A/C Compressor Mounting with Car Engine

[dartslantsix]

I'm in the early stages of my hemi swap and have been searching the forum a bunch. Unfortunately, some of the links are broken in the older threads. What has been done to fit the A/C compressor?
This is my set up: stock k-frame (biscuit mounts), 2010 5.7L Car engine, TTI mounts. The TTI mount covers up the 3rd bolt hole and the compressor is too long to fit anyway. Is there a shorter compressor that just uses the front two bolts? I swear a saw a picture of someone who trimmed the back of the compressor to fit, but it's not showing up now.
Any pictures or info is greatly appreciated!

 

[DionR]

@JBrian might have some insight, he did something custom on his Duster.

One option is to move the motor forward, that is what the Holley mounts do so that the car AC compressor fits. That’s not the only reason, it also helps the oil filter mount and make clearance for the SRV module if you run the 6.4 intake.

I like the Schumacher brackets myself as they don’t use the AC compressor mounts. And it appears that they would be easier to modify if someone were to relocate the motor to duplicate the Holley motor location.

One other idea is to move the DS mount back. Modify the bracket and rebuild the mount on the k-frame so the compressor bolts up. But this option would still need to use a different mount than the TTI ones. This is a variation on the idea of modifying the PS TTI mount to clear the oil filter. And it is just an idea on my part.

There is one guy on here that completely rebuilt the DS mount to clear the AC compressor, but it was much more than my idea of just sliding the mount back.

 

[DionR]

Here is a post talking about relocating the PS mount for oil filter clearance. He is using a QA1 k-frame, but doesn’t seem like it would be impossible to do something similar with a stock k-frame. And maybe the DS could be done similarly, although not near as easily with the steering box in the same area.

G3 Hemi 69 Barracuda Fastback Father Son Project

 

[DionR]

I think this is the post you are talking about where someone cut the compressor to make it fit.

Slant 6 K-Frame = LOTS of Clearance

 

[DionR]

BTW, if you moved the motor forward 1.75”, you could use Holley’s TKX mount and crossmember in your car.

 

[JBrian]

I designed custom brackets for a Sanden 7176 compressor. The compressor is used with the Classic AutoAir kit (Everything but the compressor). It has worked flawlessly even on the dyno at 6900RPM and lots of shifts in the 6400-6600RPM range with now 1400 miles on the car.

 

[DionR]

2010 5.7L Car engine

There is a wrinkle to this that you should probably be aware of.

Holley's notes show this image with the dimensions for a non-VVT car and VVT car belt spacing:

The trick is, I believe the '09 and '10 5.7 car setup use the non-VVT belt spacing and do not match the later 5.7 VVT belt spacing. This based on part overlaps for AC compressors, water pumps, PS pumps and alternators. As an example, the PS pump for a car 5.7 is applicable to an '06-10, even though the '09-10 is VVT.

Due to this, I think getting the AC compressor you have bolted up will not be as simple as just moving the motor forward 1.75" to match the Holley engine placement.

When I was looking into this, it appeared that the TC cover was the same from '09-13, which implies that maybe an '11-13 FEAD might be able to be swapped to move the compressor out .48".

The other thing to be aware of is the PS pump. Later 5.7 cars went to electric power steering or an electric pump, so the only VVT motors with a pump are the 6.4's up to 2014 (I think) and maybe the HC's. The point being that if you use the later belt spacing, the PS can be a little more tedious or expensive.

 

[DionR]

I'm in the early stages of my hemi swap and have been searching the forum a bunch. Unfortunately, some of the links are broken in the older threads.

BTW, I have found with the older links that if I open the link in a new tab and then paste "https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/" in front of the thread number, it finds and opens the thread.

For example, this path doesn't work: "https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=85910"

But this path does; "18's mounted..."

 

[dartslantsix]

BTW, I have found with the older link that if I open the link in a new tab and then past "https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/" in front of the thread number, it finds and opens the thread.

For example, this path doesn't work: "https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=85910"

But this pat does; "18's mounted..."

Interesting... a lot of the links I was finding were broken.

Thanks for all your input here, @DionR

@JBrian that looks nice! I'm planning on using the Classic Auto Air kit, so this looks like the simplest way to go. Would you be willing to share the files for those parts? I could chip in some money too.

 

[DionR]

Thanks for all your input here, @DionR

Would you willing and/or able to measure the belt spacing as shown in the image? Curious if my guess is correct that your belt spacing is the shorter one.

 

[JBrian]

Interesting... a lot of the links I was finding were broken.

Thanks for all your input here, @DionR

@JBrian that looks nice! I'm planning on using the Classic Auto Air kit, so this looks like the simplest way to go. Would you be willing to share the files for those parts? I could chip in some money too.

I'll see if I can dig them up

 

[racerjoe]

The setup @JBrian is perfect. After I purchased the TTi mounts and held the compressor up next to it, I had a huge WTF moment. This doesn't account for the huge interference on the K-Member.
I think @HemiDenny makes an AC bracket to? Maybe? What ya got Denny? Did I dream that?

 

[dartslantsix]

Would you willing and/or able to measure the belt spacing as shown in the image? Curious if my guess is correct that your belt spacing is the shorter one.

@DionR Mine is measuring 4 3/8"
2010 5.7L Cop engine. It's has the VVT also.
So there are some overlap years on the accessories.

 

[DionR]

@DionR Mine is measuring 4 3/8"
2010 5.7L Cop engine. It's has the VVT also.
So there are some overlap years on the accessories.

Thanks! Appreciate you do that for me.

 

[dartslantsix]

I designed custom brackets for a Sanden 7176 compressor. The compressor is used with the Classic AutoAir kit (Everything but the compressor). It has worked flawlessly even on the dyno at 6900RPM and lots of shifts in the 6400-6600RPM range with now 1400 miles on the car.

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@JBrian , hey a couple questions on your setup.
Is the compressor only using the front ears for mounting? Or do you also have something attaching to the rear ears?
It looks like you cut the timing cover for clearance, is that right? Any pictures of that?
Do you feel that the 7176 compressor keeps the car cool enough? I read somewhere that the factory compressor has a higher output. My Barracuda's rear glass bakes in the summer.

I'm trying to decide if I should follow your path or somehow ramrod the factory compressor in there. (leaning toward what you did)

-Dave

 

[JBrian]

@JBrian , hey a couple questions on your setup.
Is the compressor only using the front ears for mounting? Or do you also have something attaching to the rear ears?
It looks like you cut the timing cover for clearance, is that right? Any pictures of that?
Do you feel that the 7176 compressor keeps the car cool enough? I read somewhere that the factory compressor has a higher output. My Barracuda's rear glass bakes in the summer.

I'm trying to decide if I should follow your path or somehow ramrod the factory compressor in there. (leaning toward what you did)

-Dave

*The back of the compressor is bolted directly to the block. I attached a picture where you can see it bolted to the block with a spacer. The front is then triangulated to the bottom of the P/S box and then bolted underneath to the front cover
*The front cover is not modified
* The compressor is only one element of the system. Everything else is Classic AutoAir, it cools down to the upper 30's with 18 ounces of R134

 

[dartslantsix]

Aha! That's the part I was missing. I couldn't see where the rear was bolted.
It looks like my timing cover is different from yours. I'm going to have to trim it to access that bolt hole.
Thanks again for posting.

 

[dartslantsix]

I got this project wrapped up. I copied @JBrian 's scheme. Had to chop the factory mount off the timing cover to get access to the hole in the block. (I'll clean up my cut when I pull the cover)
I ordered the A/C compressor from Classic Auto Air (Sanden 7176)

Turns out the threaded hole in the block is 3/8" NC. I had to drill out the mount in the compressor for a 3/8" bolt then it bolted right up and was actually in line with the pulleys!
After the compressor was bolted up, I checked the clocking with a spare K-frame, then started making templates.

Sketched it up in CAD, did some more fit checks and sent it to sendcutsend.com

And here it is all painted and installed. I used some spacers from McMaster-Carr to go between the timing cover and the bracket and also at the PS pump.

The factory belt almost fits, but needs another 1/2" or so. JBrian is showing a Gates K060825 on his, so I'll try that one first.
To review: This is a 2010 5.7L car engine using the TTI conversion mounts on a stock 67 K-frame.
I'll have more details on my blog later. If anyone is interested in purchasing some brackets, let me know. If there's enough interest, I could do a run of them.

 

[JBrian]

Very nice job. Mine has been up and running for about 2800 miles, 2 years, zero issues shifting at 6500/6600RPM and bouncing off the rev-limiter many times while doing burnouts!

 

[JBrian]

I got this project wrapped up. I copied @JBrian 's scheme. Had to chop the factory mount off the timing cover to get access to the hole in the block. (I'll clean up my cut when I pull the cover)
I ordered the A/C compressor from Classic Auto Air (Sanden 7176)

View attachment 1716314781

View attachment 1716314785
Turns out the threaded hole in the block is 3/8" NC. I had to drill out the mount in the compressor for a 3/8" bolt then it bolted right up and was actually in line with the pulleys!
After the compressor was bolted up, I checked the clocking with a spare K-frame, then started making templates.
View attachment 1716314786

Sketched it up in CAD, did some more fit checks and sent it to sendcutsend.com

View attachment 1716314797

And here it is all painted and installed. I used some spacers from McMaster-Carr to go between the timing cover and the bracket and also at the PS pump.
View attachment 1716314798View attachment 1716314799View attachment 1716314800View attachment 1716314801View attachment 1716314802
The factory belt almost fits, but needs another 1/2" or so. JBrian is showing a Gates K060825 on his, so I'll try that one first.
To review: This is a 2010 5.7L car engine using the TTI conversion mounts on a stock 67 K-frame.
I'll have more details on my blog later. If anyone is interested in purchasing some brackets, let me know. If there's enough interest, I could do a run of them.

I'm not sure how you're going to get your fittings to clear the block like that

 

[dartslantsix]

I'm not sure how you're going to get your fittings to clear the block like that

The picture makes it look worse than it is. I actually went back out and checked and it should be fine. I'll double check though, before everything goes back in the car.
Thanks for the pics you provided on your setup.