A/C pump relocation? 5.3 LM7 into a Jeep.
10-25-2007, 11:32 PM
#1
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A/C pump relocation? 5.3 LM7 into a Jeep. I'm building a '97 Jeep TJ with a 5.3. I got the motor bolted in place tonight & realized I have a problem. I'd really like to keep my A/C, but with my suspension setup one of my control arms is less than 2" away from the A/C pump and it will hit on compression. Here's a pic-
I'd imagine with all the LSx engine/vehicle combos, there ought to be a different location for the A/c pump...? Or am I wrong? Any ideas, or do I have to do w/o cold air.
I'd imagine with all the LSx engine/vehicle combos, there ought to be a different location for the A/c pump...? Or am I wrong? Any ideas, or do I have to do w/o cold air.
10-26-2007, 12:07 AM
#3
TECH Fanatic
Street and performance sells an bracket kit to mount the A/C compressor on top with the stock truck accessories. Might give them a call. http://www.hotrodlane.cc/
It uses a Sanden 508 compressor and mounts to the pass. side head.
It uses a Sanden 508 compressor and mounts to the pass. side head.
10-26-2007, 12:41 AM
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Street and performance sells an bracket kit to mount the A/C compressor on top with the stock truck accessories. Might give them a call. http://www.hotrodlane.cc/
It uses a Sanden 508 compressor and mounts to the pass. side head.
It uses a Sanden 508 compressor and mounts to the pass. side head.
Awesome!! I'll go that route, thanks a bunch for the info. My wife will love that news too, the A/C is more for her than me.
10-26-2007, 11:26 AM
#6
Staging Lane
I have the same issue with the AC compressor in my 535iS BMW 5.3 swap. Here are the alternatives I've explored:
1. Make custom brackets and move the original compressor up and outside the passenger side head similar to Street & Performance. Problem? The AC uses its own little 4-groove belt and GM doesn't sell a 6-groove pulley. Solution? Find the compressor from a 4.2 6-cylinder from a Trailblazer. Same compressor clutch but has a 6-groove pulley which will interchange with the 4-groove. Problem? The OE compressors are variable displacement and the guys at Vintage Air say those don't work well with older AC systems.
2. Use a standard Sanden compressor on custom brackets. I've chose solution number two and the attached pics show some early prototype brackets. I'll post more pics when we do the final design which will have a better tensioner solution.
The Geezer
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...s/DSCN2132.jpg
1. Make custom brackets and move the original compressor up and outside the passenger side head similar to Street & Performance. Problem? The AC uses its own little 4-groove belt and GM doesn't sell a 6-groove pulley. Solution? Find the compressor from a 4.2 6-cylinder from a Trailblazer. Same compressor clutch but has a 6-groove pulley which will interchange with the 4-groove. Problem? The OE compressors are variable displacement and the guys at Vintage Air say those don't work well with older AC systems.
2. Use a standard Sanden compressor on custom brackets. I've chose solution number two and the attached pics show some early prototype brackets. I'll post more pics when we do the final design which will have a better tensioner solution.
The Geezer
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...s/DSCN2132.jpg
10-26-2007, 12:31 PM
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FYI, I do not know when GM switched, but the AC compressor on my '99 5.3 is not a variable displacement type. The factory service manual is also very clear that it is a simple cycling type system.
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10-27-2007, 11:35 PM
#9
I can`t believe I forgot about this solution https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...5&d=1104283367
5.3 Racer came up with it. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....4&postcount=21
5.3 Racer came up with it. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....4&postcount=21
10-28-2007, 01:54 AM
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Geezer,
Your tensioner won't work where it's placed. You need an idler pully where your tensioner is and you'll need to add a tensioner between the balancer and the AC, rotating inward (clockwise). If I had my camera I'd take a picture, just finished mocking up my brackets.......
Mike
Your tensioner won't work where it's placed. You need an idler pully where your tensioner is and you'll need to add a tensioner between the balancer and the AC, rotating inward (clockwise). If I had my camera I'd take a picture, just finished mocking up my brackets.......
Mike
10-28-2007, 06:58 PM
#11
Staging Lane
The photo in my post on 10/26 had a couple of issues. One, the belt would have run on both sides of the lower radiator hose, making it necessary to remove the hose to change the belt--not a good idea. The other problem was that the tensioner was between the compressor and the water pump. The tensioner needs to be between the compressor and the crank pulley. Think about what happens when the compressor kicks in--it puts an instant load on the belt from the compressor all the way around clockwise to the crank pulley. Any slack will show up between the crank pulley and the compressor and that's where the tensioner needs to be to take up that slack.
Attached is a CAD drawing done by my partner Ken showing an LS2 tensioner but with a smooth pulley and an idler with a grooved pulley mounted to brackets similar to the prototypes in my earlier photo. If this combo works the way we think it will, we might crank a few of these out on the waterjet. We'll keep you posted.
The Geezer
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...cketdesign.jpg
Attached is a CAD drawing done by my partner Ken showing an LS2 tensioner but with a smooth pulley and an idler with a grooved pulley mounted to brackets similar to the prototypes in my earlier photo. If this combo works the way we think it will, we might crank a few of these out on the waterjet. We'll keep you posted.
The Geezer
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...cketdesign.jpg
10-29-2007, 10:05 AM
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I can`t believe I forgot about this solution https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...5&d=1104283367
5.3 Racer came up with it. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....4&postcount=21
5.3 Racer came up with it. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....4&postcount=21
11-04-2007, 12:39 AM
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The photo in my post on 10/26 had a couple of issues. One, the belt would have run on both sides of the lower radiator hose, making it necessary to remove the hose to change the belt--not a good idea. The other problem was that the tensioner was between the compressor and the water pump. The tensioner needs to be between the compressor and the crank pulley. Think about what happens when the compressor kicks in--it puts an instant load on the belt from the compressor all the way around clockwise to the crank pulley. Any slack will show up between the crank pulley and the compressor and that's where the tensioner needs to be to take up that slack.
Attached is a CAD drawing done by my partner Ken showing an LS2 tensioner but with a smooth pulley and an idler with a grooved pulley mounted to brackets similar to the prototypes in my earlier photo. If this combo works the way we think it will, we might crank a few of these out on the waterjet. We'll keep you posted.
The Geezer
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...cketdesign.jpg
Attached is a CAD drawing done by my partner Ken showing an LS2 tensioner but with a smooth pulley and an idler with a grooved pulley mounted to brackets similar to the prototypes in my earlier photo. If this combo works the way we think it will, we might crank a few of these out on the waterjet. We'll keep you posted.
The Geezer
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...cketdesign.jpg
Don't forget to tell us how this works! Also in process of doing this ....
11-04-2007, 10:07 PM
#14
I will put in my $.02 here. I have been working on this kit with martinsw for awhile. I am making these for an LS1 swap into a C3. I have two different scenarios. I thought that I had it whipped until you brought up the belt being around the radiator hose. The next is the location of the tensioner (I don't have a front bracket yet). I guess that I had bette start figuring out a front bracket for my second option.
