AC Bypass Short Belt. Is there enough Clearance?

Dino1956

Member
Does anyone know if my car has enough clearance in order to put on a shorter belt and by pass the AC compressor completely without having to remove it?
Compressor locked up and I just want to get through the next 5 months without AC so I can save for a new Car.
I have a 2000 Mazda Protege' DX 1.6 Automatic Transmission. Thanks in advance.
 
Take some sort of straight edge and line it up across the top of the pulleys and see if it clears.

That'll give you a good idea if you've got clearance.
 
IMG_3760.jpgGood idea but I think it's bottom of the pulleys that I need to do this to. The top will definitely clear.
 
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But this is a different diagram to a different car. I have a DX with a 1.6
Or is it the same on all of them? Sorry, I just don't know. ;-)
 
Yea I just found this. I think it will clear. Now all I need is to find someone to do it. The guys around here don't bother with that.
Told me flat out. 3 different mechanics. They won't do it.
I'll find a guy on Craigslist that comes to the house.
 

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As I have a bad back and also don't know what I'm doing with cars. I found someone to do it for me. There is only one other issue. When the belt snapped, part of the belt melted on another pulley that that is to the left of the Serpentine Belt.
Don't know what that Pulley and Belt are (Alternator?) for but that belt is in tact. But again there is melted Belt on the Lower Pulley of the Alternator. I tried to scrape the melted belt off the pulley but it does not seem to come off. Maybe part of the melted belt is stuck somewhere else. I don't know.
Guy is coming on Wed., I will have him look at it.
I know this is not the place to ask this but does anyone know if the 2003 Mitsubishi Spider Convertible is a decent car?
AS always, thanks guys. I need to get this fixed so I can shop for another used car. Also was thinking about a Mazda 3 or Mazda 6.
 
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Update: There is not enough clearance on my model Protege' to just put a shorter Power Steering belt on.
You must take the clutch, pulley and the Coil completely off to get clearance. Much bigger job.
I finally had it done and belt is on and running fine.
 
Update: There is not enough clearance on my model Protege' to just put a shorter Power Steering belt on.
You must take the clutch, pulley and the Coil completely off to get clearance. Much bigger job.
I finally had it done and belt is on and running fine.
 
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