Second failing air pump... (sound clip included)
 

This is the second pump to start doing this--first one was replaced by dealer. Does yours sound like this? Also, note the horrible spin down sound @ 1:05.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPhX638aNLU

My concern is should I bother to get this fixed as I am out of warranty? I don't need to pass emissions so if I could chunk it, I'd be fine with that--BUT will losing the air pump cause an early catalytic converter failure?

I'm always embarrassed on cold startups...

FS

Dude that sounds bad. What steps have you told the dealer?

you should tell everyone you had a jet engine installed.

Yes!
The air pump promotes earlier light-off of the catalytic converter and earlier combustion of Hydrocarbons and Carbon Monoxide.

Its not bad. It still funtions just makes noise.

Goes away after warm up, right?

Talk to someone who's going Turbo. They usually pull off the airpumps.

Bad luck that you've had two of them go bad, though. Just for fun, check the voltage going to the airpump - vague possibility that something is burning up the motors. An even more vague possibility is that the outlet of the pump / tube to manifold, is somehow restricted.

G'luck.

This is what I was worried about. Seems like it's the same reason why all my 7s have air pumps--that's why none of my 7s have a cat :) However, I want to keep the 8 as stock as possible. Is there any way this issue could be fixed w/o buying a new pump? Or how much will one set me back?

Razz1: The noise does go away after warm-up, but the embarrassment is forever. :(

FS

I don't have the PDFs handy, but is there a blown up image of the air pump and it's workings?

^ Fullsmoke,

The Service Manual has a section on testing the secondary air solenoid valve and the airpump.

PM'd.

Sounds awesome! I would so keep it and say "I just put a special motor".

^:rofl: no!

Aaagh!!! Kill it!!! Put it out of its misery!!!

I had an airpump sound similar and it was close to failure. I had it replaced but since I have the accessport the airpump CEL is removed. I ended up removing it. Last thing I want is an electric motor seizing under my hood and causing a fire.

You can easily remove it and then seal up the vaccum source.

Thanks! I'll get to checking that when I get some free time.

FS

Tell me this. Why would you remove it? why?

Yeah I personally think it sounds bad ass.

In my case, the purpose of the air pump is to bring the cat up to temperature faster for emissions purposes. I don't have a cat so technically it's totally useless. It's another electric item that can fail and removing it frees up room under the hood for more important things.