Removing the air pump permanently

[softtop]

Hi,

i have an 1994 e320 cabrio. the air injection (aka smog) pump bearing is running rough and whining. sounds like the internals are running rough as well. Its £800 for a new pump and £250 for a bearing parts kit.

I'm considering removing it all together. does anyone know if there is a standard shorter belt that would work without the air pump pulley in place?

If i plug the air intake is there going to be any problem later with the cat or manifold etc?

thanks, dinyar

 

[wireman]

Won't pass emissions test if you take it off.

 

[Bolide]

Not all 280/320s have this pump. Is the cat / lambda / ECU setup different on those that do?

For the price of a short belt I'd throw one on and take it for an emissions test

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[softtop]

thanks all.

thing is this air pump just puffs air into the manifold for about two mins after a cold engine start and then cuts out. Does anyone know why the car would fail an emissions test or have a different ecu setup?

i'll probably try a short belt but does anyone know if the belt would be a standard size without the air pump pulley in place?

plan B is to try repacking the pulley bearing with grease and leaving the pump disconnected

thanks again for all advice.

 

[kdh211059]

Did you try a shorter belt? I've got a 300TE24v and my pump has just gone. Don't really want to spend £800 + if the car will run ok without it.

 

[television]

Did you try a shorter belt? I've got a 300TE24v and my pump has just gone. Don't really want to spend £800 + if the car will run ok without it.

Hello and welcome to the forum,,I do not know the answer on this but there are plenty of cars being broken up

 

[kth286]

I've always been puzzled why some cars have this pump and some do not.

My 95 104 engined car does not have the air pump set up.

 

[star]

We have removed several pumps and fitted shorter belts and had no problems with the mot. As mentioned, it only fires in on a cold start and not for long.

 

[television]

We have removed several pumps and fitted shorter belts and had no problems with the mot. As mentioned, it only fires in on a cold start and not for long.

Thank you and that was the answer needed here

 

[Number_Cruncher]

On Vauxhalls, the equivalent system was known as secondary air injection - it blows air into the exhaust manifold for a short while after a cold start. The extra air allows any partially burnt fuel (the mixture is quite rich just after cold start) to complete its combustion in the manifold - this reduces CO and HC emissions, and helps the catalytic convertor and lambda sensor to heat up more quickly.

As the MOT emissions test is carried out on a hot engine, this system is long since inactive during the test, so, its absence will never be noted.

It's a system very much of its time, and now is quite obsolete.

 

[television]

I have one on my 500SL but that only come on very little,,it is electric on mine, and interesting that though many engines like the 112 have the casting in built to house them but were seldom fitted

 

[kdh211059]

Thanks for all the advice. Hopefully nothing else has been damaged by the air injection pump seizing and destroying the aux drive belt. You have just saved me taking advantage of the government "scappage" scheme!

 

[tjamesbo]

1 Bump anyone know the part number of the shorter Belt ??
2 and does anything else need doing ? eg moving the alternator ?
3 also there seems to be this option as well
https://www.kurth-classics-autopart...-w124-secondary-air-pump-replacement-kit.html
My bearing sounds noisy could be the source of my squealing
Boyd

 

[LostKiwi]

1 Bump anyone know the part number of the shorter Belt ??
2 and does anything else need doing ? eg moving the alternator ?
3 also there seems to be this option as well
https://www.kurth-classics-autopart...-w124-secondary-air-pump-replacement-kit.html
My bearing sounds noisy could be the source of my squealing
Boyd

Quick way to check is drop the belt off and run it listening for noise. Don't run it long as you'll have no water pump.

 

[tjamesbo]

Hi Alistair, More detail on where I am now on my other post on the woes so far