Ok, after reading through the entire thread, I didn't find evidence supporting or not supporting this mod or the re-programming. Sooo, today, I bought two different thermometers. One a dial face, one a digital. In the store they both read the same temp. So I am making an assumption that both are somewhat calibrated and at least are on the same page as far as temps. Here are my results:

Ambient air temp - ALL tests - 85 degrees - 6pm - 7:30pm
Engine temp two ticks below the thermometer on the dash guage
No Mods
No pipes wrapped
No programming done
2004 RX8

Idle for 5 minutes
AC on RECIRC
Fan on High
Max temp - (after cooldown from the store) - 56 degrees
Low temp - 54 degrees

Highway
Speed 66mph
RPM - 4000
5 minutes
AC on RECIRC
Fan on High
Max temp - 54 degrees
Low Temp - 50 degrees

After the above Highway temp, I wondered if speed/rpm would do anything.
Highway
Redline 1st & 2nd
7000 rpm in 3rd - Held for 3 minutes - about 80 - 82mph
High Temp 52
Low Temp 49

After doing some driving around both city (35 mph) and Highway speeds (55mph) I did find that the temp got cooler. This obviously was due to the cabin cooling down and the AC's RECIRC function working like it should. Lowest temp was 41. I did repeatedly get my lowest temp (41) while the tach was at 3500rpm. Before all of this, I too thought my AC was crappy, but cooling at 41 isn't crappy. I will try a similar test on both of my GM vehicles and see what the low temp is there. In my opinion, just like elbows, everyone has a couple, I don't think the pipe wrapping will do anything one way or the other, but for $5, I'm going to test it to see and will post something here when I do (unless someone else wants to do that part that has already done the wrapping :D ) I have noticed on much hotter days that the AC will switch to the "normal" mode or fresh air mode. This is normal according to my Dad (who is in the refrigeration/AC field) I know my GM vehicle does this by drawing in fresh air to cool, which as mentioned earlier, is cooler than the stagnat/stale air in your car. I think the Mazda does the same. All I can tell you is spend the $10 for a temp gauge and prove it to yourself before trying this stuff.

No animals were harmed in the testing, however my nipples did get hard a time or two when I redlined it. :D

 

good objective testing, hawgwild... Looking forward to your next segment. Thanks!

 

Dang. Even after the AC TSB and a system recharge and on recirculate, my system can not get below 51 deg.

Nice write up.

 

Keep in mind the important value is the difference between the outside air temp and the vent temp.

 

Once you are ready to wrap, you should take some pre-wrap readings - otherwise the numbers may mean nothing. If it is cooler or hotter after you wrap than the day you tested the temps will be different just for that. Higher or lower humidity and more or less sunshine may effect it too.

So if you want to be precise then check it moving and standing still, then wrap and recheck.

I would agree than a system blowing 49 or 50 degree air when it is 85 outside seems to be working pretty good.

Dennis

 

i just installed mine over the weekend. It took only 15 minutes to do. I havent tested it out yet but hopefully my ac will run colder now.

 

FYI...Had the AC Amplifier replaced under the TSB and it appears to be colder. I haven't tested it with a thermometer though.

 

It's not $5 of material. It's $25 to $30.

You nedd to use the good stuff if you want it to work.

That's the wrapping they use on dragster for fire prevention.

go to : http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/

 

So we ever get any final results from someone who measured before and after temps?

 

Yes. Differences were minimal, possibly within boundaries of error.

 

I have several cars and IMO the problem with the AC is not the temperature, but the way it's ducted and the power of the blower. It needs more oomf. Because of that the air takes forever to cool down. Once again, I'm no expert and I have not measured the temperature, but the blower and ducting is seriously lacking.

 

I have this same stuff too. I also felt a difference in the cold.

 

I wrapped mine with self-vulcanizing rubber tape, then with the thermal insulation. I didn't want the insulation touching the metal, as I don't know what it's made of and therefore its effects on the metal under heavy condensation. Before and after temps may be the same, as some have said, but my A/C no longer has the warm/cold cycling. Cold all the time, now. $20 and about an hour of work, and I'm happy with the mod.

 

I know their is a difference because mine is blowing condensation which never happen in the year I have had my car

 

I have spent the time endlessly reading this post which is god-awful long. There is one think not mentioned in this post, and for those of you who are over this thread, just ignore this you crabby asses ....

I have never had my own Mazda, but my husband has a Miata. It sucks with the AC. I always thought that was because it was a soft top. When I got my 8 I was frustrated by the AC, not because of the coolness but the constant lack of air while accelerating. I felt that the AC system sucked in general because I didnt understand the Mazda. The 8 was my first new car and I was thinking luxury when I was thinking sports car.

When I mentioned this irritation with my husband he looked at me and said, "It's a sports car honey." All Mazda sportscars drop the AC at full throttle. So although the fan speed is cranked and the air coming out is cold, we manuals will feel a decrease in air during acceloration if you are driving the car like a sports car.

The Service guy at the dealer confirmed that the 8 has that same benefit that the Miatas have to keep it from losing power during a desired push. I have been straightened out and am a die hard 8 lover. I may have leather...cough cough plastic seats but I am a sports car minded gal now.

Who uses the AC anyway....

 

I will have to try this but my AC is really good anyhow

 

so can u pick up that heat cloth at like any motorsports place??? or auto parts store??? im lookin to find one if not in riverside, ca then close to it, but hey 5-8 degrees minimum difference in riverside heat in the summer makes a big difference..... so if anyone can tell me a place that would have it, i would really appreciate it.

 

Close. I drove an hour to the RX club meet then we went up the mountain.

It went from 82 at the beech to 105 plus.

We compared temps. They ran 50 to 55 degrees, and when stopped at a light they would get 75 degrees.

I could not test in tow conditions at lights. Mine ran 48 to 50 degrees. Most of the time 48 degrees going up the mountain.

When I had a chance to get to 46mph it dropped to 46 degrees.
I suspect if I were on the freeway I could get 46 degrees.

So if you use the high temp fire resistant material you should get 1 degrees possibly 2. Note his high was 55, while mine stayed steady at 48 to 50.

Unfortunately we need a new thread to really fix the problem.

I checked the temp at the center consoule from the out side. It was 90 degrees!

The real fix is to insulate the cabin which is another DIY.

Two methods: One from the inside Second from the outside under the car.

I'm gonna check out the second. The culpate is radiant heat from the transmission and engine.

Don't ask about the cup holders. The temp in there seems like it could boil water. just kidding.

 

A/C systems will only drop a temperature a certain number of degrees, so even if it is operating at its best, as the input temp rises the output temp will rise accordingly. It is not going to put out the same temperature air at an ambient of 105 degrees as it would at 85 degrees, assuming fresh air input at both. I wonder if the frequent cycling of the compressor some cars are doing is a problem with an RPM/load cutout switch or something similar.

I would like to have better insulation in the car to block heat coming from the drivetrain and exhaust, but that sounds like a BIG job to do right.

 

I am not clear on your test methodology, did you use 1 thermoment or 2? If 2, did you compare them in a single car to be sure they indicated the same temperature?

I would think a 1 or 2 degree differences would be within the error in most thermometes, and probably within the tolerances in between 2 car samples. In others words, if you checked 2 cars without wrapped pipes you might see 1 or 2 degrees of difference between the cars.

Dennis

 

It was one thermometer. You missed the point. his was cycling 50 to 55, mine was almost a constant 48. His cycled 5 degrees. his peak was 5 degrees higher than mine.

While I did see 46 degrees as a low at 46mph his low was 50, thats's a 4 degree difference.

While a variance of 2 could be normal 4 is out of the range, what caused this? The heat wrap for dragsters. Don't use that garbage crap you read about.

 

Think I'll start with the ac amplifier upgrade first. Need to get the dealer off their asses with that already.

 

I don't think the cycling is caused by lack or heat wrap - or having wrap on. I think that is the infamous "A/C amp" and that needs to be replaced.

In addition, I think the software "load" on the car can effect this. I swear after getting my car back from the gas tank recall - where I assume the insulated the tank and load new code into the car - that my AC now cycles off with a very slight hit on the go pedal. Before I would hardly notice it and wondered what folks were complaining about.

Dennis

 

Nice mod Tigster

I tried this and it works. My A/C is noticably cooler now, even on a sunny 95 degree day. Instead of heat wrap I used pre-formed foam pipe insulation that comes in 6-foot lengths that you can buy in any hardware store. Total materials cost: $1.75

 

Youre right, theyre not. They can save $1/car for NOT doing this plus the manpower to do it, times hundreds of thousands of vehicles, if not millions per year if you count ALL cars they make.

Does this make a difference? Yes, for the same reason you insulate this line for your home A/C, its all about efficiency..every BTU counts.

Does it matter enough to do it at the factory? No..typically if the air is "cold" people wont complain.

Its a simple $ to consumer-comfort equation, the manuf. isnt stupid. Just us for debating simple efficiency mods. Its a no brainer if youre looking to refine your car a little more.