Air control valve
 

Hello everybody.

I just got done doing a process of elimination in making sure that my air pump is working. Just to let you guys know that I've failed my smog test and after getting home i started to do some work. I took off the tube from the air pump and I felt the pump sucking in air. At least the airpump is working. I know if you rev the engine to a certain rpm, the airpump will stop pumping in air.
I left the car in idle then I went down to the catback and I took off the tube that was connecting to the oxygen pipe and I felt no air comming out. I know something is not right. Can anybody show me where is the location of the Air control valve's at? Picture will be helpful if possible.
I think that the air control valve might be the problem. I'm in the process of changing the o2 sensor and the stock catback to a highflowing Bonez catback. Oil and changing the plugs to all NGK 9. I have all silicon vacume lines. I'm still running on a stock ECU. Any sugguestions will be helpful. Thanks.

John

My Mods are;

Apexi dual intake
Apexi BOV
Megan Down pipe
RSR Exhaust

The ACV has nothing to do with air pump, or the exhaust. It merely controls prespool for the secondary turbo. If you're having a problem passing smog, your issue probably lies in the air pump not functioning right, or your cat not doing it's job.

Pull the hose off the back of the air pump (to the ACV) at idle, and see if it's blowing air. If it's not, there's your problem. Otherwise, replace your stock cat with the high-flo. Try that, and it should diagnose the underlying problem you're having.

-Scott

^WOW! I need to stop drinking and posting. The ACV can definately affect whether or not the cat gets enough air. They are prone to failing as well. Sorry, I was initially referring to the ABV.

Thanks Scott, I'll check that out in the morning.

Yes, could definitely be the ACV or other part of the secondary injection system. Unfortunately, getting to the ACV isn't a 5-minute job.

Sorry this is slightly off topic, and kind of an old post. But is it possible to buy a new high flow cat that has no airpump intake and take the air pump off and still pass inspection? Delaware isn't toooo bad.

if you can get a friendly mechanic. in PA it would technically fail the visual.

There is no visual in Delaware.

It's funny actually. When I first bought my RX, the hose connecting to the Cat broke off. And I didn't know what it was really and the car ran fine. I passed inspection a year later.

Finally I put two and two together. I guess that really means that I don't need my airpump at all, unless it does more than just pump air back into the Cat.

if you just need to pass the sniffer you should be set. you know, just get the cat warmed up first. my air pump has always been disconnected and i've passed the sniffer no prob, n-tech hiflo.

n-tech hiflow. I'll check it out thanks.

And you have no air pump?

In most states running your car without an airpump you will fail the visual part of your smog test unless you go to a place where the person testing the car really doesn't care. My car failed smog misserably until I realized that the air pump wasn't working but it was just cause the A/C fuse was blown.

Yeah Delaware doesn't have a visual. They wouldn't know what it is anyway. All they do is put a mirror under your car and look for something, maybe a cat, and then they clamp my fuel line and check my gas tank pressure, not sure why they do that one though.

I think Maryland has one though, I'll just have to find a good mechanic when I eventually switch over my residency, which will hopefully be never.

You could not pass Cali smog with the air pump disconnected, even with the stock cat.

Unfortunatly, as of right now, I have no plans to move to California.

i have an air pump but it's never been connected. it's just for looks :)

passed ok. close, but ok.

If you had an aftermarket ECU...I don't see why you couldn't pass smog without an airpump. However that requires a tune unless you do it yourself.

I have a Power FC, haven't hooked it up yet, but I have it. So that Airpump is coming off. I'm putting in a single, so the extra room would be nice.