My air conditioning isn't working and I wanted to remove it, I was wondering if I could just get a shorter belt for a Bonneville that didn't have a/c? Or was a/c a standard feature? Thanks.

On year of Bonneville, you may be able to re-route the belt w/o the AC Compressor. On the Upper Radiator Suport there should be a belt routing sticker. If there was a routing option W/O AC it'll be there too! As for my year of Bonneville (92+) We can't re-route the belt w/o first installing a Idler Pulley in the AC compressors place.

On my old 1989 SSE I had the same problem- the AC didn't work (I did want it to though) and my mechanic suggested that since I wasn't going to repalce the AC to bypass the compressor all toghther. But definitly possible to do.

My AC compressor got FUDGED up somehow and back then i wasn't in charge of my car, (my mom was) and she took it to this BUM mechanic who removed the old compressor and traded it in at Track & Auto for a new one. He got the wrong size, told us to return it and get our money back, forgot to tell us to ask for our old one back, so we only got back the cash end of story. Didn't have money for another compressor so we kept it off and used a different serpentine belt (smaller of course I imagine) that doesn't go through the AC compressor so its possible. I've been runniing for about 3 years with no compressor and I want AC BADLY!! anyone know how much these go for from anyone (dealer, parts store etc)? I know they're up there (don't worry I'm not asking anyone to buy it for me etc i just want some prices so I can go out and find it myself). Oh but i'm deathly afraid that if I did get the new compressor the rest of my system would be mesed up from non-use for 3 years.

What do you guys think?

Mike Diaz

I would not put a reman compressor on any car I planned to keep. New Delco HR-6 (never use a DA-6) units are not much over $300 if you can buy wholesale, do not require a core, and will last as long as the original.

The dryer should always be replaced when the system is opened and any system needing more than a can of R-12 I flush and replace with R-134A. Bonne had that treatment five years ago and will freeze you out. Variable oriface tube is about $20 and will help cooling at idle.

I checked the belt routing sticker and it only shows it using the a/c compressor, but I guess if some of u guys are running without it then they do make a shorter belt. I'll call an auto parts dealer and see what I can come up with. Thanks again.