Bypass the AC compressor with a shorter serpentine belt?

[MetroMPG]

I don't suppose the non-AC cars just run a shorter belt, do they?

AC is the bottom right pulley. Top is the alternator.

Something like this...

[MetroMPG]

Hmm... found a pic of what looks like a non-AC engine, and there's no idler pulley shown in place of the AC pulley. So maybe it IS just a shorter belt...

[Basic]

Looks plausible to me sir! I say try it. You can always return the non-A/C belt.

[Fummins]

Maybe dspace will chime in, he has a poverty edition Mirage. Looks like it'd work.

[7milesout]

a poverty edition Mirage.

Got a good chuckle at that!

[MetroMPG]

Ooh, right. I'll PM him.

[dspace9]

This is what's going on under my hood, hope it helps.

Looks like a shorter belt to me since I don't have the 4th pulley

[MetroMPG]

Looks like a shorter belt to me since I don't have the 4th pulley

Thanks, dspace9!!!

That's what it looks like to me too. No idler pulley.

[MirageRally]

Can't you just pull the fuse? Or unplug the harness behind the hvac controls? Or would you just run the smaller pulley to bypass the AC? Or just remove the pulley?

[Johnny Mullet]

Can't you just pull the fuse? Or unplug the harness behind the hvac controls? Or would you just run the smaller pulley to bypass the AC? Or just remove the pulley?

This is good info to know in case your A/C compressor locks up and breaks your belt. Short belting it will buy you time until you get a new compressor.