Dorman makes "AC eliminator kits" which is a pulley the same size as the AC clutch mounted thru a bearing to a plate that takes the place of the compressor....
Being that is a 90 model it has 3 or 4 V belts, just like the old 318s, should be able to find belts for a late 80s 318 powered something without AC and use those... V belts have slotted adjustments not spring loaded tensioners..... a 1/2" longer or shorter and you should be fine (wouldn't vary much more than that though or you'll run out of adjustment)

 

my bad sorry. Didn't know it was a different design or even that it was a v belt. works on my Magnum anyway, but I'll edit my post.

 

if he is taking off the AC as he had said he CAN use a shorter belt as the tension adjustment is on the alternator not on the AC compressor, no idler needed, the old 318s got away without them for years (as did many engines from back then with V belts and manual adjusters) and if he is deleting AC anyway that is 1 less bearing to possibly seize and give problems....

not relevant I know but when I had my 93 (Magnum 318) my compressor locked up on me at work, and I had to get home.... went to a nearby junkyard and got a compressor, only one they had that would fit my truck (supposedly), some idiot had cut the wires off at the clutch and coil, not enough to splice onto (and there was a plug/disconnect less than 6" away...… idiots) but whether "good" or "bad", an AC compressor was an AC compressor to this junkyard idiot, and he still charged me the same $50 for it as if it had been a "good" compressor I could plug in, throw some charge into and have working AC again
he wouldn't let me roam the yard, to see... he took me to an onsite shed full of various compressors and handed me this one....

 

*shrug*

Accessory drive was laid out a bit differently earlier; I run twine, and it rubs on the water pump, so I'd say it's not really possible (besides, do you think Chrysler would put those parts on non-AC trucks if it WAS possible to use a cheaper, shorter belt instead for the layout on our trucks?)

If you look at the drawings at https://www.allpar.com/mopar/318.html - you notice that on the older motors, the alternator was the tension point for the water pump pulley, and it sits fairly low. By 1977, the alternator was run up higher, and needs the idler or A/C compressor to clear the water pump.

On our motors, it sits higher, and the belt will run through the water pump.

https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar...ounting.41466/ has a picture of a guy who chopped down a GM alternator bracket to swing the alternator down and below the water pump line, so the belt will fit below the water pump.

But eh. Because a 1965 273 fit without the idler, I guess every LA block can skip it no matter where the alternator is moved to?

RwP

 

I've read where one guy took and cut down the mold portion of the water pump to clear the belt without the idle pulley. Junk yards around here have extremely limited parts for older dodges so finding parts is very difficult.

 

Hence my reference to hunting up the part numbers in the parts list, then Googling for the parts.

As long as it's the proper distance out, and the right diameter pulley, you should be able to mock up a bracket and bolt it to the proper place on the accessory mount bracket. But before you ask, no, I don't have the tools to do such myself here - not everyone does!

EASIEST is to keep scarfing up A/C compressors from the U-Pull-It and bolting those in until the bearing starts to scream at you.

Sucks, yah, I know.

RwP

 

Could always just replace the compressor pulley for that matter. It's just pressed on to the end of the shaft, and you can likely rent the tool to remove/install it. Throw a new one on there, and likely never have to fuss with it again.

 

I wanted to add a picture from my truck to hopefully show what ralph is saying....... Mine is a 87...

 

Ah ok, now I see what you mean. The wp pulley only has 1 belt driving it. The same one as the ps pump.
Those did take the same wp as the 318s and 360s of the time. Most with those engines had 2-3 belt grooves on the wp. Get a wp pulley from a 318 or 360 with 2-3 grooves, and you'll be able to do what I posted. Not a big deal

 

There's also the minor problem that a 1967 LA water pump has a different shaft length than a 1988 LA water pump does. See, for instance, the pictures of the Gates 43030 (1968 Dart 318) and the Gates 43026 (a 1988 3.9).

So we'd also have to swap water pumps.

It's a right royal pain, it is, I won't disagree, volaredon. But as a very wise man (one wiser than me!) said once, "It is what it is." It doth sucketh, and bloweth, when it worketh.

RwP