Smog/air pump revealed (delete pulley question)

[K85 Octane]

For shiggles, I pulled my air pump apart because it was locked up. My goal was to gut the internals and just use it as a pulley/dummy pump.

Here are some of the pictures. I found out it uses blades, made like fiberglass I think, to draw in air and compress it like a rotary engine would. This stupid thing is way more complicated than it should be.

 

[K85 Octane]

 

[livid4dirt]

Done the same thing myself before, and yes they do over complicate that little pump. Boy yours was corroded bad wasn't it?

 

[rebelgregory]

It's a pretty common design for air motors. Probably needlessly complex for a low pressure blower. The vanes are made out of micarta, aka phenolic sheets. It's pretty common in industrial settings. And yes, it's a composite material - like fiberglass.

 

[diesel4me]

I had to laugh when I saw a photo of one of those being used as a supercharger on a briggs and stratton powered go kart!..the poor 3 HP engine probably struggled just to spin the air pump,and went slower than it did natuarlly aspirated!..

 

[rebelgregory]

Pretty swee idea tho, if it worked.

 

[K85 Octane]

I think finding a bearing and pressing the old one out is going to be a PITA. The back end bearing is fine, just nasty, but the one near the pulley is in pieces. So...I'm looking for a delete pulley for this. I've found a few on Ebay but unsure if they will work.

Looking at my bracket and where the idler pulley bolts to, I can't move it without making some sort of standoff for it. The accessory brackets are different between air pump and non-air pump. The idler pulleys are in a different spot and while mine is drilled and tapped for that position, the molded standoff isn't there. So I'm thinking the easiest thing now is to go with the pump delete pulley.

Are the TPI brackets the same? Seems like GM wouldn't change the air pump design from vehicle to vehicle.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370631805611?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261248129787?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321188982295?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[chevydan3]

Can you just get a shorter belt for a non-AIR truck? That's what I remember doing years ago, then you don't need a delete pulley.

 

[K85 Octane]

Another member said that too but it sure seems like a long way for the belt to travel before it sees another pulley. I have it in my head that it would vibrate or flutter with RPM and possibly jump the pulley. Coming from the non-drive side of the crank, it doesn't have as much tension as the rest.

 

[rebelgregory]

i have had my air pump removed for years. No idler in its place. Never been an issue. Mine is an 88 non-serpentine that had a pass-side mounted pump. I just took it out.

 

[bronc3buster842001]

I never had a problem with the belt on my tpi brackets... never had the smog pump or a delete pulley..

 

[Blue85]

You can see that the TPI smog pump delete pulley offsets the center of the pulley from where the pump would have it. Maybe this is just to compensate for the smaller pulley diameter. If it actually fits, it would be a decent item, but $90 seems kind of high for what it is. I would guess that some A/C delete pulley in a junkyard could be reworked instead. Or you could build one.

But the cleanest solution is surely to just skip it and I would be surprised if you had any belt issues.

 

[EXJAY]

i have had my air pump removed for years. No idler in its place. Never been an issue. Mine is an 88 non-serpentine that had a pass-side mounted pump. I just took it out.

What about the hose off the back of the pump to the valve, did you have to cap it off or was all that removed aswell?

 

[K85 Octane]

just pull everything off, from the pump to the manifolds

 

[EXJAY]

I believe I read somewhere that most hardware stores sells a threaded plug (plumbing section) that will the fit the now open ports on the manifolds? I guess also I will need to cap off also the small nipple on the TBI with a rubber cap.

 

[diesel4me]

On the older trucks exhaust manifolds the "flute pipes" for the air pump system were threaded for 1/4" straight pipe threads in some cases,and 1/4" NPT tapered plugs will work to block them off...others used a sae or metric flare thread the same as brake lines used,and plugs can be had for those at parts stores,though they might not have them in stock,you might have to buy a box of 10 special order..

I used to cut off the flute pipes flush with the fittings and either braze or weld them shut to make plugs for them..