A/C, to delete or not to delete?

[MusPuppis]

If I get rid of the A/C, I'll have to get an a/c delete kit correct? I cant just run a shorter belt..?

Now, on the meat of this.. I'd like to hear folks opinions who have deleted it.. Was it worth the time and effort? Any noticeable gains? Would you do it again if you had the chance?

I just cant decide on ditching it or not. It would drop some weight off my already ignorantly heavy truck, un-clutter the engine bay some and free up a little power. I live in Kentucky, so our summers arent crazy hot or anything but they do heat up a little.

Anyway, I did a search on this for information on it but I'd just like some personal opinions as to how big a difference you felt that it made, or if it was worth it at all.

Thanks folks,

 

[Grn92LX]

It was DEFINATLY worth the time and effort. The FMS delete kit was about $40 + $20 for a shorter belt. You end up saving 40lbs off the front of the car AND cleaning up the engine bay with less crap in it. Between the smog and a/c removal my engine bay is so much cleaner and easier to work on.

 

[90mustangGT]

You seem to have a pretty good grasp on what it's about. If your A/C is working properly and/or a daily driver maby you should keep it. I kept mine until the compressor started spraying a/c oil everywhere. My A/C system was completly original, 13+ years old. If I fixed one thing, chances are I would have to replace everything else, parts alone would cost me over $500-600 working at a shop. I live in GA, hardly used my A/C anyways. It felt good but I knew my motor was working harder, so I never used it. So I decided to delete.

Deleting was simple. I bought the A/C Delete kit and then just deleted everything else except the evaprotator (part in the HVAC unit) including the condencer in front of the radiator. All this stuff weighted over 50lbs I am sure. The engine bay looked much cleaner. Before the A/C delete I used to run a short belt bypassing smog and P/S, which took .2 off my 1/8th mile time and added a mph or two. Well, couldn't do that after the A/C delete (before I learned to flip the tensioner) but when I went to the track, I was running a mph faster and .1 than with the shortbelt. It was a notacable gain and I was suprised. Another real bonus it the car ran cooler because the radiator was first in line, instead of that big condencer.

 

[NKau]

Being that it's a '94 F-150, I'm guessing you really don't race/modify the thing much, but correct me if I'm wrong. It's worth it if the a/c is already dead, you don't want to recharge it, and you work on the motor quite a bit. If it's just a driver, I'd keep the a/c personally. The weight you save on that truck will be a proverbial "drop in the bucket". You don't lose much in the way of horsepower either; maybe 1-2 hp.

 

[notchman90]

one of the best mods i did. cleared up tons of space. go for it

 

[admstng]

anyone have any gains in ET's?? that would be nice..

 

[TIMMY2734]

I used the FMS bracket too. Plain and simple, i never used my AC. I just put the fan on and/or open the window. I saw no need to keep somethin ill never use.

 

[sgarlic]

I didn't notice a power difference, but like everybody else says, it makes the engine bay a lot less cluttered looking, and is a good start for shaving weight off.

Keep in mind, once you rip all the stuff out (including removing the evaporator core which is the equivalent pain of doing the heater core,) it's going to be very difficult to find a complete a/c system to replace it if you ever decide you can't go without it, or can't sell it without the a/c.

I live in Tucson, and although I have 2 other vehicles, I can manage without A/C.

One word of advice, if you are sure you want it out for good, don't bother buying the spring lock tool.. use a dremel or a minihacksaw to cut the lines going from the condenser to the evaporator and drier, this way you can cut to make it easier to pull everything out instead of finagling the complete lines through.

 

[TIMMY2734]

i disagree with the hacksaw..... Buy the tool. If you ever do a motor swap, you'll end up using them anyways. And theyre not very expensive. If you use the tool and pull the stuff out, you still have the option of putting it back on. You said it yourself, its difficult to find a complete AC system, so why would you destroy one that you can have for nothing...

 

[MusPuppis]

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated. I think I'll end up removing it in the next few weeks. I dont mind just rolling the windows down in the summer, I prefer it actually. My smog system is already unhooked and I need to bypass the durn air pump anyway.


NKau,

It is an F-150 but Im too stupid to not modify and race it. Its only been up and running after the engine swap for a short time now so I havent had alot of time to do a whole lot to it. I have big plans though. Im hoping for a h/c/i by this time next year, in the meantime I'm gonna get every bolt-on my budget can handle. Sadly at the moment that equates to an MSD sticker and MAYBE a new rotor button, lol. Gonna take it to the track sometime in spring and get some times put down.. Given the weight they wont be impressive, I'm thinking mid 15's =[.

Anyway, thanks for the info guys. Looks like the A/C delete is ON.

 

[sgarlic]

i disagree with the hacksaw..... Buy the tool. If you ever do a motor swap, you'll end up using them anyways. And theyre not very expensive. If you use the tool and pull the stuff out, you still have the option of putting it back on. You said it yourself, its difficult to find a complete AC system, so why would you destroy one that you can have for nothing...

What I meant/should've said was, if you're sure you want it out, and are sure it won't be going back in, I'd use a dremel or a hacksaw. I personally knew it wasn't going back in, and found it much easier to cut it in several places rather than maneuvering it out. Just a preference thing I guess. Then again I have no plans to swap motors so I wouldn't need the tools anyway.

 

[89MustangGX]

I can't tell from your pics, but if you've retained the stock F150 pulley arrangment, and want to keep it that way, they actually used an idler pulley in place of the A/C. I don't see why you couldn't use a Mustang style-delete, but thought I'd throw it out there...