a/c mounting bracket

[Chakka71]

The previous owner removed all the a/c componets except the large mounting bracket. Is this something I can remove or are the bolts in conjunction with motor mounting? I see it in the list for engine removal in the manual, but I'm just trying to get it out and also need to remove it to get to the oil pressure lines. It's a pretty big piece so I don't know it's importance beyond holding the a/c.

[aj88cab]

The bolts are the same that attach the engine mount bracket to the engine. Put the car on jackstands, remove muffler, support the engine with a floorjack, remove the A/C bracket, replace engine support bolts. Removing the bracket will leave a hole in the sheet metal that can allow water and debris into the engine compartment, cover it with some of that aluminum duct tape (the cloth type duct tape might melt from the heat of the muffler.)

[Chakka71]

Thanks for the help, I don't have my manual at the moment but where is the best place to support the engine?

[WoodSport]

Heh. I just did this on my 84 a couple of days ago. There were a few items that gave me a lot of unnecessary grief, mostly from the lack of having a few specialized tools. I don't think you remove all of the engine support bolts, but you should definitely support the engine during the process.

1. The two bolts holding the main bracket are blocked by the muffler. Remove the muffler straps and, possibly, the entire muffler. You might be able to get away with removing only the heater duct between the heat exchangers, but I'm not positive. I didn't notice that until after I had removed the muffler, which I had to do anyway. It was easy to reach in with the entire area open. My muffler straps hadn't been touched since the factory and were badly rusted so, after several hours trying every known method of removing seized exhaust hardware, I ended up cutting them. Replacement straps cost $70.

2. The support bracket that runs forward under the fuel rail is connected to the main bracket with a 6mm socket-head fastener which is difficult to reach with anything large enough to produce the leverage needed to break it free. Mine seemed to have fused with the bracket and I didn't want to strip it so, I left it and went to the next option...

3. The flat support bar from the main bracket down to the right side of the fan housing is held by a 17mm bolt at the bottom which sits in a space too small for a socket wrench. You can get a box-end wrench on it but the main bracket blocks the necessary range to turn it. Perhaps a ratcheting box-end might work, or an articulated socket extension, but I didn't have either of those available.

4. If you can't get either the support bracket separated from the main bracket, or the flat bar from the engine, the stud through the top of the flat bar is preventing the entire assembly from lifting out. I ended up having to carefully wedge between the main bracket and that extremely thick, in-flexible bar to get it to clear the stud and lift the bracket out of the way. Be careful of the injector and wires along the fuel rail above the support bracket. You may want to disconnect the injector, just to be safe.

It probably would have been much easier if I had some specific tools, but it was definitely one of those 'rewarding' projects once it was over. Now I need only to cut a small plate to cover the opening it left behind and call it done.

Good luck. It's do-able, and worth the hassle.

[Chakka71]

how much do you think the bracket weighs?

[WoodSport]

I'll weigh mine tomorrow to see exactly, but it's not much - maybe 2 lbs with all the steel fasteners. The flat bar is probably half the weight by itself. I heard there were steel brackets out there, but I don't know what years they were used.

[WoodSport]

The total weight of an aluminum main bracket, aluminum support bracket, steel bar and the two fasteners holding them all together is 2 lbs 13 oz. This doesn't include the flat carrier that attaches directly to the compressor or any of the fasteners that remain on the engine.