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I've decided I'm going to delete the AIR pump and associated crap in my engine bay. I'm not looking for a power increase, just want to clean it up and make it easier to work on. I've already got the delete pulley, so my question is this-what do I need to remove/block off/etc for this job? I'd prefer to make it a reversible job, just in case in the future I need to put it back on (ie don't want to weld stuff closed). Can someone that has done this job help me put together a detailed todo list? I don't want to just start yanking stuff without knowing what I'm doing.
I've decided I'm going to delete the AIR pump and associated crap in my engine bay. I'm not looking for a power increase, just want to clean it up and make it easier to work on. I've already got the delete pulley, so my question is this-what do I need to remove/block off/etc for this job? I'd prefer to make it a reversible job, just in case in the future I need to put it back on (ie don't want to weld stuff closed). Can someone that has done this job help me put together a detailed todo list? I don't want to just start yanking stuff without knowing what I'm doing.
I guess there are a couple of questions. Firstly do you need to pass emissions testing in your area and if so how strict are they? Assuming that’s not an issue then what are you doing with the exhaust. You can put a set of long tube headers on the car that don’t have the air pump tubes and you can do a cat delete. If you don’t plan on changing the exhaust and don’t want to weld anything up then you can cap off the ends of the air manifolds that connects to your exhaust manifolds. Then you can disconnect and cap the air line to your catalytic converter. A word of caution here, those old catalytic converters use that air supply to get hot enough to work ie they don’t work properly without the air supply. Your choices here are remove the cat, replace the cat with a newer type, lever a non functional cat in place. I like the first choice but it depends on your local laws.
Last edited by GregMartin; Apr 25, 2020 at 09:21 PM.
I guess there are a couple of questions. Firstly do you need to pass emissions testing in your area and if so how strict are they? Assuming that’s not an issue then what are you doing with the exhaust. You can put a set of long tube headers on the car that don’t have the air pump tubes and you can do a cat delete. If you don’t plan on changing the exhaust and don’t want to weld anything up then you can cap off the ends of the air manifolds that connects to your exhaust manifolds. Then you can disconnect and cap the air line to your catalytic converter. A word of caution here, those old catalytic converters use that air supply to get hot enough to work ie they don’t work properly without the air supply. Your choices here are remove the cat, replace the cat with a newer type, lever a non functional cat in place. I like the first choice but it depends on your local laws.
thanks for the help. For now I’ll leave the headers alone. I don’t have to pass emissions at all so no worries at all there. What should I use to cap off the exhaust? Where else do I need to cap, and what’s the best way to do it without damaging anything permanently?
As for the cat, my only concern with removal is drone. I don’t want the car to be unbearable to drive. I’ve got a full dual straight pipe exhaust sitting in my garage but it droned so badly I couldn’t stand it.
Well I am doing the same, and deleting the EGR stuff as well.....What do you do with the sensor that goes in the A.I.R. pipe at the pass side rear of the intake when deleting the EGR system?
You can cap those air manifolds with an appropriately sized bolt and a hose clamp at the rubber hoses. To be completely honest with you if you want to clean up the look under the bonnet all that **** needs to go and a decent set of header should be installed. I don’t know how many pints of blood I left on the sheet metal whilst changing spark plugs but that’s just my opinion. With regard to the exhaust drone any good exhaust shop should be able to offer a solution. Mine doesn’t drone and I have long tube headers and 2.25” straight through pipes into x-force mufflers.
with regard to the wiring, simply disconnect it it shouldn’t worry the ECM it’s control wiring not sensor wiring and that goes for the ERG valve as well. It’s easy enough to test simply disconnect it and go for a drive.
Well I am doing the same, and deleting the EGR stuff as well.....What do you do with the sensor that goes in the A.I.R. pipe at the pass side rear of the intake when deleting the EGR system?
If you remove the EGR it will cause a Code 32 unless you reprogram the ECM. I don't think removing the AIR system will cause any codes, but it will affect Cat performance as previously mentioned.
If you remove the EGR it will cause a Code 32 unless you reprogram the ECM. I don't think removing the AIR system will cause any codes, but it will affect Cat performance as previously mentioned.
CAN you remove the AIR system without removing the EGR? I thought they were kinda linked...
I have an 86 4+3 and removed all of the AIR equipment except the pump. No issues at all with codes. I just laid the left over wiring back along the valve covers. The rubber tubes that go to the exhaust are just removed, not capped because those valves are one way type. Did not touch the EGR system.
I have an 86 4+3 and removed all of the AIR equipment except the pump. No issues at all with codes. I just laid the left over wiring back along the valve covers. The rubber tubes that go to the exhaust are just removed, not capped because those valves are one way type. Did not touch the EGR system.
are there any vac lines that have to be capped for the AIR system?
To remove it all you need to do is unplug the wires to the AIR pump, and I just tied them up and taped them together there. I didn't cut them.
I used the eliminator pulley from Breathless, but they're all basically the same. Piece of cake to remove.
At the exhaust manifolds you can just fit a pipe cap/plug to their inlets, but the valves are one way only. Same on the main cat inlet. I removed all the tubing otherwise. You will not get any codes or degradation of performance. At almost the same time I put headers on the 86 and deleted EGR as well so I did not keep this setup very long.
EGR is not related to AIR removal. Separate issue but just as easy.
If you remove the EGR it will cause a Code 32 unless you reprogram the ECM. I don't think removing the AIR system will cause any codes, but it will affect Cat performance as previously mentioned.
thanks for the help. For now I’ll leave the headers alone. I don’t have to pass emissions at all so no worries at all there. What should I use to cap off the exhaust? Where else do I need to cap, and what’s the best way to do it without damaging anything permanently?
As for the cat, my only concern with removal is drone. I don’t want the car to be unbearable to drive. I’ve got a full dual straight pipe exhaust sitting in my garage but it droned so badly I couldn’t stand it.
This is what I used to cap of the exhaust manifold, 22 mm end bolt and a copper washer.
I actually got into this job today. So far it's been pretty straightforward, although some pieces have been stubborn (namely the pipe that goes between the exhaust manifolds). I've got a few questions to make sure I'm not doing anything stupid here. Can you guys take a look at the photos and notes below and help me answer my questions? I can't tell where all of these pipes are going, and whether or not I need to cap any of them off, as well as the fuel regulator vac line (I took out the Y intersection and directly connected from the plenum to the regulator-no idea if that's ok).
Thanks for all the help! I'm already loving how much cleaner the engine bay is!
Yellow goes to the exhaust manifolds. Blue goes to the cat (I think). I can't tell what Red goes to, does anyone know?
I took out the Y intersection that went to the AIR system and bent it around to go straight to the fuel regulator-will that work?
The fuel regulator with the Y intersection before I modified it.
I'm not sure what either of these things actually DOES, but I removed both of them as well as the smog pump. I have a eliminator pulley coming in the mail tomorrow.
I actually got into this job today. So far it's been pretty straightforward, although some pieces have been stubborn (namely the pipe that goes between the exhaust manifolds). I've got a few questions to make sure I'm not doing anything stupid here. Can you guys take a look at the photos and notes below and help me answer my questions? I can't tell where all of these pipes are going, and whether or not I need to cap any of them off, as well as the fuel regulator vac line (I took out the Y intersection and directly connected from the plenum to the regulator-no idea if that's ok).
Thanks for all the help! I'm already loving how much cleaner the engine bay is!
Yellow goes to the exhaust manifolds. Blue goes to the cat (I think). I can't tell what Red goes to, does anyone know?
I took out the Y intersection that went to the AIR system and bent it around to go straight to the fuel regulator-will that work?
The fuel regulator with the Y intersection before I modified it.
I'm not sure what either of these things actually DOES, but I removed both of them as well as the smog pump. I have a eliminator pulley coming in the mail tomorrow.
Everything you have done looks ok. I forgot about the one way valves as mentioned above so disregard my comments about capping the hoses. The pipe the goes between the two manifolds is a bugger to get out, I ran out patients and cut it in half, it comes out easy then. I guess you don’t have that option f you want to keep all the parts.
Everything you have done looks ok. I forgot about the one way valves as mentioned above so disregard my comments about capping the hoses. The pipe the goes between the two manifolds is a bugger to get out, I ran out patients and cut it in half, it comes out easy then. I guess you don’t have that option f you want to keep all the parts.
I’d like to take it out, but if I can’t is there a problem leaving it? Can you help me ID the other hoses? If I were to try to start it right now, would that be ok? Assuming, obviously, that I get the belt and pulley back on. I’m going to keep removing poppies as much as I can but I want to make sure I’m not risking anything if I leave some parts on that are buried. Particularly the pipe that goes down the front of the engine. I don’t know where that goes or what it does.
AIR Pump Delete
