pros/cons of removing the air pump
 

just wondering what are the pros and cons of removing the air pump are? and what does it do anyways?

your extra fuel needs oxygen to go boom in the cat or thermal reactor in order to ignite unburned hydrocarbons. the airpump puts this air into the exhaust.

the pros: decreased backfiring, another power robber gone, dropping weight, simplifying the engine bay.

the cons: single belt slips at higher(mine was over 4k) rpms, you can get high off your exhaust at stop lights, if you replace the acv too then you will need to buy or make a block off plate

i just left my belt on and took out the short rubber hose going to the acv. i had to shut my backfires up before they destroyed something.

aight, cool. thnx fo rhte help. anybody else??

I havn't taken my airpump off yet but I have been running the car a while without the airpump belt on and I havn't had any squeeking from it.

Heh, maybe I'll try that.

Anybody have any idea howmuch power the thing actually robs?

"The air pump pumps air into the exhaust and into the main cat to give extra oxygen for the pollutants to combine with and burn. To disable it just disconnect the gray plastic electrical connector on the top of the pump. You won’t be able to pass an emission test with it off though (you can always plug it back in for the test)."


Now, this is relating to 3rd gens, and I haven't stepped outside and looked at my airpump to see if this electrical setup is running to the pump. I imagine it's a clutch system just like the A/C pump, but do the 1st gens function in the same way or are they 'always on' ? Seeing as I won't have an exhaust with cats until emissions time comes around again, I'd like to just have the clutch 'disengaged' the whole time, IF this is the case with the 1st gens..

no electrics on the 1st gen.

Yeah I just noticed... :( ... so it's always on then?

Yep, the air pump is belt driven. Mine is off, and it gives quite the increase. Along with the rest of the emissions, it really makes the car go! Next step would be exhaust (5 speed if your car doesnt have it) and an electric fan.

no hope of passing emissions without it?

wow, thats odd, i have an 85 and i didnt notice a huge difference when i took off the belt for the air pump, by the way is the electric fan really worth it? a few people that ive talked to recommend not using it-...?

Remember that removing the air pump will kill your cat if you still have it on the car. If you have no cat the air pump is useless, so get rid of that dead weight. Get a dual pulley for the slipping belt. Get a electric fan if you want to spend the $ and save the 2 or 5 Hp it kills, otherwise do not bother. Note, I am going to run an electric fan.

Lots of the newer Cats. don't require added air since the newer elements actually create enough O2 within the cat. to finish the chemical reactions. The technology has moved on since the cats made in the 80s. Note that lots of cats sold aftermarket don't have air inlets.

If you do take it off, you put stress on all the other pulleys cuz they will be pulled towards the other direction, instead of being balanced out. That causes the squeaks. I would keep it on, till i get an electric fan and take off the compressor and add a double sheeved pully to my alternator...

then you're doing what you just said, fan or no fan. and a double pulley will just add that much more stress, technically.

my cats haven't blown up yet...and redx, you have a GSL-SE?

when i got my 85 gsl, first thing i took off was the airpump....i have a very free flowing exhaust (rb header, presilencer, muffler)..i have never had the squealing or slipping belt problem......but i do agree that the smell will make you high at stoplights:)

that's true, but it's better than having all the pulleys pulled towards the driver's side... the double pulley is just a way to try to eliminate the alt belt from slipping at high rpms

i'm confused because a dual pulley on the alt means that everything pulls to the drivers side with more force.

so let me get this straight.. I take it off, and get euphoric between the runs at the stoplight 500? where's the catch?

The catch would be dead brain cells and cancer from inhaling gasoline fumes. That stuff is bad news. Give a hoot, don't pollute!

ooooo, fumes. gatta love them, make everyone choke as you sit at the light. I love the looks on ppls faces as they roll up the windows do to the stench. :)

Oh man that's rude!
you don't ripp loud farts while you're in line at the store, do you?:puke:

If people didn't care about the stink, then why shower or buy deoderant?

I luv them classics, but I pass'em and never let them catch up to me. Can't handle the tailpipe.

ok, you guys bitching can buy me a new exhaust or seals when i backfire and kill the engine. noone said they enjoy it. its rather annoying, but not as much as the car 2 miles down at the next intersection causing my car to rattle with thump thump. and the alternative wasn't exceptable.

shane, you don't need to worry about that as you can rev it up and leave them in a smoke screen. :crackup: you need to put james bond on your windshield.

Well my dad and I were poking at the belts running around in there... Both were pretty friggin loose, the alternator belt is somewhat new and in good shape, the air-pump belt looks like it's from 1902, so seeing as how loose everything was we just disconnected the belt from the airpump, and moved the alternator up a bit tightening the belt. Previously I could move the waterpump and fanclutch assembly by hand, now it sits tight.

Impressions:
I don't notice any change in power, but, I haven't felt a change in anything I've done yet, just noticed that I'm faster than cars which would pass me before, so, power I can't comment on, would have to compare on a dyno. HOWEVER, there are no more explosions roaring thru my exhaust, which is nice, as I've just finished patching up a buncha holes so .... this time hopefully it'll stay intact :) I've been watching my temp gauge very carefully and everything seems normal, a little better than previously actually, probably a combined fact of the belt being tight now and no-longer slipping, and the removal of the A/C components, including heat exchanger up front which I imagine limited airflow somewhat. I'll definately keep a close eye on the condition of the belt and temp gauge, but, so far everything seems awesome. :) I've left the pump assembly in there for 2 reasons, 1) I don't wanna deal with plugging the pipe going to the exhaust and the other from the intake. 2) It's easier to just plunk on a new belt when aircare time comes around.

weeee.