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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 06:11 PM
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Default By-pass question...

How much HP would be gained by using a smaller belt and by-passing the a/c ? It's an old hp trick from years ago when there was several belts, but I haven't heard much about it in the serpentine era, only pully swaps. I took the a/c out of my 2000 TA and it gained 19rwhp and lost several pounds. Now , I'm not proposing an a/c removal, but swapping the belts before track runs, now that could be a dooable thingy if the hp was enough......
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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 06:23 PM
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it wouldn't work with a shorter belt / by pass configuration, unless you remove the ac and put in a idle pulley in it location. if you take the belt off and spin the ac pulley you will notice there isn't much of a drag. of course, i am assume you already turn off the ac before you make your pass.
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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 06:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Evilways
How much HP would be gained by using a smaller belt and by-passing the a/c ? It's an old hp trick from years ago when there was several belts, but I haven't heard much about it in the serpentine era, only pully swaps. I took the a/c out of my 2000 TA and it gained 19rwhp and lost several pounds. Now , I'm not proposing an a/c removal, but swapping the belts before track runs, now that could be a dooable thingy if the hp was enough......
19 rwhp with the A/C off? Several hundred pounds as in 300 pounds or more? Both numbers sound high to me. I would think the parasitic losses of the A/C clutch while disengaged should not be more than 1 hp and I would think the complete A/C system wouldn't weigh more than 75 pounds (A/C delete on a 4th gen Camaro is 80 pounds and includes evap, condenser, brackets, compressor, fans, hoses, everything).
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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 06:44 PM
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No, no...read it again...lol....it lost several pounds, not several hundred. I had the TA in the shop to place the battery in the pass.rear, have the a/c and all connections removed, gatorback belt and then they dyno'd it, and it pulled 19 extra rwhp and if I remember correctly, about 8 more ft lbs torque over my previous runs a few weeks earlier....no joke.The car was s/c'd if that'd make a difference in gains when compared to a stocker with a/c removal.You are correct about the weight savings, I think it was very close to your 70-80 lbs.
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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 06:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Evilways
No, no...read it again...lol....it lost several pounds, not several hundred. I had the TA in the shop to place the battery in the pass.rear, have the a/c and all connections removed, gatorback belt and then they dyno'd it, and it pulled 19 extra rwhp and if I remember correctly, about 8 more ft lbs torque over my previous runs a few weeks earlier....no joke.The car was s/c'd if that'd make a difference in gains when compared to a stocker with a/c removal.You are correct about the weight savings, I think it was very close to your 70-80 lbs.
Man, I'm getting senile!!!! Sorry, I don't know why I saw the "hundred" that wasn't there. Anyway, I think you could lose around 75 pounds if you got rid of all the hardware, brackets, and hoses.

As far as the power. The thing I have a problem with is if the A/C was really absorbing 19 rwhp while it was not being used, where would all the heat go? All you have to spin is the pulley with the electric clutch disengaged. I don't know why you made another 19/8 but I believe you (I've always really respected your posts!).

One more thing, I can't do this, I live in Phoenix. Man, that A/C sure felt good this morning after walking 18 holes in 100 degree heat!
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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by glennhl
Man, I'm getting senile!!!! Sorry, I don't know why I saw the "hundred" that wasn't there. Anyway, I think you could lose around 75 pounds if you got rid of all the hardware, brackets, and hoses.

As far as the power. The thing I have a problem with is if the A/C was really absorbing 19 rwhp while it was not being used, where would all the heat go? All you have to spin is the pulley with the electric clutch disengaged. I don't know why you made another 19/8 but I believe you (I've always really respected your posts!).
Thanks man, it amazed me that it did gain so much, but it was on the same dyno as the previous runs and by the same operators. The only other variable was the belt swap, whereas I used a stock type belt(different size of course) with the s/c until I did the a/c removal, then went to goodyear gatorbacks....maybe I was losing some hp due to slippage, but the boost always stayed tight between 6.5/7.0 psi. Anyways, back to topic, I guess there isn't much to be seen doing this in a more modern car, so it's not worth the hassel. I had to ask, though...

btw, I keep telling the wife I wanna move out west....triple digits aren't so bad as long as the humidity isn't thick as it is here...I swear at times it looks to be raining but it's not....crazy
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Old Jun 23, 2007 | 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Evilways
Thanks man, it amazed me that it did gain so much, but it was on the same dyno as the previous runs and by the same operators. The only other variable was the belt swap, whereas I used a stock type belt(different size of course) with the s/c until I did the a/c removal, then went to goodyear gatorbacks....maybe I was losing some hp due to slippage, but the boost always stayed tight between 6.5/7.0 psi. Anyways, back to topic, I guess there isn't much to be seen doing this in a more modern car, so it's not worth the hassel. I had to ask, though...

btw, I keep telling the wife I wanna move out west....triple digits aren't so bad as long as the humidity isn't thick as it is here...I swear at times it looks to be raining but it's not....crazy
Two months are unbearable in Phoenix: July & August. June and September is hot, but like you said, low humidity. We teed off at 6:15am this morning, it was only 85 outside. I also put a wet towel around my neck and soak it in ice water every time I see a water fountain. It's the only exercise I get, so I always walk when I play golf, even in the summer.
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Evilways
I took the a/c out of my 2000 TA and it gained 19rwhp
not even possible, try the blower belt wasn't slipping any more.
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 10:44 AM
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I've heard that modern A/C units pull very little hp--even when running, so I'm amazed you got that gain on a T/A! Maybe it was too tight or something else was affecting your rwhp. The idea of an electric a/c compressor is a good one. Wonder when they'll get one that is product ready?
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 03:14 AM
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Id be surprised if it netted 1+whp, unlike the alternator and PS pump, when the AC is not turned on the magnetic clutch pulley on the front of the AC compressor is completely disengaged from turning the compressor and is basically just a free-wheel idler pulley, when you turn on the AC the magnetic clutch pully locks and spins the compressor.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 05:48 AM
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The C6R that ran Lemans this year had A/C. Granted they give them a larger air restrictor if you have A/C.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 07:12 AM
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and some say there isn't any gain when doing a heater core by-pass.

the a/c pulley does spin pretty freely when not engaged but then again the power steering pulley doesn't take much to spin by hand either.

i suspect you may see some gains from the smaller belt, less tension required, but i really don't think it would be worth it, unless you're gonna start making the car a pure track car. at that point you'd be shaving all sorts of weight, removing anything that doesn't help performance, seats, a/c system, carpeting, interior trim, etc. etc.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 09:04 AM
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Originally Posted by paulee
not even possible, try the blower belt wasn't slipping any more.
you may be correct, it's a possibility, for sure. I just never saw a decrease in psi from the blower with the old belt, maybe it took less HP to drive it(the s/c) after a/c removal and freed up some power. Who knows, but I did see the gains then for whatever reason and was just wondering if it was worth while on a C6, now that it's been clarified, I'm good with the answers .
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 04:49 PM
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Doesn't the computer shut down the A/C @ wide open throttle anyway, even if it's on? Not sure about bypassing the a/c for RWHP gains. Probably not much, as these engines run pretty darned efficient.
I used to do that in my 91 Mustang LX by the way though.
Were the weather conditions similar on the 2 dyno pulls, & was the car cooled down for both pulls? This could vary the results.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 04:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr.Ron
Doesn't the computer shut down the A/C @ wide open throttle anyway, even if it's on? Not sure about bypassing the a/c for RWHP gains. Probably not much, as these engines run pretty darned efficient.
I used to do that in my 91 Mustang LX by the way though.
Were the weather conditions similar on the 2 dyno pulls, & was the car cooled down for both pulls? This could vary the results.
The dyno temp difference, I belive,was not that much, I usually had all the work done over the winters,so it'd probally be pretty cool outside either day. As far as the computer shutting down the a/c, yes, on the new vettes, no on the 4th gen f-bodies. Being oldschool when it comes to mods, I took off the smog equipment and a/c from my 77 TA and it felt like a whole different car.Do that today and you'll throw every code from here to there.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Evilways
As far as the computer shutting down the a/c, yes, on the new vettes,
according to hptuners data logging, this never happens. according service manual it implys that it does.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by timd38
The C6R that ran Lemans this year had A/C. Granted they give them a larger air restrictor if you have A/C.
The A/C system also added 35 pounds to the car. It dropped the cockpit temp from 120F to 80F. I see this as a safety feature while racing.
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 11:20 PM
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Regarding AC compressor cutout at WOT:
Originally Posted by cbrf4i1
according to hptuners data logging, this never happens. according service manual it implys that it does.
I can't say for certain about the C6, but the C5 (and all my other vehicles), I've held WOT long enough to feel the air from the AC vents getting warm, thus indicating the AC compressor had been disengaged. I would think someone here with a C6 has probably experienced the same thing? Anyone? Bueller?
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 11:31 PM
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Originally Posted by cbrf4i1
according to hptuners data logging, this never happens. according service manual it implys that it does.


I don't know about the manual but if you look at the VCM editor in the system file under A/C there is a disable RPM and disable TPS setting. The stock setting for the RPM is 7,083 RPM and the TPS is set for 200%
We know from data logging that the fuel cut off is set at 6,700 RPM and the max TPS is 88% ......... So with the stock settings the AC will not be disabled.

Now if you change the stock settings in the system file that is another story

Last edited by Tommy D; Jun 25, 2007 at 11:36 PM.
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Old Jun 26, 2007 | 02:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Tommy D


I don't know about the manual but if you look at the VCM editor in the system file under A/C there is a disable RPM and disable TPS setting. The stock setting for the RPM is 7,083 RPM and the TPS is set for 200%
We know from data logging that the fuel cut off is set at 6,700 RPM and the max TPS is 88% ......... So with the stock settings the AC will not be disabled.

Now if you change the stock settings in the system file that is another story

i believe 8850 (it could have been someone else) that changed the setting to something alot lower and redata log, again. it didn't shut off under wot.
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