So after parking my car, I heard a strange loud noise In my engine bay. I turned off my car, and still heard the noise. I opened up the hood and found the air pump was making a loud noise similar to a running car. I disconnected the pump, and the sound stopped. No Check engine lights while pump is connected. Am I correct in assuming that the pump has gone bad and needs replacing? Anyone have a source for one that doesn't cost an arm, a leg, and a second student loan?

Thanks,
Kolme

Edit: Can someone move this to troubleshooting. Trying to use the iphone app and failed to place this in the correct thread.

 

I guess the relay in the RCM has stuck and the pump continues. Did you have the ignition completely OFF?

 

Hey onehundred80,

Yes the ignition is 100% off and key is removed. I have the pump connected right now and its making a lot of noise. It's a bit cyclic (up and down). And as I write this I am disconnecting it again because it is becoming hot.

 

I agree with 180, the relay is stuck connected. Pop the RCM out, Take the board out, take pics of the relay on the end (big orange 40A side). Report back. Maybe even see if you can un-stick it and if it flips back to closed or stays open.

 

Do not let it run a long time as that part is expensive to replace.
Your problem probably lies in the relay control module - RCM. See this post for details of opening the RCM.
See this post for location of relay which has probably had the contacts stick together.

 

Onehundred80 and sk8terjosh9,

Thanks for y'all's advice, I'll go pop out the RCM and take some pictures and see if it looks Burnt or if the contacts are remaining connected.

(Ps thanks for that link onehundred, I've never had to open the RCM, so that is very helpful)

Kolme

 

Hey guys. Update-

Here are some pics of the air pump relay disconnected and exposed. Fairly scorched and evidence of sparking was obvious on the bottom cover holding it.

 

Did a good clean of the relay using toothpicks and kleenex. Then with a rough edge file, I slightly reduced a small extrusion from the moving pin which was just barely making a complete circuit (it looked like the equivalent of a bone spur in humans). Put it all back together and reconnected. Happy to say that the air pump is not coming on while the car is off, and there is no check Engine light. So far, it seems to have been a success. (Pending that the air pump still comes on when it should.. Which I'm not sure how I will be able to tell that lol)

Thanks for the help guys! This made my sad day into a glad day.

Kolme

Thumb of approval.

 

The air pump should run for about 20-30 seconds on a cold engine start.

 

Ok this is what I was thinking lol (knew it had to do with warming up the manifold). Unfortunately the car is still toasty. I'll pray that it works later.

Thanks ala_xfire

Kolme

 

If it doesn't you'll get a CEL for P0410. No big deal. How did the solder joints look on the other side of the board?

 

Nope CEL . They didn't look too bad, still made full contact. Hopefully I won't have to do the RCM mystery fix... The skreem module has been all the mystery I ever wanted haha.

 

If you do get a CEL it wont be until a cold startup since that's when it monitors the secondary air injection, pre-heating the cat's. That's good that the contacts were touched up, they're so finicky.

 

Well poo, I did get a CEL today but not even during the initial cold start. It was about 10 minutes later. I guess I need to replace the relay altogether... How or who can do this form me?

I remember tighed once did RCM Fix and swaps for the cost of mats and shipping.

Kolme

 

When the contacts are burnt then the relay is ruined. The contacts need to be domed and highly polished, scratching them with a file does not do the trick at all.
Ala_xfire has replaced a burnt relay before and they can be purchased for about $3.50 or so with a minimum purchase of about $20.
The replacement details are in a link I did earlier in this thread.

Do not let the pump run all the time as it will burn out and cost you BIG bucks to replace.

 

Thanks for the reply onehundred, I'll check out his replacement of the relay on that thread. And the pump seems to be staying in "off" now, likely due to the relay not making a good full conduction.

Kolme

 

Btw onehundred,

Is it ok to drive the car while the pump isn't working? It's my only car at the moment.

 

It is fine to drive as long as it is disconnected and not working.

 

Replacing the relay without destroying the printed circuit board is not easy, I just got lucky the one time I did it.
I would leave this to an expert like tighed1 if I were you. ( unless you are also an electronics expert )

 

Thanks for the reply ala-Xfire.

I am definitely not that last part lol. I think I'll contact tighed and see if he would be willing to help me out. Thanks for that heads up ala_xfire

Kolme