Where is my A.I.R.?

[Stallion]

I was just under my hood looking at my anti-freeze leak (I need to change the intake gasket) and after that I was reading How to Restore and Modify your Corvette 1968-82 by Richard Newton. I was reading up on emission hardware, and the AIR system. I saw pictures of the AIR pump and I thought back to when I was looking under my hood, and I don't think I saw that!! By looking at the pictures in the book, shouldn't the AIR pump be right above the water pump? And then I remember seeing the EFE actuator for the AIR system and a vaccuum hose is not connected to that actuator in my Vette.

What do you suppose this is? I can't imagine my Vette came without the A.I.R. system, can it? Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong spots? Any ideas?

Thanks!!

 

[78SilvAnniv]

I thought all 78s had smog equip!?

Perhaps it has been removed?
Do your exhaust manifolds have little connected tubes poking out of them?
Is there an empty bracket at the front top of your engine?
Heidi

 

[Stallion]

Heidi, I know about that bracket you are talking about to hold up the pump, but I don't remember seeing it. Do you really think it was removed? How has she been passing inspection in the last 25 years? :confused

 

[ratdog]

You don't need the AIR pump for inspection. You might need it if you have emission laws though. Here in PA, the county I live in we don't have emissions laws. ANYTHING GOES!!!!!!! Move here if you are worried..........................

 

[mvftw]

L48's didn't come with the AIR pump, just L82's

 

[Stallion]

L48's didn't come with the AIR pump, just L82's

Really? I didn't know that. But I do now. So do you mean that I don't have an form of an AIR system? Or what? Because I do have the EFE actuator which no vaccuum line is connected to.

 

[ratdog]

mvftw are you sure about that?!? I thought after 75 and the intro of the cat. conv. the AIR pump was part of the system. Hell, my 69 427 has one!!!!!

 

[mvftw]

I just can answer for the '78's. Only L82's had them. I'm sure other people will post to verify. I was shocked also. That's why next year headers go on:cool
I was with a guy last month at an auction, he was the original owner of a '78 L48 and it had no pump. I said wheres your pump, he said what pump? I went home and my C3 resto guide verified it.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

L48

My original L48 had a smog pump. However, it was a CA car if that makes any difference.
Heidi

 

[Dave L.]

I think Heidi is on to something here.

I looked at the engine bays of (2) 78's for sale from C-N-V Corvettes.




The Calif car has a pump and emission pipes and the Fed emission car does not. I always said,you learn something everyday..very interesting.

Dave

 

[Bob Yates]

All GM cars and some light trucks had air injection reactor pumps from the factory. Some vans and trucks did not. More than like lee some one did a good job removing it. ....Bob

 

[Tom73]

Here is a run down on what had the A.I.R. system. It is from a post by Joe Lucia over on the NCRS board back in '99.

"A.I.R. or Air Injection Reactor System was an exhaust emissions control system first used on Corvettes in 1967, although it was also used on other Chevrolet cars as early as 1966 [note: correction later added by Joe "1966 California-delivered Corvettes, except for the L-72, did use the K-19 A.I.R. system"]. For 1967 Corvettes, the system was a mandatory option(K-19)on all Corvettes originally delivered to California. For 1968 and 1969, ALL Corvettes had the system installed regardless of engine, transmission, or where delivered. For 1970, Chevrolet went to the CCS or Controlled Combustion System for emissions control on most Corvettes, except LT-1s. For 1971, most Corvettes continued to use CCS except LT-1s and LS-6s. 1972 saw a return to A.I.R. for most engines except "CKW" and "CKX" coded L-48s. For 1973 through 1975 Corvettes, all engines used A.I.R.

For 1976, most Corvette engines returned to CCS except California-certified cars which used A.I.R. In 1977, all Corvettes used CCS except California and "High Altitude" delivered cars which used A.I.R.

For 1978 and 1979 all California cars, "high altitude" and all L-82s used A.I.R., with other cars using CCS. L-82s were not available in California or "high altitude" areas during these years.

For 1980 through 1987, all Corvettes used A.I.R. A.I.R. was used on most, if not all, Corvettes through the 1996 model year, although many C4s use an electric air pump.

As far as the system, itself, goes, essentially it is a system designed to inject fresh air into the exhaust manifolds or forward exhaust pipes in order to promote the combustion of unburned hydocarbons. The system generally consists of an air injection pump, check valves, diverter valve, injection tubes, and connecting hoses. The pump for earlier models was, generally, driven off of the water pump pulley.

The system was much maligned, but I don't have any problem with it. In fact, it was a more performance-oriented exhaust emission control system than the CCS system; that's why GM used it on LT-1 and LS-6s instead of CCS. "

If you want to read the full thread, check here: http://216.122.167.32/forum/archive2.cgi?read=15694

tom...

 

[mvftw]

Ok, so Tom73, I think you said that in '78 the L48 Not built in CA does Not use the AIR pump...

 

[Jack]

To help sate her middle-age crisis, my mother bought a brand new red-on-red 1967 Camaro SS while in Los Angeles during 1967. The car had a 350 V8 (not 327 V8) ... may've been one of the earlier 350's ... dunno. The car came with an air pump and did not come with cats.
JACK:gap

 

[mvftw]

All first gen. Camaro SS had either the 350 or 396

 

[Tom73]

Ok, so Tom73, I think you said that in '78 the L48 Not built in CA does Not use the AIR pump...

Right, the L48 with Federal emissions did not use the A.I.R. system. The '78 L48 with Calif Emission or High Altitude emissions and all '78 L82's used the A.I.R. system

...bought a brand new red-on-red 1967 Camaro SS while in Los Angeles during 1967. The car had a 350 V8 (not 327 V8) ... may've been one of the earlier 350's ... dunno. The car came with an air pump and did not come with cats.

Cat converters did not come along until '75. They need lead free gas to operate so they could not have been used back in '67.

tom...

 

[wwilkins]

The AIR system came on all 78 L-82's and all 78 L-48 Engines for California and High Altitude. The Federal Engines didn't have AIR. The NCRS guide for our years has a list of the carb numbers and with that you can tell what your car is suppposed to be. If you have the Federal engine you should have carb number 17058204 or 17058206. If you have something else and you are pretty sure its original then you need the AIR stuff. Yes I found all this out after I bought most of the system for mine. Hope this saves you some money.

Bill