Bmw635

Anybody in CA removed their air pump without issue to smog / emission inspection? I am planning to remove this while its out but don't want to reinstall if smog test requires it. Car is 88 S4 if it matters. I searched but all the folks removed are not in CA. TIA.

The Forgotten On

In California it is required and your car will NOT pass visual without it.

It will not effect emissions after the first 5 minutes or so, it is there to reduce emissions while the cat heats up.

Rob Edwards

Just leave it attached and functioning, it's 7.6 lbs of additional weight but not worth the hassle of failing visual. They don't care whether it actually _works_, or course, just that it's there and has a spinning pulley.

Bmw635

Would the tech know it has an air pump? I removed the charcoal canister for the fuel evaporation capture in my 86 Euro and it didn't have an O2 Sensor in the Euro wiring harness and nobody ever notice it last 21 yrs.

I plan to remove it for couple extra hp and air flow space to cool engine. Thx.

Rob Edwards

If they're doing their job and they bother to look at the crank pulley, they may wonder why the empty slot for the air pump belt, and why the empty hole where the air pump was... All of which is to say that perhaps there's something to be said for finding a tech that doesn't know what they're looking at.

Deleting the air pump might buy a few hp and a little weight, not sure that it'll make any difference whatsoever in cooling. Having a belly pan will make a much greater difference in airflow management than being +/- the air pump.

Bmw635

Ok, I am leaving the air pump on. I guess I need to search for this belly pan later. Thanks.

Strosek Ultra

I have an air pump delete on all my three Strosek cars. The main reason is I want as little stuff as possible in the engine bay, makes it easier to work with and around the motor. All three cars are private import from Germany. For two of the car I did a cat delete before bringing them to the swedish technical and safety inspection in order to obtain a swedish registration. The funny thing is the red car (1991 S4 auto) passed the inspection and got a registration as a non cat car. Catalytic converters are mandatory over here beginning with the 1989 models. I do not think you will feel a difference in power deleting the air pump. I have the feeling the cat delete did bring some extra power at least a much nicer exhaust sound. The main reason for the cat delete is the coming build of high performance engines for all the cars.
Åke

bogdann

If I remove the air pump, which is seized, how much do I remove and can I just block the vacuum or do I need to route it into another connection point. It connects into the throttle housing.

rnixon

Good call. The hassle that it could cause at smog time is not to be underestimated. They did check that the air pump was present on mine when I smogged it.

Crumpler

Granted California is essentially a different country then Missouri when we talk emission testing, but I think the emission techs are getting younger and our cars are getting older.
I could have installed a Mr. Coffee under my hood on my last inspection and the kid wouldn't have known what was stock and what was not.

bills928

Took mine in for inspection last week in NC... The FIRST thing the Tech looked for was the air pump.

Ladybug83

It's funny cuz it's true

Alan

If no worries on visual inspections - then remove the pump, diverter valve & actuator and the plumbing to the intake (cap that) and plumbing forward to the air pump filter housing. Then you need to just cap off the exhaust(cat) feed line and the vacuum line for the actuator.

Alan

Crumpler

Bill, That's because you have that awesome and shiny spider.
I got this giant S3 pipe organ monster that occludes everything else in the engine bay...

Speedtoys

And the computer TELLS them you have one, and to go find it.

The sticker under the hood tells you its there, too.