Has anyone taken out their powersteering but kept their A/C? How did you do it without the tensioner?

Thanks,

Andrew

 

My Q? to you is why would you want to do that? Most people take the A/C out then maybe the powersteering.

 

I removed my power steering and installed a fully manual rack. IMO one of the best mods... these cars don't really need power steering. And I can change spark plugs easily from the topside now... but I do live in Virginia, and over 90 degree days are normal from may to september.

My A/C is all still there, but not working because the belt is gone. I think what you'd need to do is create a 2nd idler pully to sit rightly where the PS was, to keep the belt going in the right direction, and still be able to use the tensioner. However, since my car is is a weekend cruising/tracking car, i am considering dumping the AC as a part of my own radiator/intercooler project.

 

I was under the impression the WHOLE reason to take either or, was because of POWER lose, which comes only for the most part from the A/C..... weird....

 

There are more reasons than just parasitic power loss, which I gather aren't really much anyway if the AC is off (idling), and the PS is functioning properly.

There's weight. Clutter (note my spark plug experience), complexity, failed parts (my PS was leaking)... and smaller things like getting rid of the cooling loop that made sealing the rad. easier, and making a custom install, like v-mount for instance, easier and better sealed.

I really don't miss the PS. I saved weight, made it easier to work on the car, and I love the feel on track. The fully converted rack, welded shaft, sealed, and permanently greased with no loop line was around $200.

 

Some people are convinced they need to remove the power steering to get a better "feel". They've never heard of caster I guess...

 

I didn't feel I "needed" to... but in retrospect, im not really sure why anyone felt the car "needed" power steering... particularly on a car whos marketing literature touted how they located the F$@# coils under the manifold to save weight on spark plug wires.

A week after the conversion, i'd forgot about it. Even with 255-section front tires, the only time it's minor irritation is when you're stopped dead, and need to turn around or manuever in somplace real tight.... but honesly, its no worse than my old VW scirroco that came that way right from Germany.

 

But that's only if the A/C is running. Otherwise, it's just a free spinning pulley. Probably taking as much power away as the tensioner.

 

So nobody has an answer for this? I'm interested in doing the same conversion, I need AC for hot days and when the windows fog up, but would love to lose the weight, complexity, and vagueness of the power steering. I read in a different thread that one guy had done it, but not sure how.

 

Although I haven't personally done this, I don't see why you couldn't wrap the belt around the top of the idler pulley (rather than the underside like stock). The belt would still run the same direction, and the idler would still be able to tension the belt. Probably not optimal, but it'd work.

-Rob

 

I've also wondered about this. I've only kept my Power Steering because I don't want to lose the A/C.

 

i have the right size belt to do this, run the belt OVER the tensioner pulley and it will still be turning the right direction

come on guys, didn't you play with legos and other critical thinking toys as a kid?

 

Oops...

 

You could, but you'd have to figure out some way to "tension" it in reverse. The adjustment mechanism pushes DOWN, not UP on the belt. You could maybe wedge some thing up under it, or push on it then tighten the bolt, but it prolly wouldn't be easy or accurate.

Give it a shot.

 

That was kind of my point. If its not RUNNING then why is it there, hints the removal. The P/S was always running hints keeping it there.

I never really saw the advantage of removing something you use, but something you dont use, now thats a good reason I would say.

By the way its 830am and 3inches of snow, so if im a little esentric (spelling) then you know why or maybe you dont.......



ON A PERSONAL note: I removed my A/C and still have my P/S that was a nice power/well free up power mod. I would say im still happy its gone, but with the tight roads up here in Japan I will defenatly keep my P/S...

On a Thread starter note: do as you will man, its your car, just people and I will throw out opinions since that is why the thread is here..


On the question at hand----- wish I could help out, although I have seen a few people make there own set-up/ie moving the P/S I would say you could do this also with the A/C and put it just how you like and the tensioner pulley too.

 

Boostgasm... Breaking a lego, 10 cents. Breaking my car, thousands of dollars... I don't have enough personal experience with these things to feel comfortable experimenting.

 

Gotcha. I misread what you were trying to say. No biggie.

I've removed both. The A/C and PS for as much weight savings and to free up as much HP as possible. A/C because I don't care and PS since I've heard enough about not having it not being that bad. As far as removing the PS only...I can't for the life of me visualize that. I don't know why.

 

Everyone I talked to advised me not to run the groove side of the belt against the stock (smooth) idler pulley. Chevrolet uses a 6-groove idler pulley about 3" diameter that works great. The bearing I.D. is right and all I had to do was shim it away from the mounting bracket with a washer. Then get a 36" belt and you're ready to go. I bought four off of E-bay and so have three left. If anyone is interested PM me. Meanwhile, I'll contact the seller and try to get a part number.

 

I need to test out your car in a few weeks to see if I like driving with no PS I'd like to do the mod, but prefer to see how it drives/handles first.

 

change your belt more often or fix your p/s !!

 

Sounds good. Well there has been good answers and good questions. Lets keep this up a bit, maybe someone will fab up a custom pulley where the P/S went...

 

[QUOTE=hotrodrx7]The bearing I.D. is right and all I had to do was shim it away from the mounting bracket with a washer. QUOTE]
I dont quite understand. Could you explain this a little better?

Thanks,

Andrew

 

Yup, your belt would wear faster if you run the groove against the smooth idler.

Hey, do us a big favor, and post part #'s for the GM idler, and belt.

 

The GM idler pulley is grooved and fits in the stock idler location so you have the original belt tension adjustment. The belt goes around the A/C pulley, the crank pulley and the idler pulley all on the grooved side of the belt. Haven't heard back from the seller on the GM part # for the pulley but lots of mfr's make the 6-groove, 36" belts; just use K060360 or 6PK0915 as a reference part number. As I said earlier, I had to buy four of the pulleys and only needed one so the other three are available. PM me if interested. I'll keep digging to find the GM part #.

 

How do you "tension" it in reverse? The tensioning bolt on the tensioner mechanism is meant to press downward, not upward.