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After a recent upper rebuild I've been thinking more and more about deleting the AIR pump.
I've been doing research about it and was wondering what you guys think would be the best approach to doing this project. Instead of getting a smog pump delete pulley could I run a smaller belt? I have access to all shapes and sizes of belts because I work at an Advance Auto. Plugging the vacuum ports and EGR? So on so forth.
I've been thinking of gutting the air pump itself and just using it as the pulley delete. 130 dollars for the delete kit is a little ridiculous. Down here in Florida we don't have any sort of emissions testing so I don't have anything to worry about. My water pump is a new aluminum so I don't want to purchase a reverse flow pump if I don't have to.
You don't mention the year but I assume a L98 due to the presence of the damn AIR system.
You can look at the belt routing to see if a shorter belt could be used with the missing AIR pump pulley.
The AIR passages have check valves so no problem there.
The EGR is separate from the AIR system. Here you can block off the EGR tube holes, run a line from the EGR command line to the EGR Temp sensor line, with a diode inserted to fool the ECM should it call for EGR. If you run a 160 deg T-stat the ECM should never call for EGR during highway crusing.
I've been thinking of eliminating both AIR & EGR from my '88. Let us know if you are able to simple eliminate the AIR pulley and use a shorter belt.
Sorry, yes, it is the L98. 1987 Vette. Mind going into depth about to how fool the EGR?
And yes I just checked and a shorter belt wouldn't fit.
How difficult is it to get the air pumps case apart? I read I can remove everything inside and use the empty case w/ pulley as the delete. The 130 dollar price tag for the delete pulley and bracket doesn't seem worth it right now till I actually see how difficult it's going to be to get that pump apart. Debating.
Bump. I did more research and found out that it is a bit difficult to remove the backing plate from the smog pump. Once it's off it's fairly easy to remove the guts. Replace or grease bearings to prevent squeak and reassemble.
"easy" you wouldn't happen to have any measurements on that jig would you? I've been considering doing this to our car also. Seems like it would be worth 5-10ftlbs at speed on the motor?
"easy" you wouldn't happen to have any measurements on that jig would you? I've been considering doing this to our car also. Seems like it would be worth 5-10ftlbs at speed on the motor?
If your going to do it just for a power increase, forget it, you can spin the air pump with your finger and it will keep spinning, (very little friction)...Most do it to clean up the engine bay.. It also makes it easier to remove the driver side valve cover......WW
I did just that, on my carbed, 383-Corvette-powered 1955 F100. I found a template online and cut it from 3/16" ( or so) sheet aluminum. Belt alignment IS an issue w/o it.
I do, however, fail to see how a freely rotating AIR pump will drain any noticeable power from the engine.
If your going to do it just for a power increase, forget it, you can spin the air pump with your finger and it will keep spinning, (very little friction)...Most do it to clean up the engine bay.. It also makes it easier to remove the passenger side valve cover......WW
Cleaning up the engine bay and removal of the valve cover is good enough for me. I'm not a tree hugging liberal that believes I'm going to burn up the world by burning gasoline. I have dreams of slapping a 434 with a built auto in this thing
So gutting a smog pump would be the alternative id assume? I don't have access to these shops and am just looking for a DIY project. Something to clean up the engine bay since the pump does not work and two of the pipes have been snapped already.
I did just that, on my carbed, 383-Corvette-powered 1955 F100. I found a template online and cut it from 3/16" ( or so) sheet aluminum. Belt alignment IS an issue w/o it.
I do, however, fail to see how a freely rotating AIR pump will drain any noticeable power from the engine.
I just did the pump delete, and replaced with the idler pulley.
Word of warning; the kit you get from Zip comes boxed with instructions from Mid-America, and the on-line link he guy gave me (because of cryptic instructions) was from another guy that says this kit is a knock-off from his design. TPiS also sells a kit.
No matter what, you'll need something in there to route the belt, and the subsequent belt will be a couple of sizes shorter.
The Zip kit (Mid America kit) was not without it's minor installment problems, but now is in and fits well.
I gutted the pump in case I couldn't resolve my fitment issues and it was a PITA to do. The pump was already a reman pump from the parts store, and it was POORLY rebuilt!! I'll never trust it to go into my car again.
After tossing all the tubing, blocking off the vacuum sources, and welding up the header holes, you'll have to use two 20 ohm resistors for the empty plugs, or pull the solenoids out of the valves and re-stall them into the system to fool the computer into thinking the stuff is still there.
I finished it up with a glasspack to replace the catalytic converter to prevent any freeway "drone" in the exhaust system.
Hi,
I deleted the AIR pump, AC and belt tensioner at the same time. You don´t need those AIR delete pulleys. You need a new, shorter belt, old school DIY alternator bracket with a slot to get tension. That´s all.....
Now everyone will tell you that won´t work, ´cause the water pump runs backwards. My 85 doesn´t care for over 3 years.
no cooling issues, even in heavy traffic , on the german Autobahn or on the dragstrip wit a 150 hp nitrous shot.
You see the DIY alternator bracket in the 1 o`clock position, can shoot more specific pics.
You can run a shorter belt, but the routing is different and you'll need to run a C3 water pump as the C4 one runs backwards. I have a delete kit on mine, and also an idler in place of the AC pump.
Sorry, yes, it is the L98. 1987 Vette. Mind going into depth about to how fool the EGR?
On my '87, I just removed the AIR pump and all its associated electrics from under the plenum and its solenoid. Basically I just cut the wiring and terminated the ends to keep them safe from shorts. No codes indicated.
My EGR is still installed, but is disabled by having its vacuum pipe removed and again no codes.
The only vacuum lines on my L98 are the two straight off the plenum for the fuel pressure regulator and the heater/demist action (apart from the big one off the back of the plenum for the brake servo.) all the rest are now gone including the vacuum sphere and the charcoal can setup. All unused vacuum ports are sealed, and again no codes..
On my '87, I just removed the AIR pump and all its associated electrics from under the plenum and its solenoid. Basically I just cut the wiring and terminated the ends to keep them safe from shorts. No codes indicated.
My EGR is still installed, but is disabled by having its vacuum pipe removed and again no codes.
The only vacuum lines on my L98 are the two straight off the plenum for the fuel pressure regulator and the heater/demist action (apart from the big one off the back of the plenum for the brake servo.) all the rest are now gone including the vacuum sphere and the charcoal can setup. All unused vacuum ports are sealed, and again no codes..
Sir, Do you have pictures or can you explain what whats you removed and how to cap the manifold/cats/electrical connections. I have been
searching for hours and you have done exactly what I want to do. I
have a smog pump delete kit, but im unsure of what else to remove
other than the air pump. Any further help would be appreciated.
Sir, Do you have pictures or can you explain what whats you removed and how to cap the manifold/cats/electrical connections. I have been
searching for hours and you have done exactly what I want to do. I
have a smog pump delete kit, but im unsure of what else to remove
other than the air pump. Any further help would be appreciated.
I also did a smog delete on my L98. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.
I put long tube headers on the car, so I didn't have the AIR tubes on the exhaust manifold. However, the check valves on the air tubes (the parts that connect the manifold and the rubber air line coming to the manifold) actually are a 'cap' on the manifold. So if you pull the rubber lines off, you will effectively have capped the headers.
I also deleted my cat with this project, so the AIR line to it is gone as well. If I remeber correctly, it wad crimped or welded on. So you could buy a new cat without air hookup (expensive and hard), or you can cut the air line and weld it shut at the cat. Finally, you could leave the line run to the cat, since there is a check valve for this line on the passenger side of the engine bay. This would be easiest.
As for connections, you can remove all of the air system, including the solenoids and the metal and rubber lines. The connectors for the solenoids can be taped up or cut off and taped, the vacuum line can be plugged.
Last edited by TheBlaster9001; 04-17-2018 at 11:13 AM.
09-07-2014, 11:08 PM
Smog/A.I.R pump delete
you wouldn't happen to have any measurements on that jig would you? I've been considering doing this to our car also. Seems like it would be worth 5-10ftlbs at speed on the motor?
..WW
