Actually, if you have the option of removing the belt and not affecting anything else, you can free up to 4 HP by not turning the AC pulley. You can compound that gain by removing the entire A/C system which helps you lose about 50 lbs.

 

currently my compressor pulley spins freely due to a messed up compressor clutch, i ran with the belt that goes to the compressor and the alternator and then siwtched to a shorter belt and ran the alternator only...then later put the original belt back on...i could not tell a difference either way.

 

I should add that the lower your stock HP and curb weight, the more likely you are to notice any effect at all. If you have a larger engine and/or heavier car, you won't ever 'feel' a difference.

 

probably why i felt nothing....h22 in an accord wagon, not exactly a lightweight combo

 

Oh that's you! Sweet car, I'm all about sleepers At one time I wanted to do a built H22 with a turbo in an accord wagon, but I have more ideas than money, so... yeah

 

at one point i had the same goal...but then i got an h22 into a civic (not running for lack of money lol)....right now i would do anything to ahve working a/c though....texas heat...houston heat at that...its hell...i dont care if my compressor would cause me to lose 15hp when the a/c is on...sweating is hell in traffic.

 

Heh, while I agree that sweating in traffic sucks, and I've experienced midwest heat in traffic more than I care to remember, I absolutely hate feeling the lack of power that comes with turning on the A/C, so on cars with less than 2.0L, I never use A/C, so it's pointless to keep it in there, which is why my 1.5L CRX is freed of the weight and I just dress lightly

 

ah midwest heat....bad...but 110 degrees at 100% humidity is hard to fight with. If traffic moved it would be cool....but add all that to 5-10 mph traffic and then you start wanting it bad. On my h22 civic i tossed the complete a/c system out AND the heater too...

 

If you're looking for sympathy, you won't get it, heh. Coastal tourist traffic stuck on the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel: 105* and 110% humidity with zero cloud cover; IN THE TUNNEL: 120*+ and 115% humidity, I've been stuck in both.

BTW, if you want to keep talking, go ahead and hit me up on AIM so this thread doesn't go 100% OT

 

Back on topic. Removing the A/C belt will NOT increase available power. The A/C pulley is free spinning, there is no more drag on it than a tensioner pulley on a serpentine belt. The ONLY thing that will happen is that you will not be able to use your A/C

BTW, relative humidity cannot go above 100%, when it's there, it's raining.