Author Topic: AIR Pump (Read 10384 times)

Stingraynut · « **on:** October 19, 2003, 03:10:56 PM »

I've had an interesting time with my daily driver 88 vette lately -

I got my AIR pump back from being engineered into a freewheeler, I have had some overheating probs so I've just had the radiator taken apart and cleaned and I re-fitted it on Thursday, I broke the lower transmission oil pipe to the radiator so had to engineer a piece of hose etc as a joiner. All went well but v hard on my back which is crook, (has 4 screws in it and only two of them work), I should have paid someone to do it but I'm determined to know my car.

I fitted my new engineered AIR pump at the same time and went for a test drive. Radiator and oil line fine, but after 20 minutes the pulley fell off the AIR pump as I was approaching a roundabout at 60kph, big clunk and NO STEERING - the steering is very direct so without the pump it's v hard to turn, much harder than standard car eg Falcon. No probs, pulled over and spent half hour extracting tangled serpentine belt from under crankshaft pulley.

I knocked the pulley back on with a big rock and hoped to be able to limp home, as it had come off just when I had been gunning it for the first time. Unfortunately it only stayed on for 90 seconds so I caught a taxi home got the AIR pump that was loaned to me by vette obsessed, some tools and went back. Had to spend an agonising 30 mins bending over the engine to recover the belt again and re-fit loaned AIR pump. _ I'm getting the hang of it now !

My back was more than totally stuffed by then but I managed to get the car home although the serpentine belt semi exploded and there were only 2 strands left by the time I got home, it had been well and truly chewed up.

I've sent the AIR pump back to the engineer.

My car is still running hot although it looks as if it will cool down quicker, hard to tell as we're having a cool period - outside temp gauge read 30 degrees .I fitted a temporary switch to the aux cooling fan - it's a joke, there's not a lot of air coming from it so I connected the switch to the main cooling fan - so far it has pulled the temps back OK. but I'm waiting for some hot weather to continue testing -

Rob

david_moore · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2003, 06:40:36 PM »

Hang in there Stingray! and take care of that back! The air pump really puzzles me, it seems to me that it is really a con that does not do a lot but keeps the greenies happy? Dare I say it when I converted my '79 the engineer that assisted me throughout, when confronted with the air pump said "p#iss it off!" Hope you get yours sorted soon!!:22

Stingraynut · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2003, 03:44:57 AM »

Hi David, yes I agree with you, it's a clever con to improve the look of the exhaust emissions.

The info says that it helps the catalytic convertor burn the harmful gasses - I don't know enough about that but it makes sense to me that if you pump fresh air into the exhaust it dilutes the reading - although the bad stuff is still there and being produced in the same quantity.

My AIR pump is now just a freewheeling pulley - or will be once it's fixed.

S'nut

david_moore · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2003, 08:30:01 PM »

Quite a few years ago the RTA in Sydney ran some tests on how efficient some of these emission controls really are. They invited along many car enthusiasts with older but many modified engines. They found a lot of new cars with poor maintenance were actually worse as far as emissions are concerned than many older cars with no emission controls!
Will you have to block off the unused air injection pipes?

Stingraynut · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2003, 08:55:53 AM »

Hi David, I cut a blank from some 1mm aluminium sheet and blocked the tube at the pump. That's all I plan to do for now.

I've read that the diverter valve can get faulty with age so eventually I will have to sort out all the rest of the machinery.

Once I get my pump back and fitted I have a small belt alignement problem to sort out. I'm also in the middle of fixing an overheating problem - I had the radiator ends taken off and the rad cleaned and have now installed a switch to the cooling fan so that I can choose to have it running when the temps begin to climb. Looks like that has fixed my problem but we're having a cool spell - once we're into the hot months I'll know more.

I'm also planning on fitting a heated O2 sensor - my fuel usage was 19-22l/100km around town even though I was driving like a granny. It looks as though the cooler running engine has lowered the fuel usage but it's really too early to tell - maybe the ECM was pouring in fuel to cool it down ?

I'm also dealing with my aircon, it's working almost good enough and I've nearly found all the air leaks in the ducts.

I built a simple sunshade for my glass top which is now up to design #3 - working but not elegant.

My 500 watt sound system is great , fitted the amp upside down above the passengers feet, but I went cheap on the front speakers so will have to replace them.

My right headlamp motor runs when I turn on the ignition - I think that's the gearing going.

Despite all that, the car is a joy to drive again, very special to me, although I know several areas that will need future work.

I looked up your profile but not much info there, what year vette do you have ? and what state (apart from 'high') are you in ?

S'nut

SAVette · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2003, 12:09:23 PM »

I've also always thought the AIR pump was the funniest thing I've seen, ever since they came out on the VH Commodore (I can still remember the TV ad for the "air injected" engine). It's amazing what a marketing dept is capable of when required to. It appeased to gov't and the greenies who didn't want to spend the money to prove the big car companies wrong.

However, does Qld have annual inspections? I'm pretty sure NSW does. Does the Sydney one include emissions, or do they just kick the tyres and check the number plate light? I'd be interested to see how some of these cars with the AIR pump disabled/removed fare with an emissions check. Even if the pump is just "diluting" the emissions and not actually reducing them as they claim, the results will still be higher.

Anybody had experience with this?

Unless you're trying to fit aftermarket headers without the AIR pipe, why would you bother? Surely it's only using a poofteenth of a hp to drive.

77CVT · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2003, 12:57:26 PM »

No annuals in Qld.

Air pump removal makes the engine bay look purdier! (and a poofteenth is a poofteenth!)

SAVette · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2003, 01:12:45 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by 77CVTAir pump removal makes the engine bay look purdier! (and a poofteenth is a poofteenth!)

This may be true - and I'm all for the minimalist approach to engine bays - but the serpentine belt set-up makes that more difficult, not impossible, granted, but more difficult. But this thread started with a "gutted" pump, that would look almost stock, apart from maybe getting rid of the plumbing. Apart from the fact that all that ancilliary crap makes everything harder to work on. The only "add-on" on my Monaro is an alternator, and it's a dream to work on. You need the hands of a three-year-old to work on me 'Vette.

david_moore · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2003, 09:02:53 PM »

Hi Stingray!
I am pretty much high on life these days! It doesn't take much to get me up there! Wrestling with Corvettes is my forte, and tales many I have to tell! I live at Oatlands where Elvis would live if he was an Aussie! And Alive Ofcourse!! Just near Parramatta, and don't get me started about me favourite team (I don't like to cry). I have a 1979 Corvette which is sadly up for sale as I have recently purchased a rather proud 1991 Corvette. One of the first things I am going to look at is whether it has one of those rotten air pumps!!! I must update my profile soon, once I have lost the techno phobia of using a computer....Oh to be able to post pictures!!:mmm Hope you have sorted your Corvette !!!!:22

Stingraynut · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2003, 07:43:04 AM »

Yep, no annuals in QLD….but don’t tell anyone….

The reason I gutted my pump was because the rear bearing was shot and they aren’t repairable. The pumps are a little noisy even when new because the vanes move in and out as they rotate and touch the drum wall just at the point of highest compression. My rear bearing was almost terminal by the time I removed the pump – one of the roller bearings was missing ! It was embarassingly noisy.

The internal drum is heavy and I think it adds unnecessary inertia on the belt. Unfortunately the new main shaft and bigger bearings hasn’t changed that as much as I would have liked. I’ll eventually remove all the AIR fittings but for the moment I’.m on the trail of other things.

Congrats on the 91 David, look forward to seeing some pics one day.

S’nut