1979 Spider, Air Pump, what is it?

[barnesjtsl]

I have a 79 spider that I have posted a couple of questions regarding not being able to make it idle.

I replaced the distributor with a rebuilt one, and I have gotten it to idle at around 1000 rpm's. Now the porblem I am having is that it won't idle below that, or even die for that matter when adjusting the idle speed screw.

It looks to me as though I don't have an "Air Pump". There are 4 studs comming out of the block on the bottom front on the passangers side? From what I understand I am supposed to have an "Air Pump" mounted here that is powered by the pully on the front of the vibration dampener. I currently have a pully for two belts on the vibration dampener, one that runs the alternator and the water pump and the other is running nothing.

Am correct in my assumption that this is where the "Air Pump" is supposed to be mounted and ran from that pulley?

Also, what does the "Air Pump" do? I live in Portland OR and I have to pass DEQ inspection.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

John B

[kristoj]

I am not that familiar with the carbed models, but I do know that the air pump was part of the pollution control system. I do not believe you need it for the car to idle properly, but I am sure others more knowledgable than me will chime in.

[mbouse]

not having an air pump installed will not cause the idle issue. having the air pump removed may, in fact, be a very good thing.... although i cannot answer the emission testing question. I defer to those in the state of insanity - - i mean California, to address those issues.

four studs? i'd believe two, but four? or, is the bracket still attached to the block?

[barnesjtsl]

Thanks for getting back to me. It's two studs, my mistake.

John B

[TJC]

On a carbureted car with no O2 sensor, you shouldn't have any idle issues removing the pump.

To help further eliminate hydrocarbons in the form of unburned fuel, the air injection system pumps ambient air into the hot exhaust stream where there is still sufficient heat to support the oxidation of any unburned HC's downstream. So, disconnecting this smog pump may, at most, increase HC emissions.

However, on fuel injected vehicles with closed-loop feedback (i.e., oxygen sensor), poor driveability may occur due to the change in exhaust composition detected by the O2 sensor. However, I'm not sure if there were air pumps on US Spiders with fuel injection (a lot of times closed loop fuel injection with a three-way catalyst negates the need for an air pump).

[So Cal Mark]

there were two different types of air injection on a 79; one used a pump, the other a reed valve in the air cleaner. The pulse air type has two check valves in the cylinder head, the pump style only uses one check valve. Neither system will affect idle speed

[guicho]

Hi I also have a 79, CS2, and have the air pump + link to cylinder head + air Filter box. Do I need to remove it to increase perf? If yes, how to block it?
Thanks
Guillaume
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