Switching a/c compressor to a/c bypass pulley

[Knox5.0]

Unfortunately after just replacing my radiator my a/c compressor is now giving out. I noticed a weird noise under the hood and discovered the pulley on my compressor is wobbling and i can smell a burning smell coming from the compressor itself.
I dont have the funds to replace the compressor so i need to go with a bypass pulley. What does it take to use a bypass pulley in place of the compressor? I understand i wont have a/c and thats fine with me as i dont really ever use my air conditioning. I just need to know what all i need to do to eliminate the compressor from my a/c system. I will eventually put a new compressor in later on when my funds are available to do so but for now i just need a running vehicle. Thanks.

 

[theSpoon]

Unfortunately after just replacing my radiator my a/c compressor is now giving out. I noticed a weird noise under the hood and discovered the pulley on my compressor is wobbling and i can smell a burning smell coming from the compressor itself.
I dont have the funds to replace the compressor so i need to go with a bypass pulley. What does it take to use a bypass pulley in place of the compressor? I understand i wont have a/c and thats fine with me as i dont really ever use my air conditioning. I just need to know what all i need to do to eliminate the compressor from my a/c system. I will eventually put a new compressor in later on when my funds are available to do so but for now i just need a running vehicle. Thanks.

I'm not sure what engine but for my 97 4.0 sohc I just got a shorter belt and bypassed the whole thing all together.
freed up some power too

 

[Knox5.0]

I'm not sure what engine but for my 97 4.0 sohc I just got a shorter belt and bypassed the whole thing all together.
freed up some power too

Ive got the 5.0 engine. I thought about doing that but i just put a brand new serpintine belt on and i figured since the bypass pulley is pretty straight forward i didnt think it would rob much power. UNLESS, i could leave the compressor in place and go with a shorter belt.

Im just curious if i would have to seal the a/c system somehow or if there was anything special one would have to do to switch to a bypass pulley.

 

[mrboyle]

If you plan to ever reuse the AC you need to seal the lines aftre removing the compressor. Just find some plugs that will fit inside the ac lines and tape them in place really good. This is to keep dirt and other foreign crap out of the inside of the lines. Other than that make sure you secure the lines so that they can't get caught on anything or burned on a hot exhaust manifold.

 

[theSpoon]

I'm not too familiar with the 5.0 belt setup but before i removed my compressor, condenser, etc I just ran a shorter belt with everything still in place. It would probably be a lot less work going with a shorter belt but again I'm not too familiar with your belt setup. if you do go shorter make sure your other pullies still spin in the right direction

 

[hoss_hanna]

i have the 5.0 on my 01 mountie, much cheeper than tryin to find a pully just get the shorter belt, mine has a with ac/ without ac diagram under the hood.

 

[Knox5.0]

If you plan to ever reuse the AC you need to seal the lines aftre removing the compressor. Just find some plugs that will fit inside the ac lines and tape them in place really good. This is to keep dirt and other foreign crap out of the inside of the lines. Other than that make sure you secure the lines so that they can't get caught on anything or burned on a hot exhaust manifold.

I do plan to re-install a compressor at some point. I'll just plug the lines as you suggested. What about the electrical connector that connects to the compressor? Can it just remain unplugged without setting off a CEL code or anything?

I'm not too familiar with the 5.0 belt setup but before i removed my compressor, condenser, etc I just ran a shorter belt with everything still in place. It would probably be a lot less work going with a shorter belt but again I'm not too familiar with your belt setup. if you do go shorter make sure your other pullies still spin in the right direction

So it may be possible to leave the compressor in place and just run a shorter belt? If so, thats what i'll be doing.

 

[Knox5.0]

i have the 5.0 on my 01 mountie, much cheeper than tryin to find a pully just get the shorter belt, mine has a with ac/ without ac diagram under the hood.

I will look under my hood but im pretty sure my routing diagram doesnt give me a "without a/c" option. I wish it did though.

I did a search on the site and come across a shorter belt bypass thread. It looks like i CAN go with a shorter belt, Duralast 835K6, and bypass the a/c compressor leaving it in place. I just need to firgure out the correct routing for the shorter belt. I think its the same as the stock belt except i skip the compressor pulley. Can anyone confirm the correct route for me?

 

[Knox5.0]

To answer my own question, i went ahead and bought the shorter belt and just put it on. The correct route is the same as the stock belt but you skip the a/c compressor pulley. Once you look at the stock route its self explainatory on how to route the shorter belt. Duralast 835K6 is the correct belt for the 5.0 engine. $16.99 at Autozone.
Maybe its all in my head too but it did feel like it had better pick up when i test drove it with the new belt on.

 

[hoss_hanna]

nice glad u got it figured out, i was gonna take a pic of my sticker 4 u but got a bit busy workin an a customers car....

 

[gavin]

To answer my own question, i went ahead and bought the shorter belt and just put it on. The correct route is the same as the stock belt but you skip the a/c compressor pulley. Once you look at the stock route its self explainatory on how to route the shorter belt. Duralast 835K6 is the correct belt for the 5.0 engine. $16.99 at Autozone.
Maybe its all in my head too but it did feel like it had better pick up when i test drove it with the new belt on.

no issues with the belt rubbing on itself?
I'm doing this today, and noticed that there is a very very very tiny amount of clearance where the belt goes underneath the top-most idler pulley and over the water pump pulley.

it almost looks like it'll rub against itself.

no issues since you put the shorter belt on?

I wish there was Autozone around here... paid $50 for the belt from Carquest
but atleast the increase mpg will eventually offset it and my old belt was squeaking a bit at startup anyway.

 

[Knox5.0]

no issues with the belt rubbing on itself?
I'm doing this today, and noticed that there is a very very very tiny amount of clearance where the belt goes underneath the top-most idler pulley and over the water pump pulley.

it almost looks like it'll rub against itself.

no issues since you put the shorter belt on?

I wish there was Autozone around here... paid $50 for the belt from Carquest
but atleast the increase mpg will eventually offset it and my old belt was squeaking a bit at startup anyway.

Car has been running just fine since i did the swap. I noticed the clearance that you are talking about. I wondered the same thing also. I havent looked under the hood in a few days but the last time i checked there were no issues.

 

[gavin]

Car has been running just fine since i did the swap. I noticed the clearance that you are talking about. I wondered the same thing also. I havent looked under the hood in a few days but the last time i checked there were no issues.

haha you know, I started thinking about it.
the clearance wouldn't have changed just by bypassing the a/c.
just the angle at which the belt goes from the p/s pulley to over the water pump pulley would have changed.
drove about 10 miles today and yeah no issues.

just had a brain fart this morning I s'pose.

 

[jhcii]

My 1997 explorer with 5.0 v8 uses a 93 inch ( plus a bit extra). To bypass the ac compressor get a shorter belt. The belt should be 84 inches ( i got an 84 and 1/4 inch ) cost me about $24. To get a by pass pulley - well the pulley assembly was going to cost more than what the replacement pulley. So I'm just going to use a shorter belt until I can get the replacement part and get it installed. My ac pulley froze up on the interstate 20 miles from home and when it did it took out the belt. I had researched everywhere to try to find out what size belt and couldn't find out what size it needed. I measured from top of water pump to top of power steering, then from top of water pump around compressor to top of power steering, difference of 9 inches, so when the parts guy told me it was 93 inch belt i asked to get a 84 inch one and it works like a charm. So just get a 84 inch belt if you want to bypass the ac compressor till you can fix it