'87 Jeep Cherokee / Removing AC

(excuse me if this is not the correct forum)

In the interests of taking any unnecessary workload off my engine I decided to remove the A/C lines with the goal of eventually removing the compressor.

I successfully removed the lines from the compressor (system was drained prior to this) and then I attempted to cut the larger line (return line?) from where it was mounted into a metal block on the firewall. Once I did this engine coolant started draining, but stopped shortly.

I thought that since A/C compressors use a refrigerant that the lines running to where the heater core is located that there wouldn't be any engine coolant in the lines.

Does this mean my heater core is screwed up and leaking into the A/C or is engine coolant normally routed through the A/C compressor? I've never really attempted to mess with A/C before, let alone trying to remove it from a car completely.

It's an '87 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer, 4.0 Inline Six.

Thanks.  

Sounds like you cut the heater hose? The a/c lines are metal where they run through the firewall most likely.

You're wasting your time. The compressor has a clutch that allows the pulley to spin freely when the a/c is not on! You'll get nothing for your efforts excpet what sounds like a mess.  

removing your compressor will help gain you a few hp. even thoe when the clutch is disengaged you are still turning an accessory. the a/c and collant are two diffrent systems. if you should never have anti-freeze in your a/c system. if the a/c had no freon in it nothing would have came out. if you still had freon in it, it would have came out as a cold gas, cold enough to almost give you frost bite. but it sounds like you got a heater core line.  
90 wagoneer 6.5 rough country,ryans fab bumper,9500lbs winch, 4.10 gears,4.0L

Dude - go spin an a/c pulley without a belt on it with your finger and tell me how long it will rotate before it stops.

A few hp? Please!

Post up your facts so guys don't keep chasing the hp ghost. Ridiculous!  

So I admit maybe I implied I hoped it would give more HP so that I could put it in the engine forum.

That said, whether or not I get a HP bonus I do gain several things:

-Significantly less hoses (5 at least)
-More directly routed coolant hoses (no u-bend around the back of the darn thing)
-Better access to spark plugs/wires.
-Better airflow to radiator (when I remove the AC condenser on the front of it)
-Possible location for accessory. Extra alternator for an inverter? Air compressor?
-Weight loss. Compressor, condenser, hoses - at least 20lbs.

I think I agree I have some sort of engine coolant leak into the refrigerant lines though. Because there are four hoses running into the firewall in the same area. Two of them run hot coolant from the block/radiator. I assume these are the lines to heater core. Lower down are two a/c lines that are all welded/epoxyed/sealed hoses. One connects to a/c compressor and the other looks like it goes to the a/c condenser. I only cut the large line (that ran from compressor) which I assume was the refrigerant return line since hotter coolant needs room to stay expanded on it's way back to the compressor (?).

Only a half a cup of engine coolant came out, so it could be a slow leak. I have run the heater at full blast for 15+ minutes and had no smoking/smell of a fried heater core (I've had several go out on me in the past). So maybe it's not a problem? Maybe it's what caused a/c to fail (before I owned it).

I'm going to try to post photos tomorrow but I'm not sure if I should plug the end of it or run a hose from it to the one next to it to bypass the a/c condenser but still allow coolant to flow through.  

a few hp is 1 maybe 2. i didnt claim he would get 15 hp. you must not be around cars much. do you see dragracers run any accessories on their vehicles? maybe an alt. belt but most don't even run that. electric water pumps and fans. any accessory that uses a belt causes drag no matter how small it's still using hp. nothing that he will prob fell.  
90 wagoneer 6.5 rough country,ryans fab bumper,9500lbs winch, 4.10 gears,4.0L

so if a few is one i'm confused... but anyway your saying if I remove both idler pulleys and my ac compressor I'll gain 6 HP?? right!!! I'm headed to the driveway!! haha

next fad? People removing idler pulleys (on jeeps) to gain that thousandth of a second on the drag strip!! haha yea OK!!!!  

So I'm just going to hope that since engine coolant isn't in my hot air from the heater and no fluid is leaking that I'm good. I'll just cut the other line off and bridge the two with a hose.

Thanks I guess.

Maybe Jeep magazine will do a segment on removing a/c and they'll dyno it before and after. But unless you have a dyno I think that's the only way to figure out who's right.  

nobody said anything about racing jeeps, even thoe iv'e seen jeeps race.i guess drag racers are stupid, why ahould they remove everything since it don't make hp diffrence. when its hot they can run the a/c and keep the p.s. so it turns easier. silly me i guess your right it don't make a diffrence.  
90 wagoneer 6.5 rough country,ryans fab bumper,9500lbs winch, 4.10 gears,4.0L