There goes the AIR Pump, I Now Need Some Advice
 

So I finally got around to trouble shooting my SES light today.

I was getting code P0412 with is the AIR Relay Control Circuit

After following all the diagnostics test from trying to turn the pump on manually which didn't work to testing all the wires to the pump for power which they all had.

Narrows it down to I have a faulty AIR Pump.

Now someone correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the AIR Pump only kick on in the begining to get your car warm and to get it into close loop faster and then after that just shuts down?

In other words I don't think its worth changing. I was thinking of just pulling the whole system and having the whole AIR System deleted buy sending my PCM out for a tune. What would be involved in pulling it? Would I have to plug some openings etc?.

Let me know if you have any info or input on this.

Thanks.

Sorta, it pumps air into the catalytic converters to allow them to warm up faster. In theory, they warm up faster, causing less pollution. YEY!!!

only thing you would need to cap off would be the air tubes off the headers, and they air port comming off your air cleaner. Thats the easy part. Gotta get it programmed out of the ECM prior to removal or your ses light will be on. (which it seems it already is now :))

yep the ses light is on already anyway.

I can clear the code but it just comes back when it senses the problem again.

any idea's on how I should plug the holes on the manifolds?

1/2 inch pipe caps from home depot i believe fit, but don't hold me to that....

Pipecaps from the plumbing section in the hardware store (Lowes, Home Depot, wherever) work great. That's what I used on my headers.

On the '96 LT1s, there was actually a service bulletin to remove faulty AIR pumps due to them building up with condensation and frying. Might as well see if that applies to your car, so you can even remove it legally. :) Then just have the PCM reflashed and you're good to go.

does anyone have the copy of the service bulletin so i can see if my 96 applys

See here: http://mycarstats.com/

- Justin

The F-Body recall for the AIR pumps applies to 95-97 cars. They add some plumbing to the AIR pump to prevent backflow from the exhaust. They don't remove the AIR pump. Its the B-Body AIR recall that deleted the AIR pump, but that's not applicable to the F-Bodys.

One problem with "programming out" the code is that while the SES light doesn't come on, and there's no codes, when they plug in the emissions check to the ALDL connector, they may get a "system not ready" message. There's a limit to how many of those you can have and still pass. Maybe the programmers have figured a way around this by now.

I know that you can get around the system not ready messages with HP Tuners on the LSx/3.8 cars, but not sure if you can on the LTx cars....

- Justin

I believe my shop teacher told me that your not allowed to have more than 3 that say "Not Ready" I know I have a least two maybe more.

I'll have to check on that again.

Thanks for reminding me though.