Squeak and Rattle

[Bebop Man]

Started up last night for a quick drive to the store, and i kept hearing a squeaks and rattle that I never heard before. Too dark to really get into it last night, but this morning I took a gander. Seems to be coming from the alternator or the AIR pump. (*** is an AIR pump? what's it for? can I get by without it?)

What's involved in removing / replacing them? I've swapped alternators on a truck I had before, but it wasn't as complex as this looks

 

[Broncobill78]

The air pump takes ambient air, compressess it slightly and then injects it into the catalytic converter to supply additional air/oxygen for the converter to use when burning/converting the hot exhaust gasses into carbon dioxide & water. You've seen this time and again every time you see water dripping from your exhaust, that's your catalytic converter at work. In order to work properly, the cat needs to be *very* hot and once it's heated up the exhaust passes thru a honeycomb of platnum or palladium (this is why so many converters are being stolen these days, the metals inside are worth up to $300 per converter at *scrap* prices). Regardless, if you follow the plumbing you'll find a line that runs from the air pump to the converter housing and this is what supplies the additional air for functioning.

 

[bidibronco]

So, what you're telling me is: I can "fab an intake" from the air pump to to my intake and basically have a little forced induction? Wouldn't that be neat if it actually worked like that?!? Then you could be "nope, naturally asperated, SEE!" To early and not enough coffee.

 

[walnuts75]

Started up last night for a quick drive to the store, and i kept hearing a squeaks and rattle that I never heard before. Too dark to really get into it last night, but this morning I took a gander. Seems to be coming from the alternator or the AIR pump. (*** is an AIR pump? what's it for? can I get by without it?)
What's involved in removing / replacing them? I've swapped alternators on a truck I had before, but it wasn't as complex as this looks

Maybe its your tensioner pulley. Mine had the same sypmtons and I didn't know what it was until it popped off one day. Real easy fix. Just something to think about.

 

[Bebop Man]

Maybe its your tensioner pulley. Mine had the same sypmtons and I didn't know what it was until it popped off one day. Real easy fix. Just something to think about.

I'd think that too, but that tensioner was the first piece I replaced when I got the Bronco 4 months ago.

It really sounds like the bearings on either the alternator or the AIR pump. It just looks like a bitch to get to

 

[Bebop Man]

Well, the noise was coming from the air pump. Since it's run from the alternator, I just pulled off the belt and left it alone. Since it's just smog control, I think I can leave it. Maybe I get some HP and MPG back.

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[shift1313]

keep in mind that if you still have a cat and your FI you will mess a few things up. Your cat needs the extra air to really work, it might **** some mpg.

 

[shift1313]

ps, smog pumps have been used as superchargers. i think they work well on small 5hp briggs motors. you would need alteast 8 on your truck