A/C removal ?'s
 

i was just curious if anyone had tried to remove their A/C unit to try and free up more power. is this a wise move? besides not having a/c what would the disadvantages of this be and would the power increase be worth it?

You will be saving more weight than power.
At wide open throttle the AC clutch is disconnected, so the only power loss is the free spinning pulley, and belt drag.

Note; the AC bracket and AC adjuster weighs 7 pounds not counting the compressor(16), hoses, condenser(8), belt, evaporator, etc, etc.

Disadvantages:

1. You'll no longer have air conditioning.
2. You'll lose the dehumidifying function of the AC system when using the defrost.
3. You'll degrade the car's value.

Functional gain from removing AC: None.

dcb

I would not suggest doing this to a car that will be driven daily. This is a job for me more of a weekend toy/race car

Tom

Fact is, there's just not much one can do to an SVX to "free-up more power" while maintaining the character of the car.

dcb

Very true, but that is all in the eye of the beholder. I know it is cool to have a super cool car but make sure you don't lose it's ability to function normally if you want to drive it everyday and you rely on it

Tom

I did not realize the a/c contributed to the defrost function. Maybe that's the defrost is not working that great since I remove the ac belt. Are you sure about this?

Yeah, the AC compressor kicks-in with the defroster to dehumidify the cabin air, but disconnecting the belt wouldn't stop your defroster from working. You'd still get heat from the defrost vents.

dcb

The A/C will only work with the defrost down to about freezing. Below that the A/C stays off.

The A/C plays a huge part in the defrost system. Ask anyone who has a coolant leak, their defrost sucks!! not to mention that you can hear the compressor kick on

Tom

Thanks. I think I'll put the belt back on.