Doing an engine rebuild on the L98 out of my '89 IROC-Z... I don't really know what happened to it, but for some reason, the AIR pump (AIR is an acronym, right?) won't move. I can remember that it rotated freely immediately after we took it off, then we took the pulley off. Let it sit in a box in the garage for a month or so, and it was tight, but once I turned it hard, it started to move more easily. Now it's like another month and I'm messing around, trying to turn it, and it's stuck tight.

I don't know what we did to it. Certainly if we were to slap it right on and then crank the engine, it'd turn. But I'm not sure if that's such a good idea of if it might ruin it completly.

Is there any way that I can rebuild the AIR pump, or mabye take it apart and lube it up? Or, failing that, how much would it cost me to get a new one (and from where)?

Thanks for any help.

 

dont bother getting it fixed. just leave it off. mine seized it up on me a year ago, and i just took the belt off for it, luckily i dont have serpentine, and my car has been fine since then. I am gonna take off all of that air stuff eventually this summer when I do my engine swap, but it runs fine without the pump anyway. i dunno, maybe i got lucky.

 

Sancho,

Yes, A.I.R. is an acronym (Air Injection Reaction). Your pump likely has a failed bearing or the vanes are worn so short that they are wedging in the pump cavity. I've never seen a repair kit offered for a pump, but they likely exist, since reman pumps are available. Check with your local recycler yards if you feel lucky, or an auto parts store for one of their "lifetime" replacements. Since it isn't really a critical component for operation (it won't leave you stranded if it fails) you could chance one of the cheapo AutoZone or Pep Boys type remans. Other than that, you're looking at O.E.M., which is an acronym meaning "Outrageously Expensive MutherF***er" in terms of AIR pumps. Some factory parts, supplies, and components are actually quite a bargain, but not that one.