A/C compressor removal

Add how-to's or talk about hi-end engine mods for the performance minded types.

Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber

Post Reply
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

A/C compressor removal

Post by sixsracing »

Does anybody have a neat, clean way to eliminate the A/C compressor so that a belt can be run directly from the crankshaft. I have come up with a couple of different solutions but none that I can settle on.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
User avatar
PDX Cabby
The Living Bentley Manual
Posts: 523
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 12:51 am
What year is your cabby?: 1985
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Post by PDX Cabby »

well
if you have the german AC where the compressor is mounted under the altenator then all you have to do is:
-remove alt
-remove compressor
-remove giant iron bracket
-reinstall alt where the bracket was
-stand back with your beer and wonder what all the fuss is about


i just cut my hoses off because they had already blown out before i ever got the car... didn't notice it at first, so i had grabbed a large knife and sliced the hose expecting a huge rush of gas... but nothing happened
85 Cab - 1.9L 8v, g-grind, euro dual downs to TT race w/ Borla, VWMS fuel dizzy, 2H tranny with 5th gear swap, TT short shift, FK 60/40, 15" BBS RA, rear disks... begging for boost...
SoCal_Cabby
Postus-Whorus-Maximus
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 2:49 pm
What year is your cabby?: 0
Location: Escondido, CA

Post by SoCal_Cabby »

not the best pic, but it's the only one i have hosted

Image
1lowcab
DropTop Pimp
Posts: 1809
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:42 am
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: mt. vernon, ohio

Post by 1lowcab »

well
if you have the german AC where the compressor is mounted under the altenator then all you have to do is:
-remove alt
-remove compressor
-remove giant iron bracket
-reinstall alt where the bracket was
-stand back with your beer and wonder what all the fuss is about
yup, thats what i did!
If you can't beat them, drop the top and pimp by 'em!

85 Mercedes 500SEL grey market euro
Bunch of GM crap
In need of a VW lol
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Post by sixsracing »

PDX, I noticed that you are using the Motorola alt. with the long shaft, do you know if this will work with the Bosch short shaft also. I have a feeling I am going to come up a little short for belt alignment. When you remove the compressor bracket are the ears on the block further forward than the ears up top? Maybe I will just pull the whole mess down and take a look. SoCal, what year is your cabby, and are you using the Bosch alt.? Thanks for the response.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Post by sixsracing »

Whoops! I read that real fast and asked the wrong person. That last question should have been directed to 1lowcab, my apologies. Just thought of something else, what did you guys use for a belt length?
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
1lowcab
DropTop Pimp
Posts: 1809
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:42 am
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: mt. vernon, ohio

Post by 1lowcab »

my cab is an 89. all i did was remove the A/C compressor and put the alternator there. all i needed was a longer alternator adjusting arm, and i cut some metal from the pivot point of the alternator to make it narrower and cut some metal from the A/C compressor pivot point on the bracket to make it wider and TADA! new alternator mounting place. and three trips to the parts store later i found out i needed a 39" belt to make it work. i'v had it like that for over a year and it works great!
i don't know if it's a bosch alt or not, but it has the short shaft on the pulley.
If you can't beat them, drop the top and pimp by 'em!

85 Mercedes 500SEL grey market euro
Bunch of GM crap
In need of a VW lol
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Post by sixsracing »

Thanks man. That was exactly what I was looking for. The easiest way to tell Bosch from Motorola from Valeo is this. The Bosch alt. (by far the most common) has two screws holding the voltage regulator on the back. The voltage regulator is usually black and has a round center about the size of a quarter. The Motorola (more common on pre 83) has a completely flat back, the voltage regulator is silver, also with two screws, but is rectangular and bigger, about two and a half inches long by one and a half inches wide. The Valeo (used on 85 on jetta/golf) has a black plastic back. The Bosch and Motorola were available in at least three different shaft lengths. I believe the Valeo came in only short. But could be converted fairly easily. Hope this helps.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
User avatar
Calimus
Grand High PooBah
Posts: 2892
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 11:40 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Cartersville, Ga

Post by Calimus »

Wow, now thats one dedicated altenator guy right there. Great info Sixs.

Lowcab, Did you make the extended adjusting arm yuorself and if so, was it real involved. Reason I ask is that folks that have 8v rocco's are always asking how to remove the A/C. I think you could prollie sell a few of those extended arms for about $25+shipping if you wanted to look into it.

Just wish it was that easy to do to a 16v rocco. Not that I want to do it to mine. Black Scirocco w/Black interior + living in Ga w/massive humidity = I got's to have my damn A/C working.

Sadly I had to do the R134a conversion and I'm not impressed, stuff just doesn't work all that well, but I think I know where I goofed and I intend on correcting my mistake this summber.
16' Challenger ScatPack
05' Yamaha FJR1300
02' Honda VTX 1800C
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Post by sixsracing »

I got a ton of useless info. in my head just ask. I don't remember telling you guys this so if I am repeating myself just ignore. I worked for a chain called Foreign Autoparts for almost 15 years. Did some dealer work before that. The parts business I know.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
1lowcab
DropTop Pimp
Posts: 1809
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:42 am
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: mt. vernon, ohio

Post by 1lowcab »

Lowcab, Did you make the extended adjusting arm yuorself
i had an old adjusting arm laying around, off what i don't know. but it was too long so i just cut it down and drilled a new hole for it, pretty easy really. i did have to bend it around to get the right angle, took me a few trys but it worked out pretty good... i need to take some pics.
If you can't beat them, drop the top and pimp by 'em!

85 Mercedes 500SEL grey market euro
Bunch of GM crap
In need of a VW lol
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Post by sixsracing »

I made some measurements last night. The distance from fan blades to centerline on pulley is approx. 1 7/8". The distance from fan blades to where the pulley will need to be for belt alignment is approx. 2 1/4". After a quick inspection, it doesn't look like the forward position of the alternator will change with the swapping of the A/C compressor and alternator. I am going to call a rebuilder I used to use in N.Y. and see if they have an adapter for this distance. I believe Bosch used to make such a thing, but if it still exists is the question. I do see the bosses just below the alternator that the compressor pivots on and they appear to be the correct width to accept the alt. ear. I will let you know when I find out more.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
bubster007
Posts: 177
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:59 am
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Lawrenceville/Atlanta GA

Post by bubster007 »

We need to know.


--Talk to us. What did he say? What did you come up with?
92 Cabby Triple White...de Bubster
sixsracing
Forum Niceguy
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1991
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Bangor, Maine

Post by sixsracing »

I thought I had finished this thread, I guess not.

Yeah, they did have the correct pulley and it's on my car and everything is aligned. The guy didn't know what OEM alternator it came off of so you will just have to make measurements and go down to your local rebuilder and ask. Sorry.
91 Cabriolet, red w/white
86 Cabriolet white/white (oldest daughter)
97 Golf, black (youngest daughter)
98 Beetle, red
94 Cabrio, dark green (oldest son)
Cogito Ergo Zoom
bubster007
Posts: 177
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:59 am
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Lawrenceville/Atlanta GA

Post by bubster007 »

Thanks, I think I'll get to know my local rebuilder. Living in the South, there are always those days when the best A/C system is not enough but I decided to remove my dead A/C system for a few reasons but I am still carrying this old compressor around and it is still required because of the way the belts are configured. As soon as I read this thread I rush out to Cabrita and looked. I have a pulley on the alt' that is spaced pretty far out and it is not going to line up but if the pully can be changed then I am going to go for it . Thanks for the "followup" on a dead thread. Believe it or not, but you guys have given me a ton of ideas and a whole lot of really useful information. I guess all I can say is Thank You, :beer: Thank You. BTW that is cider, not suds.
92 Cabby Triple White...de Bubster
Post Reply