How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
I have a check engine light on that the code states that I have a vacuum leak to my secondary air injection system. I replaced the vacuum hoses and reset the codes and the car drove over 1500 miles before the engine light came back on with same code. I replaced the vacuum hoses with new ones and the connections seems to fit properly how to i tell that the secondary air injection pump is actual bad?
Thanks,
David A.
My car has a manual transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi David,
Generally when the secondary air pump goes bad, this will cause the motor to run rough due to the incorrect readings being generated by the oxygen sensors as well as overall lack of horsepower. This is all caused by the imbalance created by the air injection pump not inducing additional air onto the exhaust. By this not happening, this causes the oxygen sensors to read incorrect exhaust gases which then get translated to the computer as the engine needing more or less fuel. When this happens, this can cause the motor to be over or under fueled depending on the air needed in order to run properly. Ultimately, this will also cause the car to fail an emissions test as well depending on the requirements of your state. Should you need additional help in determining if your pump is bad, I would recommend having one of our certified mechanics come to your location to inspect your car.
Generally when the secondary air pump goes bad, this will cause the motor to run rough due to the incorrect readings being generated by the oxygen sensors as well as overall lack of horsepower. This is all caused by the imbalance created by the air injection pump not inducing additional air onto the exhaust. By this not happening, this causes the oxygen sensors to read incorrect exhaust gases which then get translated to the computer as the engine needing more or less fuel. When this happens, this can cause the motor to be over or under fueled depending on the air needed in order to run properly. Ultimately, this will also cause the car to fail an emissions test as well depending on the requirements of your state. Should you need additional help in determining if your pump is bad, I would recommend having one of our certified mechanics come to your location to inspect your car.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
What Happens When the Secondary Air Pump Fails? A secondary air pump failure will not be the end of the world, simply because it is not the main air intake. Of course, it can lead to power loss, idling issues, or stalling during cold starts. Pump failure will also affect the emissions output of your vehicle.
Ingress of moisture can cause damage which results in seizure of the pump. Faulty ground and voltage supply can also cause the pump to fail. Blocked or leaking lines can also cause the failure or malfunction of the control or combination valve, resulting in the failure of the secondary air system.
The system is critical to help cars achieve government emissions standards. So, the law says you need a secondary air injection system. Which begs the question: Does a car need a secondary air injection system to run? Strictly speaking, no, it doesn`t.
The secondary-air pump draws in ambient air and injects it into the exhaust manifold downstream of the exhaust valves. There is a separate integrated air filter if the air is not drawn in from the intake system but rather directly from the engine compartment.
The PCM uses the signal from the upstream oxygen sensor to detect the presence of extra air in the exhaust manifold supplied by the AIR system. The monitor usually runs on the start up of a cold engine, conditions permitting.
Secondary air injection is the most important method of reducing the high concentrations of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons during cold starting. As such it makes an essential contribution to minimising harmful substance emissions in this phase and ensuring compliance with current emissions standards.
The water that causes corrosion in the secondary air pump comes from the exhaust gas, the same water that produces steam at the tailpipe in cold weather. The device that keeps that exhaust gas and water out of the pump causes the problem that`s most commonly overlooked.
The SAIS injects oxygen-rich ambient air into the exhaust manifold downstream of exhaust valves. It does this for approximately 30 to 90 seconds to allow the engine to get to operating temperature. The SAIS then shuts off.
The basic procedure is to put solvent and compressed air into the SAI system on the top of the engine and clean the ports from the bottom until air runs freely through the passages. The supplies you will need two bottle of carburetor cleaner.
Trouble code P0411 points toward a problem involving the flow of fresh air into the engine or exhaust system in a car or truck.
Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0491 stands for “Secondary Air Injection Insufficient Flow Bank 1.” It is logged once the vehicle`s powertrain control module (PCM) perceives that there is a possible issue within the SAI system. This code is logged once the PCM determines that the secondary air flow in bank 1 is too low.
The function test for the secondary air pump can be performed when the engine is cold, as the pump will then be audible for up to 90 seconds. However, the test can also be carried out with the engine at operating temperature using a diagnostic tester or an external 12 volt voltage source.
Air quality monitoring is now more technically demanding and requires skilled support to provide high quality results. There are essentially two types of monitoring: emissions and ambient.
Although it is used every day, there is no set life expectancy for an air pump – simply stated, it lasts as long as it lasts. That could be the life of your vehicle, or it could fail prematurely.
What does the secondary air system do on my Volkswagen? The Secondary air system is an environmental component of your Volkswagen, It allows your catalytic converter to function more effeciently which will reduce the concentration of hydrocarbons escaping through your exhaust resulting in cleaner air for everyone!
A P0410 code relates to the Engine Control Module (ECM) and sets when the ECM detects that the engine oxygen sensor has not seen an increase in the oxygen level in the exhaust when the air injection system is functioning.
Engage the turning gear and bring each unit`s piston to TDC. The leakage of air can be checked from the indicator cocks of the corresponding unit. This will indicate the starting air valve which is leaking for a particular unit.
Engage the turning gear and bring each unit`s piston to TDC. The leakage of air can be checked from the indicator cocks of the corresponding unit. This will indicate the starting air valve which is leaking for a particular unit.
Engage the turning gear and bring each unit`s piston to TDC. The leakage of air can be checked from the indicator cocks of the corresponding unit. This will indicate the starting air valve which is leaking for a particular unit.
Engage the turning gear and bring each unit`s piston to TDC. The leakage of air can be checked from the indicator cocks of the corresponding unit. This will indicate the starting air valve which is leaking for a particular unit.
The basic procedure is to put solvent and compressed air into the SAI system on the top of the engine and clean the ports from the bottom until air runs freely through the passages. The supplies you will need two bottle of carburetor cleaner.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
ANSWER : Hi David,
Generally when the secondary air pump goes bad, this will cause the motor to run rough due to the incorrect readings being generated by the oxygen sensors as well as overall lack of horsepower. This is all caused by the imbalance created by the air injection pump not inducing additional air onto the exhaust. By this not happening, this causes the oxygen sensors to read incorrect exhaust gases which then get translated to the computer as the engine needing more or less fuel. When this happens, this can cause the motor to be over or under fueled depending on the air needed in order to run properly. Ultimately, this will also cause the car to fail an emissions test as well depending on the requirements of your state. Should you need additional help in determining if your pump is bad, I would recommend having one of our certified mechanics come to your location to inspect your car.
Generally when the secondary air pump goes bad, this will cause the motor to run rough due to the incorrect readings being generated by the oxygen sensors as well as overall lack of horsepower. This is all caused by the imbalance created by the air injection pump not inducing additional air onto the exhaust. By this not happening, this causes the oxygen sensors to read incorrect exhaust gases which then get translated to the computer as the engine needing more or less fuel. When this happens, this can cause the motor to be over or under fueled depending on the air needed in order to run properly. Ultimately, this will also cause the car to fail an emissions test as well depending on the requirements of your state. Should you need additional help in determining if your pump is bad, I would recommend having one of our certified mechanics come to your location to inspect your car.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
Why is my air system blowing out hot air in spurts and why is the temperature gauge nearing hot while in use?
ANSWER : This can be caused for a variety of reasons such as a malfunctioning thermostat, a radiator not flowing properly, a faulty coolant temp sensor or AC refrigerant not properly being supplied to the AC compressor. Your car’s AC system puts a heavy strain on your car’s engine when it runs as it requires a lot of power to run. When the AC compressor comes on it puts additional strain on the motor that may be already struggling to stay cool as a result of any of the issues named above. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to diagnose and repair.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
’08 Nav Needing Air Suspension Help
ANSWER : It is possible that you could have a restriction in the line that goes from the compressor to the rear air spring. This resriction would prevent the air from reaching the air spring. I would recommend dis connecting the line at the compressor and at the air bag and shooting compressed air through the line to make sure it is not restricted. If something comes out of the line, you should be able to reconnect the lines and the air suspension system should work properly again.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
Hot air mixed with cold blows from air conditioning
ANSWER : Hey there. You will most likely have to have a mechanic bypass the heater coolant lines to have this resolved. Your A/C may not be controlling the air flow inside the evaporator correctly out of the vents and may be the blend door actuator stuck in the heat position. Have the AC system diagnosed first before bypassing the heater.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
Secondary air injection
ANSWER : If you referring to Code P0411 or related codes involving just the secondary air injection system, and no other vehicle components, there is no harm in putting off the repair, excepting of course engine emissions (pollution) will be slighter higher than if the air injection system was functioning properly. No harm will come to the engine or other systems. The problem can be diagnosed and repaired using YourMechanic’s mobile service which is more economical than shop repairs. If you desire that this problem be diagnosed, and repaired as needed, by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request an air pump diagnostic/replacement and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
My car’s air conditioning/heating system only works for a brief time and blows the wrong temperature air
ANSWER : Your Villager comes equipped with either an automatic climate control system or a manual controlled climate system. The automatic controlled system uses four separate sensors and as many modules to operate. Any of these can be the source of the symptoms you are experiencing.
With your symptoms, I tend to think you have an automatic system. If this is the case, you will need a shop level scanner to access the vehicle climate control data. Without access to this data, repairing your system will be guessing.
When it comes to a manual system, it only changes in that there aren’t any sensors to allow the computer to determine what to do. The diagnosis is virtually the same. When it comes to the blower motor tuning off after ten or so minutes, this is most likely the same component that is causing the temperature settings to be incorrect.
Because of the complicated nature of these systems, I recommend having a professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, perform an inspection in order to diagnose the precise nature of the AC/heating problem.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
Diagnostic code read o2 sensor bad, replaced o2 sensor, cleared code but engine light came back on, is it caused by bad air filter
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Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
Air conditioner blows hot air on the left side and cold air on the right side
ANSWER : A common issue across many makes and models with dual AC in the temperature blend door actuator failing and causing drastic temperature differences between the driver and passengers sides. Have the HVAC system inspected by an experienced professional to find the specific cause. A certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose the AC and assist with proper repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : How do you know if your secondary air injection system is bad?
