using a/c compressor as supercharge

[icantbelieveitspot]

I have been thinking about this for a while and can't think of a reason it wouldn't work. If you took the refrigerant and oil out of the ac system and ran air into your engine with it. I realise an a/c system runs at much higher pressures than an engine could handle but that pressure is achieved with a pinhole seized restriction( expantion valve). But what would happen if you ran a hose from the air cleaner to the low pressure side of the ac compressor. There is already an "intercooler" (condencer) in place and the other end of high pressure condencer could feed into the intake manifold. Therefore achieving forced induction. And it would not be hard to wire the compressor clutch. Maybe a button under the gas peddle for WOT operation only or a toggle switch. And through fuel trim the pcm should see the extra O2 in the exhaust and richen the afr accordingly. Can anyone think of a reason this wouldn't work? Any feedback would be great

[brcidd]

Compressor would burn up- oil circulates with refrigerant- most a/c compressors don't have oil sumps---and not nearly enough CFM- as in not enough volume of air....can be pumped fast enough--- just because a pump can generate pressure, says nothing about the volume of air flow...

[vgames33]

It won't pump nearly enough air to be worthwhile. And it would blow up shortly after installation due to oil circulation issues.

[lance_cory]

The above posts are entirely correct. A similar thing has been done however, but not with an a/c compressor but with a smog pump. Again though, there is the issue of the capacity, so while this would work on a 3 horsepower lawnmower engine, it is no where near the capacity needed for an automobile engine.

Same goes for bilge blower 'electric turbos' etc. If it is not designed to pressurize a large (like over 500 ccs) engine, it probably won't.

Used turbos are so cheap, there is no need to try 'alternatives' in my opinion, and chances are if you have to ask this question, you probably understand too little to pull it off anyway. Sorry to be blunt, but I would hate to see you waste time, money, and possibly an engine in an attempt to mickey mouse a go fast goody.