Anyone ever delete AC on M50 E34?

[Jon K]

I was talking with the gf to see how she'd react to no air conditioning... she said to pull it she likes the windows down I cannot fit my somewhat large intercooler behind the stock bumper with the aux fan and condensor in the way... So, out it will come. Is there any trick to removing the AC? I am going to remove the compressor from the car too. Anyone want working AC compressors? I have two once I remove the one on my car. Anyone want the condensor?

[Kalevera]

Do it all the time when prepping race cars. Last one I did was on an S52 M3. You can even remove the pulley from the harmonic balancer (less possibility of damaging the radiator if the car's in a front hit), as the HB has to come off to remove the mounting bracket. Usually pull everything, back through the firewall.

best, whit

[winfred]

id leave and cap the pipes at the computer box if you think you may ever want coolness again, that way it would be easy to reinstall

[Jon K]

I think I am going to leave the pipes near the strut tower so i can have AC in the future

[Jay 535i]

Whoah, removing AC intentionally. I guess that's what I should tell people I did

[angrypancake]

i dont have a/c... and last summer was brutal. but then again jon's car is fast enough to create its own jet stream, heh.

[Dave M]

I was talking with the gf to see how she'd react to no air conditioning... she said to pull it she likes the windows down I cannot fit my somewhat large intercooler behind the stock bumper with the aux fan and condensor in the way... So, out it will come. Is there any trick to removing the AC? I am going to remove the compressor from the car too. Anyone want working AC compressors? I have two once I remove the one on my car. Anyone want the condensor?

Jon,

I removed the system in mine while doing the block swap(s) as it didn't work (I live in Northern Ontario). I removed everything up front (compressor, pulley, condensor, evaporator, pipes to the firewall). You can pull everything out to behind the 'bulkhead' without sacrificing the opportunity to add it later. I simply plugged the lines behind the bulkhead using a wine cork and the lid off a 'sharpi'brand marker. There is no sign of components in the engine bay save for a few wires. You'll have to grind down the harmonic balancer bolts so they don't hit the timing case cover. Otherwise, its simple. Oh, getting into the bulkhead was a B!atch, maybe just me.

The box of AC parts is pretty heavy


Dave M

[Jon K]

What do you mean by "bulkhead"?

Yeah I dont see how I will get the AC compressor out while the timing wheel is still on the car.

[Dave M]

The bulkhead is how Bentley refers to the upper portion of the firewall in the engine compartment where all the electronics and AC etc are fed. Its a matter of pulling it out just enough to allow a wrench/socket in there to remove a small number of nuts. Not difficult, just awkward (for me at least).

By timing wheel, you meen the harmonic?

Shouldn't be a problem to remove the compressor and outer AC pulley should it? Remove the compressor and mount (includes the belt tensioner I believe), the remove the belt/outer pulley. Grind down your bolts a couple of mm and replace. You don't even need to remove the harmonic balancer.

Does that make sense?

Keep us in the loop,

Dave M

[joshua43214]

Compressor and mount come out easily, do as posted above and shorten the bolt a bit, or bolt the mount back up sans compressor. In theory you could put a stack of washers inplace of the bracket, but that is, well, gross. it only weighs a small amount. leave the evaporator in, its very light and unless you are shaving ounces, not worth the hassle to remove.