Search
Filters
Close

3SX AC Compressor Elimination Kit Installation

3SX AC Compressor Elimination Kit Installation

 

3SX offers an AC Compressor Delete Kit which is actually quite easy to install and requires no replacement brackets or customization. The kit provides a shorter belt which, once the AC compressor is removed, you run around the AC/Alternator tensioner pulley across the bottom of it rather than over the top. 

The problem is the tensioner pulley can slip and thus loosen the belt resulting in either a squealing belt or simply not enough turn on the alternator.  The stock tensioner bracket is designed to pull the tensioner UP to tighten the belt, but has no real way to push the pulley DOWN to tension the belt.

This allows you to actually push the tensioner pulley down - without using a pry bar or other means to force it down and then tighten the pulleys center locking bolt which is what actually locks the tensioner pulley into position.

 

The AC compressor bracket is off the car for simple demonstration and illustration purposes.  This can easily be done on car as well without removing the AC compressor bracket.

 

1) Per the service manual, loosen the center bolt holding the tensioner pulley using a 14mm socket, accessing it through the driver's wheel well.

2) Loosen the long tensioner bolt, accessing it from the top using a 12mm socket and extension.

3) Remove the AC/Alternator tensioner pulley completely from the tensioner bracket and remove the accessory belt.

The following steps actually work easier if you remove the 2 14mm bolts holding the tensioner bracket to the AC Compressor bracket so you can simply work at a table.

4) Remove the small double-threaded "L" bracket from the long tensioning bolt.

5) Thread the nut onto the bottom of the long tensioning bolt.

6) Using a small wrench and the 12mm socket driver, thread the supplied nut up the tensioning bolt about half the length of the bolt.

7) Thread the "L" bracket back onto the tensioning rod.  Pay attention to put the flat part of it back (toward the engine) so it will sit flush against the tensioner bracket.

8) Continue to thread the nut up the tensioning bolt until it is about 1mm or less from the top of the bracket. Do NOT fully tighten the nut - you want the tensioning bolt to be able to turn freely.

9) Re-attach the tensioner bracket to the AC Compressor bracket on the engine.

10) Re-install the tensioner pulley to the bracket on the engine, but do not fully tighten the center bolt on the pulley.

11) Install the new belt, but wrap it around the BOTTOM of the tensioner pulley, not over the top.

12) Per the service manual, re-tension the pulley using the long tensioner bolt, but now you are pushing the pulley DOWN to tension the belt rather than pulling it up.  The newly installed nut will serve to keep the tensioning bolt in place and actually move the pulley down.

13) Once tensioned, tighten the center bolt on the tensioner pulley per the service manual.

The new belt will follow the path of the BOLD belt in the diagram, having removed the AC compressor.