what does the air pump do?
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Andrews TX
The air pump and the "frisbee" do next to nothing. Take em both off and trash them. Removing the air pump will clean up your engine compartment. Removing the "frisbee" is reported to boost your hp a little.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,726
Likes: 46
From: Waukesha WI
St. Jude Donor '15
In a properly functioning emissions system, the AIR pump supplies extra oxygen to the exhaust stream to improve the efficiency of the catalytic converter during different operating modes (warm-up, cruise, etc). Removing it will not harm the car or throw codes. It will also not give back a noticeable amount of power. Removing the pump, hoses and valves will clean up the engine bay nicely. It would be wise not to throw the parts away since more cities are requiring emissions equipment on the car to pass inspections (crummy practice IMHO).
The Frisbee is there as a vibration damper. Most people have removed it w/o incident but some have noticed increased vibration when the A/C engages - YMMV. Depending on your water pump and pulley, you may need to put washers on the bolts to make up for the missing material.
The Frisbee is there as a vibration damper. Most people have removed it w/o incident but some have noticed increased vibration when the A/C engages - YMMV. Depending on your water pump and pulley, you may need to put washers on the bolts to make up for the missing material.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
In a properly functioning emissions system, the AIR pump supplies extra oxygen to the exhaust stream to improve the efficiency of the catalytic converter during different operating modes (warm-up, cruise, etc). Removing it will not harm the car or throw codes. It will also not give back a noticeable amount of power. Removing the pump, hoses and valves will clean up the engine bay nicely. It would be wise not to throw the parts away since more cities are requiring emissions equipment on the car to pass inspections (crummy practice IMHO).
As for the "crummy practice," it's all about how the EPA mandates inspections. It's not the cities making these decisions, it's states, after being told by the EPA they won't get highway funding unless their ground level emissions are lowered. The crummy practice, is, in my opinion, the unequal way these things are being enforced.
The Frisbee is there as a vibration damper. Most people have removed it w/o incident but some have noticed increased vibration when the A/C engages - YMMV. Depending on your water pump and pulley, you may need to put washers on the bolts to make up for the missing material.
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,340
Likes: 664
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
On my 87, I disconnected the pump valves which effectively prevented the pump from sending air through to the exhaust, and it therefore dumps the pumped air through a "muffler" assembly (before removing the whole unit), and took it through the Illinois smog emission test which at that time was a rolling dyno test, with a tail pipe sniffer. Passed with no issues whatsoever (just like it always had).
Plasticman
Plasticman
