A/C and/or P/S belt bypass?

[CrimsonEclipse]

Options upon A/C compressor failure:
1. replace compressor.
or, if money is tight (or A/C is not necessary)
2. Simple pulley replacement (cheaper, same belt)
3. smaller (shorter) belt and bypass the entire pulley.

Is there a 'best practice' between 2 and 3?

Also, I've seem some folks remove and bypass a failed p/s pump.

Is it possible to bypass the A/C and p/s pulleys on a Duratec (Post 2001) engine?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I had a leaky a/c compressor on one of my trucks and just left it go and didn't use the a/c. I had intended on removing the belt for the a/c (you could do that with 2.9L motors because of separate belts), but never got around to messing with it before the motor swallowed a few valves and choked. Didn't hurt anything because the compressor was not locked up.

Most fullsize Fords that I've seen run a pulley in place of the a/c compressor if the truck wasn't equipped with a/c. That lets you keep the stock belt and not some oddball one.

People who remove and bypass a failed p/s pump are, IMHO, idiots. Modern gearboxes were not designed to be used for a long period of time with a failed p/s pump. And modern steering wheels are too small to allow you the proper leverage to crank the wheel around anyway. (it can be done, but it's not fun, especially with large tires).

 

[Hopman]

There is another option: remove A/C compressor and run the 270 version.

My '94 2.3 came WITHOUT A/C. I've learned to live without it.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I should have remembered that, the diagram shows the alternate routing without the compressor.

No p/s, not a great idea. Fair enough.