Driving without the air pump - Bad Idea?

[Strictly]

My air pump bearings have packed up, so I'm going to take it off and replace them.

I was wondering wether it is safe to drive for a week or so with out the air pump? Or is that a really bad idea?

Luke

 

[bones]

Bin the air pump permanently it's a useless bhp robbing device.

 

[GeoffB]

Agree remove it completely you can get a kit of blanking screws to block off connections. I think type911 do the kit

 

[Strictly]

Hi bones

Ok i thought as much, can i ask your advice?

If i disconnect the air pump, what else do I disconnect? Should I also disconnect the electrical pump (after the mechanical pump run by a belt). What about the hoses running to the heat exhangers etc?

Should I physically remove everything, or just disconnect the mechanical pump, and leave the rest in place?

What was it supposed to do by the way?

Thanks Bud

Luke

 

[bones]

Hi Luke , disconnect everything related to that item including all the rusty pipe work connected to the exhaust. The only reason to have this stuff on the car is if you want to keep it as it left the factory. You can buy blanking plugs from type 911. Take all the usual precautions with old, rusty nuts, oo-er missus!

 

[Strictly]

Thanks boyz, thats my saturday sorted then []

 

[jamiemulhall]

whats an air pump and do i need it....?

 

[Gary C]

Emission control stuff I think, Prob a US/california car

 

[bones]

Sadly Gary all euro SCs had these devices fitted too. The idea was that clean air pumped past the exhaust ports aided in the expulsion of exhaust gas with some environmental benefit.

 

[Gary C]

Ouch, must have overfuelled quite a bit with the CSI then for it not to meet Euro emissions in the early 80's then.

Will removing it cause and MOT problems for owners ?

 

[bones]

The SC met fuel emmissions for many years after '80 but I guess they thought it was a good idea, your earlier comment is probably pretty near the truth, in that they were trying to clean up the exhaust for America, us Europeans got lumbered with it too though. I can't imagine it made a huge deal of difference if indeed that is what it was for. It's such a useless power sapping device I've never bothered to research the much hated SC 'air pump'.

 

[Bazzer]

Hi Bones, just a quick one on the air pump, if the drive belt to the pump from the main fan system has been removed one would assume that this useless piece of kit would stop saping crucial power, or not as the case may be?.
Curious as mine is still attached but not being driven by the belt.

Cheers Baz

 

[bones]

Yes Baz that's the case a lot of people just remove the belt and leave the rest of the stuff in situ'. If you ever want to remove weight and clutter fromt he engine bay though , remove it alongside a heater backdate and an early exhaust system.

 

[Bazzer]

Cheers for that bones I was hopeing you were going to tell me that you have to remove the whole thing to get the power gain, oh well back to the drawing board.
Sorry to appear a little thick what do you mean by the remove it along side a heater back date and early exhaust system []

Cheers Baz

 

[dugsud]

Nice lump of pig iron to loose at the end that matters too []

 

[jamiemulhall]

can anyone tell me what one looks like ....post a pic...where it is in the engine bay?

if it aint useful, valuable,or sentimental dump it...