Removing AC
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Freshman User
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Removing AC
I want to remove all of the air conditioning components in my 86 F250 with a 460.
It looks like a dealer or aftermarket install. The gas mileage on this beast sucks, even without the AC on and it takes up way too much space.
Is there anything I need to be aware of before I begin.
Any wisdom would be Greatly appreciated!!!
It looks like a dealer or aftermarket install. The gas mileage on this beast sucks, even without the AC on and it takes up way too much space.
Is there anything I need to be aware of before I begin.
Any wisdom would be Greatly appreciated!!!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,916
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That pretty much everyone you know who knows you removed the A/C from the truck is going to look at you like you have an I.Q. of 40, that you're going to miss that A/C when it's 105* F outside, and that A/C is really sought after on an old truck.
Just my opinion, but leave it in there. If the gas mileage sucks with it off, then it's still going to suck when it's out of the engine bay. It's going to REALLY suck when you tell people you're getting 10 mpg and there's no A/C when you're sitting in the truck sweating in the middle of August/July.
I would KILL to have A/C on my truck, but I live with what I've got, and don't want to go through the extreme amount of hassle it would take to swap in A/C (which is also an extreme amount in your case to correctly swap it out).
Just my opinion, but leave it in there. If the gas mileage sucks with it off, then it's still going to suck when it's out of the engine bay. It's going to REALLY suck when you tell people you're getting 10 mpg and there's no A/C when you're sitting in the truck sweating in the middle of August/July.
I would KILL to have A/C on my truck, but I live with what I've got, and don't want to go through the extreme amount of hassle it would take to swap in A/C (which is also an extreme amount in your case to correctly swap it out).
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
If you have the dealer A/C, it should be a simple matter of taking it all off. If you have factory A/C, you could take everything off except that pesky evap coil box that sits way out in the engine compartment.
But through some conversations on here, we have found out that if you do have factory A/C, you can get rid of the box sticking out and keep everything as is by going to the junkyard and finding a later model truck that didn't have A/C. It seems on the later trucks they kept everything the same(mainly heater core location), and just got rid of the evap coil area. So the later model non-A/C ducting is a slick way to take the A/C out of a 86 and earlier truck with factory A/C.
But through some conversations on here, we have found out that if you do have factory A/C, you can get rid of the box sticking out and keep everything as is by going to the junkyard and finding a later model truck that didn't have A/C. It seems on the later trucks they kept everything the same(mainly heater core location), and just got rid of the evap coil area. So the later model non-A/C ducting is a slick way to take the A/C out of a 86 and earlier truck with factory A/C.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2011
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personally, i live up in seattle where its rainy all year and rarely warm enough to even want AC, so the comments about when its 105 out are from a foreign world to me.
that said, if it works, i would keep it. if it doesn't work, then its just dead weight sitting there, and i wouldn't bother unless it was in your way for some project like mounting an onboard air compressor, second alternator, or some other fun toy, which i don't think you are.
if you do decide to remove it anyway, it would be best to have a shop evacuate the system of all refrigerant, otherwise you'll be releasing all that toxic refrigerant right where you're working, as well as violating a few rules.
if you do remove it, remove whats easy and leave the rest.
that said, if it works, i would keep it. if it doesn't work, then its just dead weight sitting there, and i wouldn't bother unless it was in your way for some project like mounting an onboard air compressor, second alternator, or some other fun toy, which i don't think you are.
if you do decide to remove it anyway, it would be best to have a shop evacuate the system of all refrigerant, otherwise you'll be releasing all that toxic refrigerant right where you're working, as well as violating a few rules.
if you do remove it, remove whats easy and leave the rest.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,916
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If you've got a V-belt setup and not a serpentine belt setup, then you'll probably just have an open groove on one of your pulleys. I'm assuming the A/C runs off of the power steering pump pulley? Or the water pump pulley?
It shouldn't disrupt anything.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2011
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i'm pretty sure your truck would be on v-belts, in which case it probably has its own belt and won't affect anything else.
but if its a serpentine belt system, then you'll need to look into a shorter belt and possibly an idler pulley - but i don't think that applies to your rig
i've known people who drained their AC systems by loosening a hose until it leaked, then leaving for an hour to avoid breathing it, but since you can take it to a shop, its better that way
but if its a serpentine belt system, then you'll need to look into a shorter belt and possibly an idler pulley - but i don't think that applies to your rig
i've known people who drained their AC systems by loosening a hose until it leaked, then leaving for an hour to avoid breathing it, but since you can take it to a shop, its better that way
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I've got an IQ of 40. Took my A/C compressor off years ago, and the smog stuff fell off too. 86 F250 SC with 351 , C6. No real difference in mileage since ethanol took over. I left the outside box in place, re-routed and plugged the hoses in case I want to put A/C back (I won't). Had to Fab up a bracket to help hold alternator in place.
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That pretty much everyone you know who knows you removed the A/C from the truck is going to look at you like you have an I.Q. of 40, that you're going to miss that A/C when it's 105* F outside, and that A/C is really sought after on an old truck.
Just my opinion, but leave it in there. If the gas mileage sucks with it off, then it's still going to suck when it's out of the engine bay. It's going to REALLY suck when you tell people you're getting 10 mpg and there's no A/C when you're sitting in the truck sweating in the middle of August/July.
I would KILL to have A/C on my truck, but I live with what I've got, and don't want to go through the extreme amount of hassle it would take to swap in A/C (which is also an extreme amount in your case to correctly swap it out).
Just my opinion, but leave it in there. If the gas mileage sucks with it off, then it's still going to suck when it's out of the engine bay. It's going to REALLY suck when you tell people you're getting 10 mpg and there's no A/C when you're sitting in the truck sweating in the middle of August/July.
I would KILL to have A/C on my truck, but I live with what I've got, and don't want to go through the extreme amount of hassle it would take to swap in A/C (which is also an extreme amount in your case to correctly swap it out).
I replaced my high pressure (discharge) hose yesterday and recharged with 134, it cools into the 30's and blows hard with my blower motor relay mod. I love air conditioning.
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