I went to change the alternator belt and the bolt to the tensioner on the air pump snapped. Do i need the air pump for emissions or no? can I remove the air pump without messin with any other emissions???

 

It injects air to burn off hydrocarbons, or that's what I'm brought to assume.

 

What he said^. The fresh air that it supplies to the catalytic converter raises the temp of the catalyst and helps to elminate the HC'S. With it disconnected you will not pass smog and if left off too long will do damage to the converters.

 

If you have a cat on the car, the air pump is needed to supply fresh air into the system to burn off the excess gases. Without the pump, a cat will not survive for very long.
The pump is also needed to pass most emmission testing in states where it is required.

 

there are no cats on my car so will it harm to remove the air pump?

 

No.

 

sweetness. thanks everybody

 

Here's what mine looks like:



When I took it out, along with a bunch of carb plumbing it was attached too, I couldn't get a good idle and the gas mileage was way off. So I reinstalled it (after cleaning it up) and the car ran fine again.

Go figure.

Ray