Airpump elimination
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Airpump elimination
Is it possible to remove the air pump and run a different belt, or will it just cause problems with the 02 sensor?
The reason I ask is its making some weird noises, and I'm probobly going to end up putting on a true dual exhaust eventually.
Thanks
The reason I ask is its making some weird noises, and I'm probobly going to end up putting on a true dual exhaust eventually.
Thanks
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
Likes: 4
From: Oak Harbor, OH
It's there for a reason, it takes less than one horsepower to turn and it's a federal felony (this means huge fines AND jail time) to remove it. Same for the cats. The newer cats are ALL high flow and they are there for a reason. I'm not saying it's impossible but expect a clogged cat and a very poor running engine. Usually it sets an emissions related code and won't go away. It can even cause the O2 sensor to fail.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 1
From: Goose Creek SC
It is against the rules...but a LOT of people do it........you can use a "MIL" eliminator in place of your O2 sensor to get your light off......Summit and JEGS sell them....probly lots of others.
Finding a belt is tricky.....use a string to go around the pulleys and measure it for the new one.
Usually when the air pump is removed......so is all the associated air plumbing. Most say they don't have a lot of problems after they do it........BUT......a boneyard might have the pump at a reasonable price.......and then you don't spend the time and money for all the other stuff......
Good Luck whichever way you go.
Finding a belt is tricky.....use a string to go around the pulleys and measure it for the new one.
Usually when the air pump is removed......so is all the associated air plumbing. Most say they don't have a lot of problems after they do it........BUT......a boneyard might have the pump at a reasonable price.......and then you don't spend the time and money for all the other stuff......
Good Luck whichever way you go.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
If you do remove it, you need to cut off the tube going to the cat, crimp it shut and put a bead of weld on it.
Also there is an AIR tube going to the back of your heads. You need to remove this tube, hacksaw off the little inlet blocks, and flip them around and re bolt them to the back of the heads to seal them up.
Also there is an AIR tube going to the back of your heads. You need to remove this tube, hacksaw off the little inlet blocks, and flip them around and re bolt them to the back of the heads to seal them up.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 1
From: Goose Creek SC
I stand corrected Conanski........I always thought the "mil" eliminator was for that......must be for if you take the cats off.......or all the emissions stuff.......sorry.
Trending Topics
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Middle of Ohio
wow what crawled up all ur guyses butts wut with the "felony and the you dont have to remove the air stuff" its the mans truck he can do what he wants. i will a gree that it would be good to put an o2 sim in just so ur check engine light stays off and you get decent fuel mileage. but my truck does it too and im getting ready to take mine off. to remove it you need a 5-10 inch shorter belt (guys at auto zone or you local parts shop will help you there) and i was told that if you take that off you have to trick the sensors that make it come on. the tab/tad sensors which opens the air injection in the back of the heads and gives you that god awful whistle/whine. just pm me and ill give you the details. im getting ready to change classes and i have all the stuff saved to my computer at home.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
It is illegal on a federal level to monkey with anything emissions on a vehicle. Some states also re-emphasize this by adding more or less the same verbage to their DMV/DOT laws and regulations.
The purpose of the air pump is to blast fresh air into the catalytic converter, to help it heat up faster because of the extra oxygen provided by the pump. This ignites the unburnt fuel and other burnable particles and prevents them from blowing out the tailpipe.
Modern vehicles don't need this as most manufacturers got rid of the air pump system because the newer catalytic converters are significantly more effective than their former counterparts.
So if you replace the cat with a new style one (get a generic one to reduce cost), you can remove the air pump and actually polute a lot less than the factory system.
Technically, it's illegal to do this as the wording is such that ANY tampering with the emission system is illegal, however my crewcab passes emissions without it so no one questions what is under the hood.
In fact, the readings of the emissions test were about 8% less than with the old system.
The purpose of the air pump is to blast fresh air into the catalytic converter, to help it heat up faster because of the extra oxygen provided by the pump. This ignites the unburnt fuel and other burnable particles and prevents them from blowing out the tailpipe.
Modern vehicles don't need this as most manufacturers got rid of the air pump system because the newer catalytic converters are significantly more effective than their former counterparts.
So if you replace the cat with a new style one (get a generic one to reduce cost), you can remove the air pump and actually polute a lot less than the factory system.
Technically, it's illegal to do this as the wording is such that ANY tampering with the emission system is illegal, however my crewcab passes emissions without it so no one questions what is under the hood.
In fact, the readings of the emissions test were about 8% less than with the old system.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,555
Likes: 40
From: Concord, NC
The MIL eliminators/O2 simulators are only for the after-cat or downstream O2 sensor found on 96 and newer OBD-II vehicles. You cannot replace the single O2 sensor on trucks of this vintage with a simulator. Unless something is really wrong, the computer will not throw the check engine light on with an O2 sensor code for not having a smog pump.
The computer only routes the air injection to the heads when the engine is first started, times when the O2 sensor isn't up to operating temperature yet anyway. After that, air is routed either to the cat or dumped to the atmosphere, so air injection really has no bearing on the signal from the O2 sensor. The computer looks for the two actuators that control the bypass and the diverter valves (TAD and TAB solenoids), so if you replace those two actuators with a large enough resistor, the computer will not know the difference. Search through the forums, I know someone has listed it before, and I think there's something about that on fordfuelinjection.com as well.
The computer only routes the air injection to the heads when the engine is first started, times when the O2 sensor isn't up to operating temperature yet anyway. After that, air is routed either to the cat or dumped to the atmosphere, so air injection really has no bearing on the signal from the O2 sensor. The computer looks for the two actuators that control the bypass and the diverter valves (TAD and TAB solenoids), so if you replace those two actuators with a large enough resistor, the computer will not know the difference. Search through the forums, I know someone has listed it before, and I think there's something about that on fordfuelinjection.com as well.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
Originally Posted by Scndsin
What does the PCM "look at" as far as operation of the air injection system?
Others, have reported different results however. Most of my emissions stuff just hang there for the ride so the EEC can see it - with the except of the EGR - that's fully functional of course.