I was wondering if bypassing the A/C on a 2.2 OHV will have any negative effects on the defroster or anything involved? The compressor is junk and we don't have the money to repair it, and I know you can bypass it without any extra pulley or anything.

Mine is bypassed. The defroster does take a little longer, but it still works when you get heat in the winter, lol. I always crack my windows a little and it helps as well.

Supposedly you can just use non-AC serpentine belt, as replacement for current belt. I used bypass pulley assembly from Advance, as two weeks prior to AC failure had just installed new serpentine belt, new idler pulley, and new tensioner assembly. After pulling compressor to install bypass pulley assembly, found compressor had been on the long road to failure for quite some time. (so that little bit of bearing play WAS a bad sign!) Also next spring, replacing compressor, accumulator, and condenser, along with system flush, for good cooling before summer, so I still need serp belt for AC use.


1998 Cavalier 2dr base, 2200, 3spd auto, AC,PS,PB

ac compressor is shot in my car, defroster works fine. i bought the belt for a non a/c 2200. belt routes the same, just with out the compressor

I see this is a month old, I just wanted to add that I also bypassed AC with a nonAC belt as the clutch was effed.

Works fine, heat, defroster, everything. I did this about a month ago.

I also pulled the AC fuse just in case.. not sure if I needed to.

They do make a dummy pulley to install in place of the A/C compressor. I think it was NAPA where I found them, but I haven't got around to bypassing mine yet.
I also notice that non-a/c belts are made, so I wonder why they make the dummy pulleys/brackets in the first place.

My question with this
Is the a/c or dummy pulley needed there to make the water-pump pulley get better traction?

I did just recently buy the belt for non-A/C and put it on, and the car runs great. I just totally bypassed the A/C like it doesn't need to be there anymore.