Technical Bypass Aircon Pulley ?

[Dan228]

Hi All

I have a 2011 1.4 8v EVO, the aircon compressor is making a loud grumbling noise , I don't use the aircon anyway and I want to bypass the compressor by using a smaller belt , anybody know what size belt will work to do this?

Thanks in advance

Dan

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I don't have a definitive answer for you but many Motor Factors will have a belt gauge. If you take a piece of stout string/light rope and tie it round the belt run you want, you can then take it to the Factor and they can use the belt gauge to measure it's length and supply you with a belt. It'll be a multigroove belt so count the grooves on the pulleys, most are either 4 or 5 grooves these days. One problem you may find though is that the models without aircon were fitted with an alternator which pivoted to tension the belt whereas the Aircon versions use a fixed alternator with a spring loaded tensioner. I've never tried to do what you are but it occurs to me you may not be able to utilize the spring loaded tensioner if you're bypassing the compressor and you'll need to get the brackets and, maybe, alternator from a non aircon car?

 

[Dan228]

Thanks for the info and idea about measuring with the piece of rope , it's a 5 groove belt on the evo with aircon and a 4 groove on the one without ... from the Haynes manual I get the idea the non aircon one had some sort of manual tension where as ac version has the tensioner.

There is an idler pulley bellow the aircon so it should still work with the shorter belt ... if not and I need to change the alty and idler then I might as well just change the aircon unit or open it up and remove the guts so it's just a pulley