A.C. and Gas Prices.

I thought that replacing the water pump was a pretty major project on just about any car.

None. (Well roughly .00002 MPG, too small to measure and not worth the effort.) If you are not using the AC the clutch is not engaged, and the outer clutch pulley is acting as a ball-bearing idler pulley.

Toyota is usually rather good at designs that can be fixed easily if you know how to get access to things. About the only really stupid thing I've seen is putting starter motors buried under the intake manifold inside the Vee on a few models - but they usually last a long while.

Much better than some of the stupid sh*t Detroit does, where you have to partially remove the engine to get at the #8 spark plug. Or cut a hole in the fender or firewall.

Now that's a reasonable problem. Get thee to a dealer, or a factory trained mechanic that's out on his own. AC systems are easy to diagnose and fix /if/ you really understand how they work. But they'll look impossible to someone who is clueless.

And once you get the AC fixed leave the AC button pushed in even if it isn't that warm outside - the compressor will only kick in when there's some work to be done, and it acts as a cabin air dehumidifier even when it isn't blazing hot outside.

(This is why the AC runs when you put the controls in Defroster mode

- dry hot air clears the windshield much faster than damp hot air.)

It will get used enough to stay in good operating order, then when you get a hot blast or take a road trip to Florida it will be there.

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Almost none, Brucie. If the AC is off, the pulley on the front of the compressor simply spins and does nothing. The AC clutch is disengaged, so the pulley's driving nothing.

Sometimes the AC belt loops around something else, such as the alternator, air pump, p/s pump, or water pump -- so removing that belt can disable something else important.

I guess that would depend on how much rolling resistance there is in the bearings of the pulley and the amount of friction of the belt. My guess would be you night save a gallon or so in the LIFETIME of the truck. ;)

I might point out generally the AC runs intermittently in the defrost mode to dehumidify the hot air going to the windshield

On my Ford Contour, just remove the cover, the belt and four bolts, clean the gasket area, put on the pump, four bolts, belt and cover.

Jeff

I stand corrected, sounds almost easy as an alternator.

You haven't seen my two old ford trucks with six banger engines.. About as non major as you can get. Could probably dump the coolant, change the pump, and refill in less than an hour if I felt compelled to do so.

Not worth the trouble.. And it will doom the compressor to an early death being as it will sit, and sit, and sit... A compressor needs to run every once in while or the seals take a set and start to leak. If you hate your compressor and want to slowly kill it, disconnect the belt. :/ Why did you feel the need to recharge? You may have now overcharged the system if it didn't actually need it. BTW, you haven't lived until you work on a 89 honda accord. You think toyota can be bad... Heck, my 05 corolla is a piece of cake compared to that older honda. Much less clutter, vac hoses, etc.. You needed to be into torture to work on that honda. :( I did it.. But I didn't like it. I'd rather work on the newer corolla any day of the week. But, I imagine the newer hondas are also easier to work on than the older hondas being as they don't use a feedback carb, about 58 vac lines, etc, ad nausium.

Not really. If I've done it, and I have, on a previous American car, anyone can do it.

Yes, it is just you.

What is it with the kind of hard-ons that answer the posts on these message boards? Does anyone ever answer the questions? I'm not looking for stupid advice regarding air-conditioning. Didn't I make it clear that I'm not interested in spending money on a 14 year old system that doesn't work? Not only did I already cut the belt on this Toyota, but I have done it more than once in the past. Most used cars sold in New England don't have functional Air Conditioners because most people don't use theirs. I've even completely removed a system from a sub-compact so that it was easier to work on the engine. Now, back to the main question, does anyone know how much I will save? Please, if you don't know, don't give your shitty advice.

It has something to do with the quality of the questions that you ask and ask and ask. Your questions reveal an IQ that's hovering near room temperature on a cold day.

Your questions show that you don't have a clue despite your claims to all those years in the automotive industry. And your mashed thumb, broken Easy-out, and bungled fuel filter replacement confirm it.

Good thing you inherited from your late father's estate and live with mom, because you wouldn't stand a chance supporting yourself.

Bruce, I, and several others have answered your question regarding how much fuel you will save if you remove the belt from your AC compressor pulley. In case you missed it, the fuel savings from removing the AC compressor drive belt will not be measurable. While some energy is expended to overcome the friction of the bearings and to move the accessory drive belt, when the AC is not being used, the magnetic clutch on the AC compressor pulley allows the pulley to free-wheel.

Other variables can have a more measurable effect on fuel consumption, like the driver's driving habits; driving conditions; ambient temperature; the condition of the engine; the condition and type of components in the ignition system (spark plugs, wires, rotor, distributor); the condition of the transmission, brakes, air filter, air flow sensor, and coolant temperature sensor; the type of fuel; tire inflation and rolling resistance; and the payload that the vehicle is carrying.