Hey guys. While working under the 86 TR I noticed this problem. For reference, the white thing on the left side of the first image is is the oil filter. This item is now missing the belt, and in the second image, the thing that my finger is resting on is loose and wobbles when pushed. I assume that this is why the belt is missing. According to my parts manual, this appears to be the secondary air pump and the broken part is the "electromagnetic joint," which again I assume is an electric clutch setup. Okay, what exactly does it do, and do I need to address it right away before starting her up, or can repair/replacement be deferred? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Its an air pump to inject air into the exhaust at some point to clean up unburned hydrocarbons. You can do without it if smog testing isnt an issue.
Mr. Newman is correct. The air pump only works at cold start up, once the engine is above a certain operating tempurature the air pump clutch disengages, and then all that stuff is just along for the ride...adding unnecessary weight and plumbing. Air is pumped into the exhaust stream during rich cold running to help emissions.
The rest of the guy's are correct, mine has be disconnected since I had my car, no issues. I am in FL, we do not have emmissions testing, but even if you did, it still only works when cold, so you probably would still pass.
Hey, I'm across the state from you on the East Coast. Port Saint Lucie. Thanks everyone. I think that I will remove the pump and shelve it until I can find a salvage part to bring it up to operational condition in case I should ever need it.
I dont think you want to remove it, I seem to remember a bolt that mounts to it may go into the water passage of the block, I may be wrong. Better check it out first.
Dear Ferraristi, To clarify, When referred to " cold " this is the ambient air temperature, not a "cold" engine. The air pump will not turn on just because the engine is cold. It comes on when it cold outside. At least mine works that way. (91 Testarossa) I also live in FL, and the pump only comes on in January. I would leave the pump where it is. If you remove it and the associated plumbing, you will need backing plates to cap off where the air goes into the exhaust manafold. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
I know its an old thread, BUT....just in case others stumble on this and wonder. Correct me if I'm wrong but, I believe there should be "check" valves installed right between the air pump and the exhaust making the air flow go one way only. Sooooo, even if you disconnect the air pump or the plumbing, the exhaust will not go out thru the hose and you wont need the "backing plates". Right? Ski
They act like speakers and make a LOT of noise. The pipes either need to be capped or the inlet passages covered with a plate.
Gotcha....I guess I will have to look into that then Mine are just there open. Now I know what I will be doing this weekend... thnx Ski
Very interesting!! Do you know where that sensor is located on the car? Is it affected by engine heat? Example: It's cold out (what's cold in Fl ~ 60?), you start the engine for a brief period like backing out of a garage, switch it off and let sit for ~5 min, then re-start. Does the air pump come on? I wonder if the sensor picks up local engine heat? Kind of like warm-up-regulators. Thanks
Dear Ferraristi, I only noticed the air pump coming on in Jan...air temp 38-42 degrees? Yes, only on very cold days. I know every sound my TR makes so when it comes on, I notice it. I don't know where the sensor is but I suppose if you follow the wiring from the electromagnetic clutch backwards? ....better yet, ask Steve Magnusun...he knows everything electrical...and then some! Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
the pump and all brackets, hoses etc came of my 1990 w/o any water passage issues... the throttle cable has a metal guide loop that attaches to the bracket.... can do without it but it will need the throttle cable removed to pull off the guide. a replacement pump is avail from rolls if you swap out the hose fittings. go to rockauto & look for pics to match. way cheaper than the pimp at about 900 have fun - ps keep those check valves 'fresh' or condensation will ruin your pump rgds, vince
If you remove the pump and associated hardware, it will greatly clean up your engine bay, and take a few pounds off the car. You will have to make a couple of block off plates for the bottom of the heads - not difficult to do. I think I have a complete air pump system out in my shop somewhere...gathering dust...
That's great to know, thanks. Does Fl have dynomometer emissions testing, and has your car easily passed? I'm trying to get a handle on how forgiving / robust the emission systems are. In other words, if the TR does not have the the air pump come on unless it's pretty cold, Ferrari engineers were able to get the cats to light off fairly easily. Thanks. Maybe if Steve Magnuson sees this, he could tell me if the TR uses a heated O2 sensor (more than 1 wire).
Yes, the TR uses a heated 3-wire O2 sensor (+12V and ground wires for the internal resistive heating element, and a single signal output wire). The water thermoswitch on the LH side of the water housing on top of the engine (the same water thermoswitch where the infamous "red wire" is located) and, to a lesser extent, the oil temperature thermoswitch control when/if the air injection system runs or not. The oil temperature thermoswitch is only used to disable the air injection system when it is really cold (like below 5 deg C/41 deg F). The water thermoswitch has a huge intentional hysteresis -- it opens at 63 deg C/145 deg F and turns the air injection "off", but it doesn't close again until the water temperature falls below 33 deg C/91 deg F. So here are some "normal" scenarios: Scenario 1 You start your US TR at a water temp of 60 deg = the air injection runs the water temp warms up to more than 145 deg F = the air injection turns off you stop the engine for ~30 minutes, and the water temp falls to ~100 deg F, and restart = the air injection is still off because you never got below the 91 deg water temp to reclose the water thermoswitch. Scenario 2 You start your US TR at a water temp of 60 deg = the air injection runs you stop the engine shortly thereafter (and even though the water temp may rise for a little while after shutoff it never reaches the 145 deg) you restart the engine with the water temp at ~120 deg F = the air injection runs when the water temperature reaches 145 deg F = the air injection turns off Scenario 3 (Shamile's scenario ) You turn your TR off late at fully warm water (and oil) temperature It's a warm night, and when you restart early in the AM, the water temp still hasn't fallen below 91 deg F (so the water thermoswitch hasn't yet reclosed) You restart in the AM = air injection is off. I've never seen any tolerances for these water thermoswitch temperature switching points. I've noticed that mine doesn't open until my water temperature gauge is reading about ~155 deg F. Maybe Shamile's particular water thermoswitch really needs to get down to 70~80 deg F before it recloses -- so in the FL Summer it rarely gets that low. Unless you live in a very, very warm climate, I believe the air injection system was always meant to run at cold start-up (unless very, very cold).
