Gutted AIR Pump - some info & Pics
07-17-2003, 12:18 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Gutted AIR Pump - some info & Pics
The AIR Pump on my 88 was becoming noisy so after getting some info here I took it apart today.
Number One is the AIR Pump looking at the rear with the back removed. The big drum inside has slots for the vanes to poke through.
Number Two is the back plate
Number Three are the two roller bearings and vane holders. They sit on the shaft sticking out of the back plate which is off centre so making them work like pistons.
Number Four is what’s left of the vanes
The vanes appeared OK but I found two problems – one of the roller bearings in the rear bearing had jumped out and jammed beside another and the thread was stripped in the aluminium pump at the back where the rear support bar bolts on.
My serpentine belt gets a bit frayed at the rear edge so I think that’s probably caused by the loose bolt.
Although the vanes looked OK I stuck to my decision to to remove the vanes. I used a sharp chisel to cut down directly between the vane and the metal part with roller bearing. The metal part then can be twisted and pulled out. Quite a quick job.
I cleaned and re-greased and put everything back together for now as my vette is a daily driver. I left the loose roller bearing out. The front bearing seemed good and takes most of the load. The rear bearing is not under so much load so I hope it’ll run for a while. I’ve heard that the rear bearing is difficult to find and hard to put in.
I didn’t know what would be inside the pump but I was surprised to discover that the drum seems to be a major part of the pump. It’s fairly heavy, I’d like to have removed it, but it has the bearings in it. Now I see why there’s a kit to replace the entire pump. Can’t see why it’s so expensive though.
The pump is much quieter but I can still hear it as an identifiable sound. Now I know where everything is I’ll have to consider getting an idler pulley and making up a bracket. I hope it’ll probably run for a bit longer until I get round to it..
Any comments or more info most welcome. Hope this may help someone else thinking about this job.
S’nut
[Modified by Stingraynut, 3:24 PM 7/17/2003]
Number One is the AIR Pump looking at the rear with the back removed. The big drum inside has slots for the vanes to poke through.
Number Two is the back plate
Number Three are the two roller bearings and vane holders. They sit on the shaft sticking out of the back plate which is off centre so making them work like pistons.
Number Four is what’s left of the vanes
The vanes appeared OK but I found two problems – one of the roller bearings in the rear bearing had jumped out and jammed beside another and the thread was stripped in the aluminium pump at the back where the rear support bar bolts on.
My serpentine belt gets a bit frayed at the rear edge so I think that’s probably caused by the loose bolt.
Although the vanes looked OK I stuck to my decision to to remove the vanes. I used a sharp chisel to cut down directly between the vane and the metal part with roller bearing. The metal part then can be twisted and pulled out. Quite a quick job.
I cleaned and re-greased and put everything back together for now as my vette is a daily driver. I left the loose roller bearing out. The front bearing seemed good and takes most of the load. The rear bearing is not under so much load so I hope it’ll run for a while. I’ve heard that the rear bearing is difficult to find and hard to put in.
I didn’t know what would be inside the pump but I was surprised to discover that the drum seems to be a major part of the pump. It’s fairly heavy, I’d like to have removed it, but it has the bearings in it. Now I see why there’s a kit to replace the entire pump. Can’t see why it’s so expensive though.
The pump is much quieter but I can still hear it as an identifiable sound. Now I know where everything is I’ll have to consider getting an idler pulley and making up a bracket. I hope it’ll probably run for a bit longer until I get round to it..
Any comments or more info most welcome. Hope this may help someone else thinking about this job.
S’nut
[Modified by Stingraynut, 3:24 PM 7/17/2003]
07-17-2003, 05:00 PM
#2
Re: Gutted AIR Pump - some info & Pics (Stingraynut)
Did the same thing yesterday...like you I have a pully that doesn't do anything but make a small identifiable sound.