the ECU holds on to revs a little bit), so you lose all turbo boost and have to slip the clutch more off the line. Just takes some getting used to as the car behaves a lot differently than it normally does.


 Exactly - and when you are off boost the little 1.4 liter engine is really struggling - between the A/C compressor (which only disengages on full throttle) and timing being pulled for the hot ambient intake air.


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## cdavidhess (Jun 1, 2011)

Every 4 cylinder car which I have owned (and I have owned a lot) has had a noticeable performance loss when using the AC. I tried a tank of 91 octane pure gas. There was a noticeable improvement in performance with AC and an improvement in fuel economy, but not enough to justify the cost differential.

AC use is easy enough to adjust to when using a manual. You just need to give it more revs when starting out from a stop and think one gear lower for other situations.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I drove around in 100+ degree heat with myself, my wife, and my sister, her husband, and my brother in the car and their luggage piled all the way to the top of the trunk (could barely fit it all), with AC on full blast. Had absolutely no issues getting around. Sure, I had to launch at a higher speed to get moving, but past that, I had no issues merging into traffic or driving around downtown Chicago. 

There will be some power loss in any small engine when the A/C kicks in. That should be a given.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Wish I had someone local to see if they are driving it a special way than I am. My issues are now even w/o a/c on. 


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