How to use a stock 90-95 TBI AC bracket on an LS motor

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DRAGGIN95

Warranty Killer!
Super Moderator
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Messages
9,977
Reaction score
314
Location
Antioch Arkansas
I found this article and I think it could be very helpful to people who want to reuse the radial style compressor with their LS swapped engine, it show's how to reuse the original 90-95 AC truck serpentine bracket with the swap, it is a much cheaper alternative to buying the premade bracket kit.


Well, I stumbled onto this the other day. And thought that it might be of some benefit to some of us.

But, you have to have the truck engine belt drive system.

Here is the full article.

Thanks to MalibuRacing for this great info.

A/C:

Since the truck and some other LSx engines use a low mount A/C compressor, that would have required a frame notch, I decided to go a different route. I found a solution on the LS1tech.com forums that some others were using. I got a A/C bracket from a pre-Vortec 4.3L S-10. It will bolt right to the head and align perfectly with the other accessories on the truck motor.

You must be registered for see images attach


This is what the A/C bracket looks as it comes off the S-10. Notice that there is a small section that I have circled. This needs to be removed. I used a cut-off wheel to do this.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is what the bracket looks like after removing the bottom section.

You must be registered for see images attach

In order to clear the "new" location of the A/C compressor and bracket, the water neck needs to be turned counter clockwise. The waterneck is press into the pump housing. It was pretty simple to do this. I use a torch to heat around the aluminum at the base of the waterneck. I then inserted the handle of my floor jack into the waterneck and turned it so that it was facing straight forward.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is the hole I used to bolt the bracket to the head.

You must be registered for see images attach

I bolted it to the accessory bolt hole in the head in the left top hand corner (facing the the engine).

You must be registered for see images attach

You need to make a support that can locate the bracket the proper angle (left to right). You should mock this up to determine the correct position for a particular length accessory belt. Here you can see the support bar I created using pieces that I cut and welded from junk yard support bars.

You must be registered for see images attach

The bracket is supported in the rear by this brace I fabricated from pieces of junkyard parts. This prevents the bracket from moving front to back.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is what it looks like when mounted. Notice you will need another idler pulley on the bottom to keep the belt clear of the thermostat housing and lower radiator hose. The A/C compressor is from a 1992 F-body (Camaro/Firebird). It has a different type of hose connection on the back (than 1979 Malibu), so I used the hose assembly for a '92 F-body. Just make sure you get a hose assembly with the correct connections for your application.

You must be registered for see images attach

The final belt routing will look like this
__________________
Better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

My Build Thread...

Alternative A/C Mounting for LS Engines
 

95SUBURBANLM7

OBS Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 8, 2015
Messages
80
Reaction score
8
Draggin, did you use MAPP gas to heat up the aluminum to turn the neck?
 

trackster12

Newbie
Joined
Dec 19, 2021
Messages
8
Reaction score
7
Location
Davisburg MI
I found this article and I think it could be very helpful to people who want to reuse the radial style compressor with their LS swapped engine, it show's how to reuse the original 90-95 AC truck serpentine bracket with the swap, it is a much cheaper alternative to buying the premade bracket kit.


Well, I stumbled onto this the other day. And thought that it might be of some benefit to some of us.

But, you have to have the truck engine belt drive system.

Here is the full article.

Thanks to MalibuRacing for this great info.

A/C:

Since the truck and some other LSx engines use a low mount A/C compressor, that would have required a frame notch, I decided to go a different route. I found a solution on the LS1tech.com forums that some others were using. I got a A/C bracket from a pre-Vortec 4.3L S-10. It will bolt right to the head and align perfectly with the other accessories on the truck motor.

You must be registered for see images attach


This is what the A/C bracket looks as it comes off the S-10. Notice that there is a small section that I have circled. This needs to be removed. I used a cut-off wheel to do this.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is what the bracket looks like after removing the bottom section.

You must be registered for see images attach

In order to clear the "new" location of the A/C compressor and bracket, the water neck needs to be turned counter clockwise. The waterneck is press into the pump housing. It was pretty simple to do this. I use a torch to heat around the aluminum at the base of the waterneck. I then inserted the handle of my floor jack into the waterneck and turned it so that it was facing straight forward.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is the hole I used to bolt the bracket to the head.

You must be registered for see images attach

I bolted it to the accessory bolt hole in the head in the left top hand corner (facing the the engine).

You must be registered for see images attach

You need to make a support that can locate the bracket the proper angle (left to right). You should mock this up to determine the correct position for a particular length accessory belt. Here you can see the support bar I created using pieces that I cut and welded from junk yard support bars.

You must be registered for see images attach

The bracket is supported in the rear by this brace I fabricated from pieces of junkyard parts. This prevents the bracket from moving front to back.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is what it looks like when mounted. Notice you will need another idler pulley on the bottom to keep the belt clear of the thermostat housing and lower radiator hose. The A/C compressor is from a 1992 F-body (Camaro/Firebird). It has a different type of hose connection on the back (than 1979 Malibu), so I used the hose assembly for a '92 F-body. Just make sure you get a hose assembly with the correct connections for your application.

You must be registered for see images attach

The final belt routing will look like this
__________________
Better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

My Build Thread...

Alternative A/C Mounting for LS Engines
What length belt does this mod require?
Thanks, Doug
 

kenh

I see nothing I hear nothing
Joined
May 22, 2020
Messages
666
Reaction score
901
Location
rockwell, ia
You must be registered for see images attach


Old old thread but some are still interested. I used a ls3 water pump with truck bracket.

The L3B turbo 4 is to the GMT T1XX as the LB4 V6 was to the GMT400. It's not a trucky truck motor, it's a motor for a "goin' to town" truck.
Could you please expand on part numbers or links? I searched but my search skills suck worse than a vacuum cleaner. Thank you!

Ken
 
Top