Hi, all! My first post here and I'm no mechanic -- so go easy on me!

Basically, I have a friend from church that is having some problems with her 1989 Econovan 150 5.0L. She is permanently wheelchair bound and this is her only vehicle (and has a chair lift for her) -- she is in her 60s and has no income outside of Social Security, so not a lot of spending money here. After just having spent all she had on some unrelated repair recently, it appears that she's having bearing issues with her smog pump. I'm looking for a cheap solution here. Basically, here's my thoughts/questions:

1. Is the Econovan 150 with a 5.0L the same as the F150 with a 5.0L? Basically, same engine so anything that would work for the F150 should work for the Econovan 150?

2. I believe that I can just bypass the smog pump with a shorter belt. Is that correct and should that work as a long-term solution? Note that we do not have inspections here in Michigan -- she seems willing to not worry about it and go with that if it would work. Again, she simply can't afford the new pump right now.

3. Anyone have the length for that belt? I can do the string-measurement thing, but it would be great if someone just had the measurement. It's quite a trip out to her mobile home -- so I'd rather not have to go just to do the measurement and then go all the way back to town to buy the belt and then back out again. If someone has the right belt number and/or length, that would be so much easier.

Thanks very much!

- John...

 

u can go to a junkyard n grab on off a 5.0 truck or van for dirt cheap just ask the yard b4 u take it how much it will be. they are strait forward n easy to replace. i wouldnt recoment taking it off and doin away with it

 

Thanks, but we're in small-town middle-of-Michigan here. The latest "junkyard" where I could actually go and do that would be a 3+ hour roundtrip. That just isn't a good option for me, but thanks.

- John...

 

check ur local craigslist for people parting out trucks and vans u never know what ull find

 

Yes, thank you, I know that I can try to find a replacement part. But that might not be an option for a while if one doesn't happen to show up on Craigslist -- and I'd like for this lady in a wheelchair to actually be able to drive around sometime within the next week or so. So, for now, I think I'll stick to trying to find the proper belt as at least a temporary workaround instead of telling her that she has to wait until the right offer shows up on Craigslist...

But, again, thanks anyway.

- John...

 

How do you know it is the air pump? If it is seized, you can free it up with PB blaster and a little bit of time.

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/766465

 

An actual mechanic looked at it and told her that was the problem. She just didn't have the money to make the repair.

Plus, come on, let's be realistic here... Just because one guy was able to fix a smog pump with a hammer and some spray doesn't mean it is a good solution.

Also, this wasn't sitting for a long time. It was working one day and then not the next. If it seized up that quickly, then it is likely a bigger problem than just being sticky...

- John...

 

MANY MANY people have used this method with success, including myself. Also, don't take a mechanic's word for it, pull the serpentine belt off and see if the smog pump spins by hand. If it does, then that mechanic is wrong and there is nothing wrong with the smog pump.

It doesn't matter if the van has been sitting or not, a seized smog pump is a seized smog pump. Besides, you said money is an issue here so why not take the cheapest route to try and fix it? Removing the smog pump is something that will cause all kinds of problems down the line, that are much more costly repairs...not to mention it against FEDERAL law, regardless of the state you live in.

 

Hello, in a similar, but unrelated vein, I once had a sweet 84 150, 4.9, that I gave up because the jackwad who owned it before me had torn out all the smog related components. Christine Whitman was running for governer of Jersey, (and won) and one of her big points was vehicle compliance in regards to emissions. Looking back, I should have kept it and fixed it, but I was talked into buying a 250 that couldn't keep either the crank case or the fuel tank full. (perpetual rear main seal failure.)(351) Enviromentally, the 150 was probably better, but hind-sight is always 20/20. Oh well. Good luck with the pump jgoggan. Peace, Dave.

 

Link>>> http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/...ad.php?t=44759

 

Without a smog pump the stock cats will plug up. Pull out your sawzall or your pbblaster!