Do Air Pumps go bad? Air Pump for 78 spider

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lola
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:23 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Spider 124

Do Air Pumps go bad? Air Pump for 78 spider

Post by lola »

Do Air Pumps go bad? I am restoring a 1978 Spider, just had the engine rebuilt, and starting to put items back together. I noticed when I picked up the air pump debris started falling out, it looked like light brown wood dust. I thought it might be easier just to buy a replacement but I cannot find any....Does anyone have suggestions on where to purchase a replacement? or an alternative?
18Fiatsandcounting
Posts: 3798
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:23 pm
Your car is a: 1969 and 1971 124 spiders
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Do Air Pumps go bad? Air Pump for 78 spider

Post by 18Fiatsandcounting »

lola wrote:Do Air Pumps go bad?
Yes, frequently. They are a weak point in the whole smog system, and finding a good smog (air) pump can be a challenge. Most people just remove them when they stop working, unless you live in a state that requires them in order to pass the smog check.

Try fiatplus.com Their listing shows the air pumps as out of stock but they can get one in a few days. Not cheap, though.

Also, I've taken one apart, and it doesn't look like it would be too hard to clean it up, makes sure the vanes are moving freely, and lubricate what you can.

-Bryan
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