My AC compressor died a few weeks ago and the shop gave me to go ahead to wait for my interest and funds to match levels. In the interim I was wondering if I could replace the current belt with a shorter one to remove the AC compressor from the drive entirely.

Anyone know the belt number for the non AC models?

 

I'm pretty sure climate control (including AC) was a standard feature in hybrid models for that year, so there would not be any such thing as a non AC model...

Unless you are talking about the non-hybrid models...

The engine is different between the hybrid and non-hybrid models so I doubt that the belts would be interchangeable.

hybrid engine:

1.3L Hybrid I4 SOHC 8V FI Engine

non-hybrid engine:

1.7L I4 SOHC 16V FI Engine

Looks like you will need to measure the belt size manually, perhaps with a string?

 

They're not cheap, are they?

Mine locked up in the middle of a trip from LA area to Lake Tahoe, had no choice but to keep driving. Got pretty lucky too, the belt snapped about 1/2 mile away from my house but made it home

I don't know what died on your AC compressor but I think a better option would be to rig the current ac compressor so it just becomes a free-spinning wheel (take it apart, disconnect something, idunno) and use the belt that was made for it.

My remanufactured compressor was about $220 shipped on ebay.

 

You'd be much better off to just remove the power lead from the compressor clutch, and leave the compressor in place. If you try to put a shorter belt on then you might not be able to tension it properly.