Working on the Eldorado

I read somewhere online that the A.I.R. pump is also referred to as a 'smog pump'.

Yesterday morning was quite lovely - partly cloudy and mild temperature. I would have liked to be driving the Eldorado rather than working on it, but I needed to get the new parts in.

I spent a few hours on Thanksgiving and Friday pulling the smog pump and the water pump. Here is a photo of the old and new parts. Fascinating, huh?



As usual, these projects take a lot longer than I expected: what I think is gonna be difficult isn't too hard and I get frustrated over the most unexpected things. In this case, getting the pumps & pulleys unbolted was fairly easy - actually getting them out of the engine compartment was a pain. There just isn't much space between the engine and radiator and there are air-conditioning and gas lines cluttering up the space. I probably should have taken off the alternator to give myself some room.

Also, getting the lower radiator hose off the water pump was a pain. I decided to replace it which necessitated a trip to NAPA. I got that plus some other stuff - I need to change the oil, too, so I picked up a filter and quarts of oil. And a new headlight bulb for Marcia's Bug...

Okay, I got the new parts in and torqued the water pump to spec. There is one bolt that is not tightening completely, though it is snug, so I think some of the threads might be stripped. I'll have to buy a new bolt and see if that works. Luckily, this bolt is right at the top of the pump so it doesn't go directly into the engine block. It attaches to a flange at the top of the engine, right under the A/C compressor, so if I can't get it tightened properly then I think I can put a nut on the other side of the flange to get it tight.

Another complication was that I lost the washer to one of the bolts holding the smog pump on so that meant a trip to Ace Hardware for a 19-cent washer.

I was hoping to get the new belts on, but it started raining yesterday afternoon and it was getting late. So, hopefully I'll get that done next weekend and get the Caddy cranked up. Then change the oil.

On a side note, the cat really appreciates the Caddy. Ever since I brought it home, her favorite vantage point is from the top of the convertible, and she quite resents it when I have to kick her off. Here is a photo of the kitty on the Cat-illac:

Smoke

I was gonna drive the Caddy to run some errands on Saturday morning. Of course, I took some time to check the various fluid levels since I hadn't driven it in a while. Everything looked fine.

Shortly after cranking it, I heard screeching sounds coming from the front and smoke started pouring from under the hood. I shut it down and opened the hood and found a broken drive belt.

It looks like what has happened is the Air Pump seized, causing the belt to grind against the pulley, overheat, and snap.

The air pump is part of the emissions control system. It pumps air into the exhaust port of each cylinder to help oxidize any unburned hydrocarbons. It also heats air before it goes into the carburetor. That belt also drives the water pump.

So, it looks like I need to replace the air pump, which isn't too, too pricey - about $100 for the part. The bummer is that I believe the belts were all pretty new and I hadn't planned on replacing them anytime soon, but since I have to replace one, I should replace them all.

Also, as I've mentioned before, for such a large car it is pretty tight under the hood. There isn't much room between the radiator and the front of the engine, so it is gonna be a pain to replace that pump.

Since I'm gonna be under there, I am wondering if I should replace the water pump. It seems to be working okay, but its not that expensive (about $50) and I really don't want to have to get back in there in 6 months if it goes bad.

Anyway, I guess I need to go ahead and order the parts and try to find a free weekend to put in the new parts. Sadly, it looks like I won't be driving the Eldorado for a while...