First, I did a search many many many times. I thought I found the answer once a while ago but can not find it again.

My car is not on the road and I know all about it being against federal emissions laws to remove the emissions equipment for a street driven vehicle.

My question is this, how do I remove the two pipes that run behind the engine for the A.I.R. / smog pump. I already have the pump and black box off. And I couldn't get the bolts for the AIR tubes off so I sawed them off. There are two tubes when looking on the passenger side though that I can't remove. It appears they are held on by a bracket bolted to the heads. There is a thin brown wire running from the firewall to this bolt as well that I don't know what it does.

It appears one tube is running from side to side and one is down to towards where the cat was? I just can't get these things off. I sawed them off towards the valve cover tops. I did read before that some people leave the pipe but I'm trying to clean up the engine bay a bit.

 

There is a bracket/clamp that bolts to the back of the head on the passenger side. It is between the head and the fire wall. Remove the bolt. I can tell you that it is difficult, but I was able to do it. The other end of the pipe is welded to the CAT. It's there to pump air to the CAT, switched to the CAT verses to the air tubes for the manifolds, after the engine warms up.

Any wire that goes to a bolt is a ground wire and should be re-attached. That one may be for the ECM.

 

It appears there is a similar bolt on the head on the driver's side too. Any idea what size the bolt is?

Any trick to removing the bolt?

What tools did you use? I can barely get a socket or wrench in there and when I can I'm having difficulty getting a wrench around it or even moving it side to side to loosen it.

If/once I remove it, is there any harm in leaving the bolt off on the one not being used as a ground?

 

I got the bolt on the driver's side off but the passenger one is tougher. I just need to know can I leave these bolts off or not? The one that might be the ground should be fine if I reroute it right?

 

Those studs are just grounds on the backs of the heads. Theyre grounds and a place to mount the tube brackets.
The tube has 2 brackets welded to it and one is bolted behind each head. Undo each nut and pull the tube off the stud, then reattach the nut with the proper grounds back on.
Then youre going to have to cut the tube in half with a sawzall or something, because it wont wiggle out.
Trust me, I removed my A.I.R. about a 2 months ago.
Just take your time.

 

In half behind the block or where they come over the heads? I have them cut right now at the top of the valve covers on each side with a sawzall. I don't think I can fit it behind the block though.

 

Right near the distributor is where I made my other cut. I used a sawzall, rotarty tool with cut off disc, and tin snips. A complete mix of everything. And I just took my time and eventually got it.
And the one running down to the cat I cut halfway up the ypipe so it comes off once you remove it from the back of the passenger side head.

 

I'm tackling this too now, do you remember what you used to get at those bolts on the back of the heads. Also, the air tubes on the manifolds, is it ok to cut them and just squeeze whats left of the pipe closed, just want to get by, Ill be putting headers on sometime in the future. Thanks

 

I did squeeze the air tubes shut but they were very difficult to get closed and I did have some exhaust leaking in the engine bay.

I believe I went to sears and bought a socket set....I think something like the Gator Grip and a set for stripped bolts and it took a lot of time to get these off. I hope your hands don't get as beat as mine did from this.

 

Mine got very torn up, you will probably have to cut one of the large pipes in the back, and the one going to the cat about halfway, i couldnt figure out how to get them off, so i cut them, then tossed in the recycle bin. I cut the air tubes, close enough to get a socket on and get them off, once off, i then used a desk vice to clamp the tips shut, then go figure, i land a pretty nice set of headers for nothing, ohwell

 

Any tips on what needs to be removed to get to the fasteners for these tubes? Where are they? I can't even see down there, much less fit a tool in those areas. For a year now I've been getting into the spirit to do this, and when I go outside to look at what is involved, I lose all hope. I really just want to remove the tube going to the cat.