removing air conditioning

[no2lurch]

The ac don't work on my 1.8 16v and i'm looking at removing it. I have looked on the forum for answers to my questions but it doesnt seem to have been covered.

i'm trying to find out about the routing of the aux belt with the ac pump removed. anyone able to offer some 'been there done this' help please?

thanks in advance.

[Welly]

That's a tricky one, I think ALL 406's have a/c.

I wonder if you can find another car in the Pug range without a/c with the same engine like a 306 or something (don't think they did a 1.8 petrol though?).

Other than that it would be trial and error with a shorted belt (kinda measured/offered up for fit).

Why remove it anyway? the idler wheel on the a/c clutch should be quite happy to spin with no load on it.

[no2lurch]

Thanks for the reply Welly.

It is actually for my 306. Indeed the 306 comes in 1.8 petrol.

The reason i want to remove it is due to it not working. As with the 406s, it can be very costly to repair and I've never had a car with working AC so I'm not exactly missing it. I thought removing it would free up some space in the bay, take a bit of weight off (allbeit small amount), it apparently aids engine cooling, and i thought with one less pulley forn the belt to go round, would mean less resistance.

There are plenty of threads on the 306PC forum but all for derv engines.

I just thought... are the 306 1.8 petrol engines the same as the 406 engines - i'll have a look. what engine model is the 1.8 petrol in the 406 please?

[jasper5]

Looking at the belt routing in my book this looks impossible to achieve, ok I'm just looking at a diagram in a book but the run from the power steering to the crankshaft couldn't be achieved if the aircon pump is removed....a picture would help confirm or deny.

[Welly]

What's the real-world difference in MPG between your 406/306?? I'd be interested to know.

[no2lurch]

What's the real-world difference in MPG between your 406/306?? I'd be interested to know.

me?

i got about 30 mpg with my 2.2 petrol 406 and i get about 34 mpg with my 1.8 petrol 306. both figures are if driven semi frugally! the 306 is alot cheaper to insure tho - as in i can insure it for less than 500 quid as oppossed to over a grand for the 406!

i am willing to post my other thoughts too to compare the two cars if people want.

[no2lurch]

and my engine model is XU7JP4 - same as the 406 1.8?

[Welly]

i got about 30 mpg with my 2.2 petrol 406 and i get about 34 mpg with my 1.8 petrol 306. both figures are if driven semi frugally! the 306 is alot cheaper to insure tho - as in i can insure it for less than 500 quid as oppossed to over a grand for the 406!

i am willing to post my other thoughts too to compare the two cars if people want.

That is interesting, and yes, go for it.

[no2lurch]

well... the reason for the change was due to wanting a smaller car mainly, that was cheaper to run and cheaper generally. as much as i loved the d9 estate, there were few occasions where we needed it to have the large boot. i originally had a derv 106 after for some extra cheap motoring and a a stop gap till i found a car that was between the 406 and 106.

i stumbled across my 306 on a facebook car boot sale group of all places. the car in question is a 306 1.8 meridian so is a very similar spec to the 406 sri - electric windows, ac, half leather seats etc. when i went to see the 306, i noticed it had some faults. blowing back box, dented bonnet, interior clock not working, play in the front passenger wheel. bartered the bloke down to £360.00. the car was also sold as 'lowered' and i have since found out its lowered 60mm all round.

a reset of the clock sorted that, i took the car to my local mot garage as i get on with the tester to confirm the play in the wheel and he confirmed track rod end (now fixed), new exhaust system (pig of a job buying the right parts) and the bonnet is on the list of things to get still. it flew through the mot with only slight play in the drivers lower ball joint as an advisory. real chuffed.

in terms of driving the car, i am very happy with it. its a pokey engine to be fair and often web sources (pinch of salt needed) say its more powerful than spec'ed up as. it seems to have a load of torque, picking its heels up when needed. its got a lovely sound to it too at 4250rpm. very snarly! the build quality and interior is pretty much the same as the 406. comfy seats, roomy, quiet inside. due toi the lowered suspension, it goes round corners well too.

its easier to modify too. maybe due to it not being the largest engine in the range. my plans are to swap suspension (shouldnt cost anything as i am organising a swap for standard height suspension with cash my way currently) as the front arches scrape on full lock, gti6 inlet manifold and throttle body, gti6 exhaust manifold in time too. rip the ac off to aid cooling and give more space in the bay. i'll be fitting a detachable tow bar for the holiday trip down to devon in summer.

as said, its cheaper to insure (alot) and a little cheaper fuel wise, although obviously it dont hold so much juice. i think i have achieved what i originally wanted by going down to the 306. it comes highly recomended if anyone else is thinkin of doing the same thing.

[lozz]

Not 100% on the 306 but as a guess id say youd need a extra pulley if you bin the Aircon,
best bet -find basic 306 in scrapyard none-aircon model , and have alook at the belt route etc /pulley

[jasper5]

Not 100% on the 306 but as a guess id say youd need a extra pulley if you bin the Aircon,
best bet -find basic 306 in scrapyard none-aircon model , and have alook at the belt route etc /pulley

If the OP is still interested.....the routing for the non aircon model is completely different as the pulleys are in different places.

[lozz]

Not 100% on the 306 but as a guess id say youd need a extra pulley if you bin the Aircon,
best bet -find basic 306 in scrapyard none-aircon model , and have alook at the belt route etc /pulley

If the OP is still interested.....the routing for the non aircon model is completely different as the pulleys are in different places.

this is the only guide ican find,
was this engine also fitted in 405 /xantia zx?

B3D5A98.jpg

[Busman]

That's a tricky one, I think ALL 406's have a/c.

I wonder if you can find another car in the Pug range without a/c with the same engine like a 306 or something (don't think they did a 1.8 petrol though?).

Other than that it would be trial and error with a shorted belt (kinda measured/offered up for fit).

Why remove it anyway? the idler wheel on the a/c clutch should be quite happy to spin with no load on it.

I'd agree with welly on this. I supose you could remove the condensor, but if its the same as a 406, it sits in front of the rad, and does keep the rubbish away from the rad. I would tend to think that any gains by doing this would be non existant. The wheight saved would be about the same as a bag of shopping. I'd concentrate my efforts on other things like servicing it etc.

[jasper5]

Not 100% on the 306 but as a guess id say youd need a extra pulley if you bin the Aircon,
best bet -find basic 306 in scrapyard none-aircon model , and have alook at the belt route etc /pulley

If the OP is still interested.....the routing for the non aircon model is completely different as the pulleys are in different places.

this is the only guide ican find,
was this engine also fitted in 405 /xantia zx?

B3D5A98.jpg

Lozz, the routing in the pic is not the same as the routing on the 306.

The aircon is on a long run, the belt goes down to the aircon from the power steering and turns 90 degrees to the crank pulley.....if you take out the aircon the belt cannot fit to the crank pulley from the power steering pulley.