Air pump bracket removal

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:01 am

Can I take the bracket completely off, bolts and all? I just want to make sure there won't be any weird oil leaks if I do it.

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 5:04 pm

the bracket can come off, but i THINK you will regret taking the studs out of the crank (oil).

instead, use one of these studs to mount one side of your auxilluary ground cable, needing only to use a small bolt on the inner fender for the other side of that 12-16" black cable.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:32 pm

ok, so I guess I can just put the bolts back in. The real reason I'm thinking of doing this is because I can't get the freaking pump off. I took the nut off of the pivot bolt and when I try to push it through (towards the front of the car) it hits the pulley on the pump. I tried to take the pulley off of the pump, but there just isn't enough room in there and it wants to spin too easily. Thought maybe it would be easier to yank it off bracket and all (only two bolts it looks like)

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:56 am

I recall having the identical issue with my '80. i cannot recall how i ended up getting the pump off, but i was not a pleased puppy for a few days. i eventually DID get the pump and bracket off without removing the two studs.

the important thing is that you have removed the v-belt from the air pump, so that when the air pump freezes, you won't cause the timing belt to jump a tooth.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:12 pm

only the cam-driven air pumps will cause t-belt failure. If the pump is driven from the crank pulley it won't cause t-belt failure. Those bracket holes don't go thru into any fluid passages, so it's not a problem to remove the bracket entirely

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:28 pm

So Cal Mark wrote:only the cam-driven air pumps will cause t-belt failure. If the pump is driven from the crank pulley it won't cause t-belt failure. Those bracket holes don't go thru into any fluid passages, so it's not a problem to remove the bracket entirely

Thanks Guys, Today is nice, so I might be able to get this one last thing done before cold weather hits.

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:08 pm

thanks for the update on the cam drive verses crank drive. I was only passing on what I've read.

is the '83 Pinin crankcase different from the '80 Spider crankcase? or, did my friend have other issues? He removed his studs for his non functioning a/c pump and subsequently had a major oil leak. had to put the studs back in place to keep the oil in the crank.

or, are these two different sets of studs in two completely different areas of the crankcase?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:57 pm

was his ac compressor on the left or right side of the engine?

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:56 am

took a while to get his response. the a/c pump was on the passenger side, and the studs were in the identical location that used to house the air pump.

removal of his studs resulted in a drastic oil leak. reinsurtion of the studs plugged the leak