MrDude_1

heh, i need to know what size belt i need to totally bypass the AC compressor.


i cut whats left of the existing belt to what i THINK might fit, and im about to leave to find out if that size works.... as soon as a ride gets here to the store.


anyone know for sure what size belt my 92 camaro V6 needs to not touch the AC compressor?















(on a side note, a big f u c k you goes out to all you guys who said "this was just discussed, do a search.... thanks to you, doing a search pulls up 50 threads without the answer. YOU search, post and help, or shut the f u c k up.)

Dizturbed One

I know what you're saying, the search rarely works well for me. Usually whatever keywords you use pop up in a thousand other threads too, so it makes it just like sifting through random threads.

I don't know the exact size... I just called my autoparts store and told them I had a 92 Camaro RS... 3.1... WITHOUT AC... lol

Don't tell them you're bypassing it. Everytime I did they would start arguing with me and saying "You can't do that you know".

JUST GIMME THE DAMN BELT.

It worked fine. Been about 4 months now.

RTFC

I have an '87 an can tell you definately it will not work on my serp setup. If I try and go directly from the ilder pulley across to the power steering pulley, the belt will touch itsself coming back around the waterpump pulley.
Thois picture shows circled in yellow where it hits (not to scale, but trust me it hits)

RTFC

You have to go to a factory A/C delete pulley. I believe GM has them listed as a power steering delete pulley though, but they are an A/C dellete, I own one. and have it on another vehicle right now.

Dizturbed One

No you don't, it's close, but it works.

I'll go take a picture of mine right now.

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

you dont need the a/c delete pulley, the clearance between the belt and the waterpump are close but they do not touch. are you planning on taking the compressor off or leaving it on? that you may not be able to do, i think the compressor will get in the way of the belt routing if its still on. i remember there being a post about belt routing and the a/c delete pulley not too long ago.

Dizturbed One

I didn't take off my A/C at all. I didn't change a single thing, I simply took the old belt off and put the new one on, that was during the second week of February.



Still going strong, I was worried about clearance after I did it so I bought another belt and kept it in the car in case I needed it to get home, but I haven't used it yet.

If you came into problems you could adjust the power steering pump upwards a little to give it a little more clearance.

The tensioner would take up the slack.

My A/C is on the driver side though, I notice alot of people who say it won't work has the compressor on the passenger side. So that may make a difference.

It should pose no problem to you though, because I have a 92 RS 3.1 V6 with the 25th Anniversary badging also.

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

theres a difference w/ the p/s brackets, i see now why thered be a question about the delete pulley. mine didnt have a/c to begin with so i have more clearance than that.

Dizturbed One

ah yes, I see.

The power steering pump is sitting about an inch higher on your car than it does on my car.

Dale

iTrader: (12)

Hum, I never tryed on mine. The ac pump is broke and I dont use it. but I still have my belt going around it.


dave, I see your running an underdrive, and no smog. Can you get me a blet length please. I cant read it off the picture.

Dizturbed One

That's an underdrive pulley? Looks stock to me. Pretty much exactly like mine.

RTFC

I'm going to teach you something if you are willing to listen.

I listed that I have an '87 for a reason. That reason being that I see Dude has a '92. I stated that I CAN NOT get away with that on my '87.

If you consider you clearance adequate, then you and I live in different worlds. I'd like to see a picture of your idlers refernce point and I would also like to see the belt in action while its running and fluctuating rpms. Then I'd like to see you try and run a good quality serpetine belt like the Gaterback one DrDave is showing in his picture- the thicker and more reliable one that I run.

Dizturbed One

I'm always willing to learn.

It looks really close because of the lip on the pulley, there is a little over a quarter inch gap, I measured it with a feeler gauge when I put it in, after realizing that it was too big for a feeler gauge I just stuck my head way down in there and took a good look.

It clears more than you'd think from looking at it (when I first put it in I thought it wouldn't work, swore it was rubbing).

So... If YOU are willing to learn something, you just have. I was not argumentative at all, I simply answered his question which was "will it work". I simply gave him an answer.

And I wasn't saying his power steering pump is higher because of the year, it's because his car came from the factory with no A/C so they used different PS brackets which moves it up about an inch, everything else is identical to mine.

And the belt in action while running is not an issue because as the RPM's climb and belt tension is increased the tension pulley lifts away, and gives it even more clearance. Another thing I checked when I put it in.

If I wanted, I could adjust my power steering pump to give it even more clearance if it ever became a problem. But it's not a problem, I beat the snot out of this car daily, the belt seems ok with that.

No need to speak to me in a condescending manner.

RTFC

Sorry if it sounded that way, I was trying to be as polite as possible, I always seem to get misinterpeted when typing. I strongly feel it is not my fault. I stated the reasons above and just let Dude know that this is what "I" have and it will not work for me- didn't say it wouldn't work for anyone else.

I have absolutely no adjustment on my powersteering mounting.
I have tried to route the belt that way on my car in the past and it touches.

Thirdly, I am in need of a new powersteering bracket because maine has developed a vibration in it over the past two weeks and I strongly believe it has developed a hairline fracture I can not see that has weakened it. I have taken it off and replace the powersterring pump with a spare that I have. I have torqued everything to specs, I still have the same vibration.

I have owned this car for about 13years and have had that thing apart and back together a dozen times and never ever a hint of noise like I have developed.

I have even now made a rear bracket for it to further support it to the above A/C compresser which is significantly braced, and it is still making the vibration just off idle.

I will need to find a new bracket to try.

Dizturbed One

aaahhh, I see

If your actually worried about it (I might be inclined to worry about it a little more if I used my car for auto-x or any performance applications also) you could always dremel out the holes in your new power steering bracket to elongate them towards the block slightly, that would give you more clearance.

Also, that is with the motor off.

When the motor is running, you get a little more clearance once the belt is under tension.

I wouldn't run a thicker belt with mine how it currently sits even though I think it would be fine while running. I'm worried that it would slap itself together everytime I turned the car off or started it up, and it would probably wear the belt pretty quickly. I'd elongate the holes in the PS bracket to run a thicker belt.

87blueracr

have fun trying to find a new mounting bracket, i had to go to the dealership for mine(alternatot mounting bracket) and they wanted 100$ for it. they also told me that the mounting brackets are discontinued, and supplies are starting to dwindle. i am not worried, but if you know you need one, better get to the junk yard or the dealership and get a spare. i did and i know that if anything everhappens, i am covered unless it happens again, then i may be in trouble!

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

its a 79 inch belt. yours may be different cause you have the 3.4 p/s bracket dont you?

RTFC

Yes rhat is my fear. GM discontinues manufacturing most parts after they become 10 years old. Its all the time frame they are required to make replacement parts for cars they manufacture over the years.

Anyone have a part # handy. I have a 3.4 bracket but it will not work with my A/C bracket. It sits the powersteering pump a little bit higher.

87blueracr

sorry dean, all that stuff is at home, as i am at work right now (it is nice to work in a office rather than out on the floor in the machine shop!)

Dale

iTrader: (12)

No, I'm running the stock 3.1ps, on a 3.4 block.
And it does look like an underdrive pully at that angle. Is the pully itself smaller then the harmonic balancer, or same diameter?

Smaller=underdrive.
Same or larger = stock.

Thanks for dimension. May give it a try next payday.

I wonder how the s10ps bracket plays into this?

87blueracr

dale don't waste your money on the underdrive pulley, i didn't gain but like 1/2 hp by using it. it does help you rev alot faster though

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

its smaller than the stock pulley. i didnt think it was a waste of money. its about the same thing as spending $50 on a set of bigger plug wires. every lil bit helps, especially when youre only starting out w/ 135hp, lol.

MrDude_1

thanks.

86BLUEBIRD

What if ur not running a serpentine system. mine has three belts. could i just cut the belt to the ac or get a pulley to put in its place?

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

you can just take it off, you dont need any pulley or anything, its a totally different setup.

86BLUEBIRD

so if i just cut the belt off and pull the compressor it wont damage anything?

Dale

iTrader: (12)

sorry blue, I have put underdrive crank pully on everything I have ever owned since I know what they were.

I have felt, and noticed a difference like they claim.

MRDude, I belive the belt he quoted was with an underrive. You may need a slightly longer belt.

Hum, 3.4 sits it higher. So if I remove my pump, I can put it on.

Now to find caps for all the ac lines

86BLUEBIRD

how much does the underdrive pulley cost and how hard is it to install?

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

the pulley is usually $50 - $60 and theyre pretty easy to install. pull the belt off, remove the crank bolt and the 4 bolts that bolt the pulley to the balancer.

87blueracr

dr.dave,
i got some sort of a pump on the pass side of the engine under the alternator, what the heck is it, nothing in any book i have ever seen identifies it? is it a AIR pump?i dunno what the heck it is but it is about to go bye bye!

Dale

iTrader: (12)

yes, thats the air pump.

Mine seems to have fallen off also

87blueracr

dale what size belt to bypass the freggin thing with the jet underdrive crank pulley, and no a/c pump.

p.s it's going out on monday!

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

if youre pulling the AIR pump, no a/c it should be the 79 inch one. as long as the jet and ASP underdrive pulleys are the same, im pretty sure they are.

MrDude_1

im keeping the airpump... so what size do i need?

87blueracr

thanks for the info, guys, i will get a new belt tommorrow morning as soon as i get off work(yes i am working from now til then)

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

the way i measured for mine was take a piece of rope or string and route it along the pulleys and measure how long it is. then i subtracted an inch and a half ( i think) for belt tension and went with that size. it took a couple of tries. i bought two belts and returned the one i didnt need. kind of a backyard way to do it, but it works

87blueracr

i've never seen that trick before, maybe when i get off tomm, i will have to do that only i will have to take almost 2 off cause my tensioner is past the replace belt line. i know that there isn't anything wrong with the belt cause it is almost brand new. i put it on and haven't driven 4,000 miles on it yet from when i broke the mounting bracket for the alternator.

shipfitter_sjd

.........I read all the other posts. I have came away with a feeling of, well, I guess I just need to ask my question and hope for a clear concise answer.

My daughter has an '87 Firebird with the 6 banger. It has A/C but no smog pump. I think the AC compressor clutch is going downhill fast and I want to bypass it. It has the serpentine belt setup. At the auto parts store they offer belts with or without smog pump and/or AC.

My question (as if you haven't guessed by now) Can I just buy the non AC / non smog pump serpentine belt and just bypass the AC compressor? Without modifications? Will that belt fit?

Any good answers will be much appreciated! Thank you!!

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

if you dont have plans of using the A/C anymore, id say take it off there. as far as bypassing it, im not sure if you can just run it under the A/C pulley or not. can you post a pic of the engine? ive never had A/C so i cant tell you for sure. or see if a belt will run straight across from the waterpump to the p/s pump and miss the A/C pulley.

camaro350man

I had an 88 Firebird and had the same idea as all of you. I tried just about everything. I tried tons of different ways and I was unable to get it to work. The belt rubs no matter what and i started it and well ya it rubs , I even used a belt from a 89 RS w/o ac. It would not fit. I think there is a small defference in the clearance range in the years of the cars and thats what is making everyone come up with different answers..not sure

Aaron R.

My '87 2.8 has a/c, ps, no air pump. I too have tried to bypass the a/c clutch with a different size belt. No deal. Even a perfect length belt rubs just as RTFC said.