Hey guys, this happened early october, but i haven't been back to work on my car.. i though it was the water pump at first, but i was researching a bit more today, i think i may have found the solution:

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"Well that didn't take very long...

I was driving back from salina and made it to about 5 miles from my house. Cruising down the highway about 65 or so, barely on the throttle. All hell breaks loose and every just about every single light on the dash lights up and i here a repeating squeeling noise. It almost sounded like a buzzer, but a very very bad buzzer. All of my gauges are fine. Temp is normal, gas is normal, oil pressure is good. I immediately push in the clutch, take it out of gear, and pull over to the side of the road and shut it off

I get a tow back home and now i'm already ripping apart the engine bay. I thought it might be the alternator because the entire accessory belt freezes when it squeels. Had alternator tested, it's still good. Hmm.. Airpump pully spins fine... water pump pulley... has alot of resistance to it.. And makes a bad noise when you spin it 1 direction.

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So, after reading a couple posts today, i read something about a guy's AIRPUMP seizing and causing his pullies to stop rotating, and a loud screeching noise. Sounds very familiar.

Anyway, can i simply unplug the airpump for the time being? I understand the negative effects it has if you aren't running a downpipe or midpipe. I just want to know if it is ok to drive with the airpump still attached (possibly seized), but not plugged in.

Thank you

 

Hmmm If I'm not mistaken, the air pump is used to route air into the catalytic converter to aid is emmissions removal........... It should be fine ... at least I don't see why it would be bad ... anyone else??? Are you sure it is that air pump? You said that your water pump makes noises... could that be siezed? If you are looking for an air pump I am selling one off my car ... 25US +shipping ran great until I took it off
Thanks
Edwin

 

If the air pump itself is seized then unplugging it will ensure that the clutch cannot turn on and the pulley will merely spin when the engine is running (just like the ac compressor). Don't know if that will upset anything in the ecu though.

 

this is what I did for a few months after mine died until I got a used one. I had no problems running the car like this.

 

I don't see any problems with driving with the airpump unplugged short term. I would, however, get right on the stick and buy a used one off somebody - should be able to pick one up pretty cheap and easy.

Dale

 

With the airpump stopped, you might have some idling problems on the stock ECU. You may need to raise the idle to around 1000 rpms to keep it stable.

 

I unplugged my airpump within a month of buying my FD -- it wasnt seized but if I left it pluged in it would make a loud droning sound until it disengaged -- I felt like Iwas driving a diesel.

The car runs slightly richer as the airpump feeds air to the cat AND the ACV until about 3800rpm. This is why Mahjik suggests upping the idle to 1k to smooth it out. With mine disabled and the idle left alone it runs rough (misses) when cold but idles smooth when warm. Sometimes it will seek 1-200rpm when going from nuetral to in-gear. Upping the idle should fix that if you suffer from it.

~Kris

 

LOL. You brought me right back.
I freaked when my air pump seized. The squeeling..........the lights..........jesus.
I bought mine used online. Let me see if I can find the link again.

 

I'm sorry, my old thread is not showing up on any of my searches.
Someone posted a link to where you could get rebuilt one's online.............the were priced reasonably too.
Someone here probably knows where.

 

Thanks for all of the quick replies. I suppose it would help if i listed my mods. BTW, i bought the car with these mods on it

Pettit Unlimited CA(in a non CA car) ECU
HKS Intake
PFS Downpipe & Catback
Blitz Power iD and SBC iD

Oh, and i have an OEM waterpump sitting at home, because i thought that was the original problem, i'll probably go ahead and replace it anyways. Cause if it ain't broke, it will be shortly.

 

I'm about to remove mine. I just need the pulley kit for it.

 

Couldnt you just get a smaller belt from Autozone?

~Kris

 

Welp, i fixed it. Chalk another one up to a shitty air pump. I left it unplugged for the time being.

I went ahead and replaced the water pump as well, because the old one was off anyways. I used the OEM $$$ mazda sealant and gasket. It went back together pretty smoothly considering i tore it apart a month ago and wasn't paying attention. Alternator was kind of a bitch to get back in at the right angle though.

Filled it up w/ coolant and burped it. Idle was pretty rough when i first started it up, but i attribute that to it sitting for so long. So far so good i guess.

 

sorry to jack your thread, my air pump is making a loud ticking sound(quite loud and embarrassing). When i unplug it, ticking stops. Ticking seems to be getting progressively worse. I think my air pump is done.

Anyone else experience this ticking sound?

 

Gopherhog, good choice going with the Mazda sealant -- Their techs seem to live my that stuff, especially their rotary specialists.

I experianced a hellish time with the alt as well, I eventually just beat it in with a rubber mallot -- it was late, I was annoyed and wanted to drive to work that morning. :/

~Kris