Air pump?

[Chevy66driver]

So I'm looking for a serpentine belt and I don't know if I have an air pump. Honestly I've never heard of this part...what does it do, and does my '88 Silverado Extended cab long bed 5.7 have one??

Also, what's the best belt to use? I want to try to eliminate some squeaking that I don't know the source of. I want to try Gatorback belts but think they have been discontinued. Is there a good alternative?

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[Chevy66driver]

So I'm looking for a serpentine belt and I don't know if I have an air pump. Honestly I've never heard of this part...what does it do, and does my '88 Silverado Extended cab long bed 5.7 have one??

Also, what's the best belt to use? I want to try to eliminate some squeaking that I don't know the source of. I want to try Gatorback belts but think they have been discontinued. Is there a good alternative?

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Maybe this should be in the sticky stupid engine thread?? Can a mod move or delete so I can repost there?

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[Supercharged111]

Post a pic of the front of the engine, specifically the lower part of the passenger side belt routing. This is where the air pump was on my 88.

 

[Chevy66driver]

[emoji2375]

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[10mm Nut]

You do have an air pump.

Remove your belt and spin each pulley and check for noise or roughness. Replace any that aren't smooth and quiet.

For belts I prefer Gates or Dayco.

 

[Chevy66driver]

What does the air pump do? Pumps air obviously, but why?

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[R422b]

What does the air pump do? Pumps air obviously, but why?

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It Powers your after burners. [emoji1787]
That's actually not too far from the truth but it's actually to give the catalytic converters enough oxygen to burn off the hydrocarbons in your exhaust or something like that.
So essentially it pumps air into your exhaust pipe to improve your emissions and somehow the fact that you're pumping fresh air into the exhaust pipe diluting the exhaust to beat emissions is okay with the epa.[emoji1787]

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[Supercharged111]

It Powers your after burners. [emoji1787]
That's actually not too far from the truth but it's actually to give the catalytic converters enough oxygen to burn off the hydrocarbons in your exhaust or something like that.
So essentially it pumps air into your exhaust pipe to improve your emissions and somehow the fact that you're pumping fresh air into the exhaust pipe diluting the exhaust to beat emissions is okay with the epa.[emoji1787]

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You're partly right. The air pump on an EFI motor contributes the most when the engine is cold and running rich, i.e. more fuel than oxygen in the exhaust. By pumping oxygen in with it, it will burn when it hits the catalyst and warm the cat up quicker so it can do its job. Once in closed loop, the engine will flick back and forth rich to lean to keep the cat happy. The point isn't to dilute the exhaust at all. I'm not sure if the TBI trucks were 2 way or 3 way catalysts. 3 way would make more sense, but they were the older pellet style in 88.

 

[Chevy66driver]

Haha ok. I'll have to do some research to learn more about this and see if I can maybe route my belt to avoid the air pump to get a little more gas mileage. Because using less gas helps the environment too, right!? And I don't have cats anyway [emoji2375]

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[Supercharged111]

Haha ok. I'll have to do some research to learn more about this and see if I can maybe route my belt to avoid the air pump to get a little more gas mileage. Because using less gas helps the environment too, right!? And I don't have cats anyway [emoji2375]

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With no cat, there's no point whatsoever to the air pump. I'd toss it and get a different belt.