Hopefully pictures coming soon!
Disclaimer: Before you attempt this, you should make sure your A/C system is fully discharged. I am not responsible for an injury or damage caused by incorrect procedure. The best and safest way is to have a shop vacuum the refrigerant out, short of that you could always crack a fitting and have it blow out all over you and your car…you’re choice, I vac’d mine, that’s what I’d recommend.
So, many of you have expressed interest in an A/C delete DIY! So here it is.
There are several different levels of thoroughness. I went for the second level.
Basically:
1st. Remove compressor, visible lines in engine bay and receiver/drier.
2nd. Remove compressor, bracket, all visible lines, condenser (the little radiator in front of the engine radiator), wiring, relays, A/C fan, receiver/drier (the little silver can by washer fluid/cruise control), and all lines to the evaporator (in car radiator).
3rd. Everything in 2nd and the evaporator.
I chose not to remove the evaporator because its an insane amount of work for one little part.
Materials needed:
-5pk-0955 belt, this is the belt that will drive the alternator without the A/C compressor. Its for a DX accordmodel without A/C
-Brain
-Tools
Removing EVER other component of the A/C system took me about 2 hours, but I have power tools and a lift.
SO …. All that said, here goes:
1. Make sure system is fully discharged, as refrigerant gas is highly pressurized.
2. Break the fittings that are right behind the radiator on the trannie side. Then remove the 12mm nuts that attach the two lines to the compressor. Remove the lines as best as possible. (FIRST PIECE GONE!!!)
3. Remove hood latch assembly and radiator support (several 10mm bolts around the radiator). This enables you to remove the condenser. That little, annoying radiator in front of the big one. It is only held in by the two lines that connect to it and to little bolts (10mm I believe).
4. Once that is detached from the car it will wiggle out. Remove. Then you have a mess of different lines. I can’t really describe how to get them out just detach and wiggle, it is pretty much common sense. At this point, you will have to find the two lines that go the receiver/drier (little can by washer fluid) with a 14mm wrench. BE CAREFUL not to disconnect the P/S fluid cooler lines, that weird little line that has a whole bunch of fins on it… that would be bad.
5. Then I removed the A/C fan. This is the fan on the drivers side of the radiator. It only runs when the A/C is one, since we’re removing that, it might as well come out (And it looks really nice without it!) There are three 10mm bolts two on top and one on bottom, and a wire connector then it just pulls out.
6. Then, there are four bolts holding the A/C compressor to the bracket, they are 10mm. remove them. Untension the belt (tensioner on the alternator) and remove the alternator (I found it easier, probably could have done without taking it out.) then remove A/C compressor! You can also remove the bracket from the engine block (four 14mm bolts), to make it look clean and shave about 5 lbs.
7. At this point I disconnected the receiver/drier its held in from beneath (remove plastic fender liner) by two little bolts.
8. Finish disconnecting and removing the lines from the front. Now, wiring. All that wiring in the front left corner that messes around up there including those two little round plastic covered relays are related to the A/C all that can be disconnected and removed. It’s a little stub harness and can be disconnected by a plug underneath the P/S fluid reservoir, then unbolted and disconnected. You will have to clip a few of those little wire ties they use.
9. The last piece I removed was the lines what went up the passengers side to the evaporator. These are easy if you don’t have ABS (it’s a 17 and 14mm wrench and a few minutes. If you have ABS you have to struggle and wrench around under the modulator. To remove these lines, I took out the airbox (I’m stock) and disconnected the bracket on the strut tower that holds them in. If they are fully disconnected they should wiggle around, but they are too long to just pull out, I ended up bending and wiggling for about 3 minutes to get mine out (hell they ain’t going back in anyways).
10. Thats about, reinstall and tension alternator with NEW belt, replace radiator support and hood latch. Clean up and marvel at the sexiness of the A/C’less engine bay
Disclaimer: Before you attempt this, you should make sure your A/C system is fully discharged. I am not responsible for an injury or damage caused by incorrect procedure. The best and safest way is to have a shop vacuum the refrigerant out, short of that you could always crack a fitting and have it blow out all over you and your car…you’re choice, I vac’d mine, that’s what I’d recommend.
So, many of you have expressed interest in an A/C delete DIY! So here it is.
There are several different levels of thoroughness. I went for the second level.
Basically:
1st. Remove compressor, visible lines in engine bay and receiver/drier.
2nd. Remove compressor, bracket, all visible lines, condenser (the little radiator in front of the engine radiator), wiring, relays, A/C fan, receiver/drier (the little silver can by washer fluid/cruise control), and all lines to the evaporator (in car radiator).
3rd. Everything in 2nd and the evaporator.
I chose not to remove the evaporator because its an insane amount of work for one little part.
Materials needed:
-5pk-0955 belt, this is the belt that will drive the alternator without the A/C compressor. Its for a DX accordmodel without A/C
-Brain
-Tools
Removing EVER other component of the A/C system took me about 2 hours, but I have power tools and a lift.
SO …. All that said, here goes:
1. Make sure system is fully discharged, as refrigerant gas is highly pressurized.
2. Break the fittings that are right behind the radiator on the trannie side. Then remove the 12mm nuts that attach the two lines to the compressor. Remove the lines as best as possible. (FIRST PIECE GONE!!!)
3. Remove hood latch assembly and radiator support (several 10mm bolts around the radiator). This enables you to remove the condenser. That little, annoying radiator in front of the big one. It is only held in by the two lines that connect to it and to little bolts (10mm I believe).
4. Once that is detached from the car it will wiggle out. Remove. Then you have a mess of different lines. I can’t really describe how to get them out just detach and wiggle, it is pretty much common sense. At this point, you will have to find the two lines that go the receiver/drier (little can by washer fluid) with a 14mm wrench. BE CAREFUL not to disconnect the P/S fluid cooler lines, that weird little line that has a whole bunch of fins on it… that would be bad.
5. Then I removed the A/C fan. This is the fan on the drivers side of the radiator. It only runs when the A/C is one, since we’re removing that, it might as well come out (And it looks really nice without it!) There are three 10mm bolts two on top and one on bottom, and a wire connector then it just pulls out.
6. Then, there are four bolts holding the A/C compressor to the bracket, they are 10mm. remove them. Untension the belt (tensioner on the alternator) and remove the alternator (I found it easier, probably could have done without taking it out.) then remove A/C compressor! You can also remove the bracket from the engine block (four 14mm bolts), to make it look clean and shave about 5 lbs.
7. At this point I disconnected the receiver/drier its held in from beneath (remove plastic fender liner) by two little bolts.
8. Finish disconnecting and removing the lines from the front. Now, wiring. All that wiring in the front left corner that messes around up there including those two little round plastic covered relays are related to the A/C all that can be disconnected and removed. It’s a little stub harness and can be disconnected by a plug underneath the P/S fluid reservoir, then unbolted and disconnected. You will have to clip a few of those little wire ties they use.
9. The last piece I removed was the lines what went up the passengers side to the evaporator. These are easy if you don’t have ABS (it’s a 17 and 14mm wrench and a few minutes. If you have ABS you have to struggle and wrench around under the modulator. To remove these lines, I took out the airbox (I’m stock) and disconnected the bracket on the strut tower that holds them in. If they are fully disconnected they should wiggle around, but they are too long to just pull out, I ended up bending and wiggling for about 3 minutes to get mine out (hell they ain’t going back in anyways).
10. Thats about, reinstall and tension alternator with NEW belt, replace radiator support and hood latch. Clean up and marvel at the sexiness of the A/C’less engine bay
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