For all you guys out there, I'm working on getting rid of all the "unnecessary" components in my car. It's an '89.

All my experience is with F-cars to date, and I am completely unfamiliar with the options available on Y-cars for pulleys. I'm not talking about underdrives. I'm looking to eliminate the smog pump and the AC compressor.

I have seen the kits for the smog pump elimination for $160 which seems a bit steep, but that still does not solve the AC problem. Is there an idler pulley available to take the place of the AC? If not, how have you guys re-routed the belts? Also, when doing this, do I need to keep the water pump balancer thing on there? What purpose does that serve? Extra vibration damping?

Any help's much appreciated. The car will be used primarily for road racing, but will remain street legal. With that said, what can you guys suggest for mufflers? Clearly it will not have cats, and will be dual exhaust, but I need something that is as loud as possible, but can also pass noise tests on tracks that require "street" car exhausts.

Thanks!



[Modified by ToddC4, 5:49 PM 1/31/2003]

 

ToddC4,
I posted the same question a few months ago. Basically I found that no one makes an A/C replacement pulley. I guess all C4's have air. :crazy:
Any way, some said that the guys at DRM have a way to re-route the Serp belt to eliminate the a/c pulley. I still haven't called 'em yet 'cause my vette is in storage and I figured that I'll deal with it in March. I'll be watching this thread 'cause I'm interested if something new comes up besides a custom fab.. If ya find anything... email me. Re. Mufflers I went with the DynoMax Ultra flow race mufflers.
Sets off car alarms when I cruse through Parking lots. My car is street legal but is made for the strip as well. Good luck! :cheers:

 

There has got to be an easy way. All the people that race the cars and stuff.....

I have seen one car, but the belt ran above the intake bellows, completely routed a different way, and the water pump was reverse direction (changed to standard CW chevy direction to make that possible. Still serpentine.

I'm sure as HELL not having a Corvette with AC or Smog! Not that it's not cool for some. Just not me. ;-) Whatever it takes to hit the 3000# mark.

What about that water pump pulley balancer weird thing? Like I said, I've done alot with F-cars but some of the stuff on this one is unfamiliar to me.

I'll look into the Dynomaxes.

 

It sounds like you are describing the infamous "frisbee" attached to the front of the water pump. Get rid of it immediately! :smash: It was intended to reduce A/C compressor vibration, and you won't have to worry about that. As far as the belt, I know it can be done because that is how my race car was done when I bought it, no smog pump, no A/C compressor, serpentine belt. I have since gone to a V-belt system, several people recommended that because the serpentine supposedly creates more drag. Before I get roasted for saying that, I don't really know for sure if its true. Here's a picture of my setup:

 

ToddC4,
I'm with ya! I eliminated smog and a/c its just that I still have that ugly pully for the a/c. I eliminated all a/c guts put kept pulley to keep serp belt correct. Looking to eliminate that. As for vetracer... I agree, get rid of the frisbee.
In fact you may want to go with a hi out put water pump as well!

 

If I remember correctly, what was done on mine was they made a pulley on a freewheeling bearing that was the same size as the A/C pulley. This was fabricated to the factory bracket so that the routing of the accessory belt was unchanged.

 

i did a search in the forum and found this
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=306291

 

My A/C clutch locked up recently. I haven't used AC in a long time. So I eliminated it. I got rid of the compressor, tensioner, brackets and condenser. Condenser weighed NOTHING! Consider leaving it in as it could protect radiator from errant rocks/debris.
I then tried to get an approx measurement by cinching the belt around the other pulleys. I am still taking into account the smog pulley. I came up with approx 61 inches. I go to pepboys and ask if he can get me an assortment of 6 rib belts:
1 60"
1 61"
1 62"
Don't let them give you that "What year vehicle sir?" crap.
Belts have part #'s based on rib count and length. Example: Dayco # 6OK61.
That's 6 rib, 61". a 60 at the end would mean 60".
I then tried them all till I found the one that is closest. 61". Loose, but no way the 60" would fit. I took back the ones that didn't fit.
Then to take up the slack, I monkey rigged the alternator. I basically pushed it out toward the driverside tire. Because I am using headers, I didn't have that back brace on the back of the alternator that exists with the stock manifolds. I fabricated a new longer brace taking into account all new dimensions. I'll take a pic tomorrow. **edit, here is a pic, DON'T LAUGH!!! I RIGGED IT IN A HURRY CUZ I WAS DRIVING LONG DISTANCE EARLY THE NEXT MORNING AND HAD TO DO SOMETHING :crazy:


But anyways, the short of it is, that it all still works. The belt still comes from the crank pulley to pass UNDERNEATH the water pump pulley (spinning it counter clockwise which is how L98's are) on it's way to spin the smog pump pulley, alt, power streering, and back down to crank. Works fine.
If you use the smog pump eliminator pulley, it would be a shorter than 61" belt. If eliminate the smog pump alltogether, an even shorter belt.
Although I have no adjustment or tensioner anymore, the belt tension is fine.
Get rid of that frisbee too :D





[Modified by 89 Paul in Cal, 11:51 AM 2/1/2003]

 

Hey vetracer, are those your cars i saw and a pretty recent issue of corvette fever???

 

More performance http://www.moreperformanceinc.com/ has one for the LT1. Look under Catalog/Other Parts. Don't know if this could be adapted for the L98. :)

 

It was Vette March '03. Just got mail from the editor, they have been getting inquiries about where to get a Camber Brace. Hard to believe so many vette owners are blind to the wealth of knowledge available here on the forum! :)

By the way, I'll just add for the 'noreasters out there that I went to the track on Saturday and it was a sunny 82 degrees here! :thumbs:

 

Its Vette magazine MArch 2003 :cheers:

 

Todd, take a look at the picture in the link that one of the guys below provided. I did it to mine (track use) and it works great. I did bite the bullet for the Badbreath smog eliminator. You can go to Autozone and pick up a ribbed pulley that will ride on the inside of the belt. (The L98 rides on the outside) I think the pulley is for either a mid-late '80s CK truck or a full sized van without A/C. Bring your OE pulley for reference. It does not obviously have to be the same exact diameter, because you're going to have to figure out what belt size you need on your own anyway. It's a slick way to go.

 

I just started autocrossing last year with a mostly stock '85, and am interested in getting rid of the A/C to save weight as well. Since this is my only car, it has to be street legal. I noticed that some guys mentioned removing the smog pump, is this legal? I live in central Texas. Has anybody recorded the weight savings/hp gains from doing these? I work at a custom fabricating place so I can get anything made from any metal or fiberglass/carbon fiber/kevlar, etc. I guess I will just get a bracket made that lets me put an idler wheel in place of the A/C and smog pump to keep the belt the same. It was mentioned that the A/C condenser weighs hardly anything and could be left in to protect the radiator. Has anybody noticed any temperature decreases by allowing the extra air flow to the radiator? I was thinking about going to a 160* thermostat after removing the condenser. Any input is greatly appreciated.