Has anybody looked into replacing the belt-driven AC compressor with an electric or perhaps putting an electric drive motor on it in place of routing the serpentine belt over it?

My '97 has the dual-ignition 2.3L I-4 and in extreme heat the AC compressor SERIOUSLY loads that little engine to where the truck has almost no torque available to start from a stop light. I have to rev the engine to high RPMs or switch the AC to vent mode to unload the engine and get enough torque to get moving in traffic.

What I'd like to do is either find a way to swap in an electric compressor (more efficient) or bolt on an electric motor and shorten the serpentine belt to skip the AC pulley. Has anybody done this and if so, which route did you choose and how well did it work?

Well I'm not too certain on this issue but an A/C compressor should not put that much load on the engine. I know the 4.0L has more torque but I can't tell one bit when the compressor is engaged as opposed to when it isn't. If it really is working properly and drawing that much load is an electric compressor not going to draw way more power than your truck can provide? and then you will need a bigger alternator and put more load on your engine once again. The law of conservation of energy is where I base my thoughts on. If you change the energy from mechanical to electrical with the alternator and then back into mechanical in the AC compressor yiu will not gain energy, rather you will lose energy to the environment as heat in converting. From the new vehicles I've seen they use belt drive AC compressors which tells me the belt is more efficient and effective than an electric motor.

But I would say to check over your AC and see if its all working properly.

I know this is all theory and not real world testing but maybe someone who actually has done this will chime in

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1994 Ford Ranger Splash. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed.Tracked MPG's - Totalled

1995 Ford Ranger XLT extended cab. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed. 2" suspension lift, 3" body lift. 33x12.50r15 bfg rubber on american racing wheels. Tracked MPG's

BINGO!

Your just gonna translate the load to the alternator. The more electrical demand the harder it is to turn the alternator.

I have the 2.5 (stroked version of the 2.3) and I can tell a difference when the A/C kicks on. I've tested MPG with and without A/C on and it is almost 3-4 miles per gallon difference.

Also note you should have a WOT (wide open throttle) relay that turns off the A/C clutch when the throttle position sensor is at like 95-100%.

Power steering has moved to electronic motors but the reason that works is because power steering doesn't really work unless you are at a dead stop and turning. Otherwise it's not pulling much current.

Newer cars use what they call variable displacement compressors. The swash plate that moves the pistons up and down has a solenoid on it that can change the angle of the plate. It can go from almost near 90 degrees to the shaft with hardly any compression to somewhere like 45 degrees with max compression. Good thing about this design is there is no sudden jolt because the transition is smooth compared to a clutch style.

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Automotive Electronics Engineer
2000 XLT 2.5L A/T
Mods:
Explorer OHC
Explorer Autodim Mirrors w/ Autolamps
Explorer Sport White Face Gauges

Put a 6000 watt generator in the bed and run a 18,000 btu window unit in the rear window if you really want to get silly.

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The 2.3 Lima's are kind of a dog anyways. Regear or swap the rear end with an 8.8 and 4.10's if you have a higher ratio.

My 96 came with 3.45's and it SUCKS

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2007 Regular Cab - 2.3 DOHC - 5 Speed Auto - 4.10 Gears - Maxtrac 7" Lift - Fiberwerx 3" Fenders - Bilstein 5100 Series - 15x10 Ultra 164's - 35x12.50x15 Red Letters - Custom dents

I noticed the same problem once I replaced everything for my ac (literally everything so theres nothing wrong with it as it blows colder then Alaska air) on my 83 2.3l carbed lima. what I did was a simple fix and also allowed me to drive uphill in 2nd gear. what I did was I advanced my valve timing with a variable cam sprocket by about 4 degrees. I have more low end torque and less high end hp (I rarely let my rpms get that high as cops look at me like I'm racing when I do lol). the 8.8 is a great swap but takes some fab work which I will be doing eventually. something to think about depending on your wrenching skills and/or funds. Hope this helps.

Hmmm... Interesting thoughts here. Yes, the AC very definitely drags the horses down on a 2.3 because when I'm not running it (or when the air cools down from 90°+ outside) that little engine will spin the tires if I let off the clutch too quickly. And the AC definitely works... cold enough that I have to add a little heat into it even on those 90° days after about 30 minutes of running. I don't think I need the valve timing adjustment as the engine is plenty strong on cooler days.

The second thought would be to find a way to get cooler air to the intake without cutting holes and risking flooding the engine when it rains.

If your AC blows that cold on such an old truck, don't fuck with it.

Yeah, the 2.3 Lima is a dog for a motor, and ford decided to use high gear ratios in Rangers back then. My 8.8 I'm sending out for gears and a rebuild has 3.08's. My last Ranger had 3.45's. Having an M5OD helps. Shit I used to pop the clutch and slam corners in second in my first Ranger. It's not hard.

Has nothing to do with the truck it's the driver. I can chirp the tires in my 2007 with 35" tires undergeared with my MAX AC on.

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2007 Regular Cab - 2.3 DOHC - 5 Speed Auto - 4.10 Gears - Maxtrac 7" Lift - Fiberwerx 3" Fenders - Bilstein 5100 Series - 15x10 Ultra 164's - 35x12.50x15 Red Letters - Custom dents