Thermactor/Smog Pump Rebuild

[Dyn Blin]

Good evening all.  For now, I need to keep the emissions equipment stock and functional.  Last week my pump started making some painful noises.  I removed it and broke it partially down over the weekend.  The interior is pretty clean, surprisingly, and the carbon vanes in decent shape, however, the bearing is very tired.

'Seems a shame to trash it and pay for a remanufactured.  Does anyone have experience with a successful DIY rebuild?  Any pointers beyond the bearing swap?

[PetesPonies]

I have taken them apart myself. But never for rebuild, always for removing the vanes  :) That way they spin and look stock, but offer no resistance.

[Gary Lewis]

No experience rebuilding them, just removing them.  Probably have a spare or two.  Want one?

[Dyn Blin]

Someone could learn more than a few things from you, Pete.  Good idea for a JY pull with a good bearing.  Thanks.

[Dyn Blin]

Even better, Gary.  I'll drop you a line.  Deeply obliged.

[Gary Lewis]

Hey, I'm in your debt, big time.  Happy to send you one or two.  But let me check to ensure it/they seem to work.

[PetesPonies]

Here's a tidbit . . even the air pumps from the 90s, looked very, very, very similar to ones from the 60s. Not quite enough for a concour restore, but certainly good enough for an average show  :) Little was changed, very little.

[85lebaront2]

You may be able to find a replacement bearing if you can find any numbers on it. Amazon has excellent prices on small bearings.

[Dyn Blin]

Thanks again Pete.  That'll give me a lot of flexibility.  

I'm not keeping it roll off the floor stock, rather just trying to keep it CA BAR compliant until they ever decide to relax the emissions rules for our rides.

[Dyn Blin]

Great reminder Bill.  I keep forgetting they are a great resource and often we'll priced for small quantities.  

I've had good luck walking into the Grainger store, too, if I find someone behind the counter that likes a challenge.

[Dyn Blin]

You owe me not a haypenny Gary.  I've learned more on this forum than I could ever hope to give back.

[Gary Lewis]

Maybe a farthing then?  

Haven't been to the shop yet today, but maybe later this afternoon or at least tomorrow.  Will check out the pump(s) then.

In T-Town at a Barnes & Nobles.  Gotta buy this 2019 London Guide as it has so many pics of places we've been and may want to go again.  Good memories that I want to share tonight with Janey.

[85lebaront2]

Grainger is fantastic, but the nearest one to me is roughly 70 miles including a $20 round trip toll. I do have an online account with them which helps.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The small bearing is no problem.
The large ring bearing is pricey.

I went to eBay, but don't recall what it cost.

[Gary Lewis]

Mark - My pump is frozen up as well.  Sorry.  You are welcome to it but I seriously doubt that you want it.

[Dyn Blin]

Ah, they do tend to fall to that entropy state.  I'll perform the same work needed for yours on the one I've got.  Thanks for checking that reserve inventory- my old kit tends to migrate to the least convenient locations.

[Dyn Blin]

Post-script to this-

I found a vendor that offers rebuilds of these & offers a separate DIY kit with bearings, and both styles of carbon strips these pumps use.  After I get a chance to test their offerings, I'll post back to close out the thread.

[Gary Lewis]

[estes8693]

Gary,

Is there a post describing how to remove this system in its entirety?

Thanks.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think there is one post about removing the thermactor pump.  There are probably many posts about that subject.  Nor do we have a page on that in the documentation.  But we do have a page with illustrations and part #'s here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/thermactor-systems.html.

I'm not exactly sure why, but it isn't all that difficult to do.  But, before doing that you need to think about why the pump is there - to put air/oxygen into the catalytic converter.  So without the pump the converter(s) won't work properly and may clog.

Also, the thermactor system doesn't use enough power to make much difference, so there's not much benefit in removing it.

Anyway, you don't have a signature and didn't say what your engine is, so I'm not sure what more to say.