Ok so I wanted to have plenty of time to test this out before I reported that this can be done. So last year I had some engine noise that was bothering me (as should any engine noise). The noise was occurring before the engine was at operating temp and sounded like this knock noise After visiting the dealer and them telling me that it is the brake vacuum pump and is in fact normal I did some research. There is a service bulletin on this issue. It sates that if the customer complains of a knocking noise coming from the valve cover the service tech should remove the brake vacuum line from the pump while the engine is running. If the noise goes away tell the customer that the noise is normal. I am not kidding about that last part. I then found that there have been instances of broken cams as a result of a seizing vacuum pump. These are few and far between but it still freaked me out. I then decided to remove the pump and use the engine vacuum at idle with an electric assist. I first machined out a cover that fit perfectly where the pump bolts to the head making sure that the machine fit was tight enough to block the oil supply port that went to the pump previously. This port only supplies the pump then exits into the cam valley. I then made some plugs similar to a boost adapter one with 1/8 NPT and the other with a 3/8 hose barb to fit in the intake and valve cover. I used brass check valves compatible with oil to withstand 1000psi and with a cracking pressure as low as possible for the intake plug to go to the electric pump, brake booster, and wastegate accumulator tank. I lastly used a Hella vacuum pump that is used on VWs and Audis in this exact configuration with a pressure transducer to tell the pump to turn on if the pressure went above -17inhg. The brake booster doesn't need quite that much vacuum but this system also controls the wastegate. I have been using this setup for 6 months with no issues what so ever. The vacuum pump runs initialy on start up an in short intervals while driving to maintain vacuum in the accumulator for the wastegate controller. Keep in mind that almost every time the brakes are being used the engine is either on decel or at idle and producing the max vacuum about 19inhg. See attached photos. While I was installing the block off plate I found the source of the noise. It is a coupler that joins the camshaft to the vacuum pump. After finding this I think the coupler probably wouldn't be very likely to fail but I still didn't like it so I continued with the modification. I know it may be a lot of work for a little noise but I love this car and want to make it last so If I can eliminate a possible fail point I will. Sorry about the run on sentences I am bad about that.

 

Here are some other pictures of my PCV adapters and vacuum pump placement in the last photo next to the coolant tank. Please feel free to ask questions/criticize me/tell me Im dumb I wont get my feelings hurt. I was going for functionality not pretty by the way.

 

That's due to poor engine oil changes and not completely them frequently enough. The vacuum pump seizes due to bearing failure, which locks the pump, snaps the camshaft sprocket off, which in turn grenades the engines due to out-of-sequence engine time failure.

...Except if you're trail braking around a road course circuit...

Interesting retrofit; what was the total "cost" (including labor to machine and fit the block plate) for parts and materials?

- Erik

 

My major motivation for this project was the horrendous noise. I will have to figure out how to upload the before and after video clips. It sounded just like the video link in my original post and now that I have completed the project the knock noise is completely gone. I listen to my engine very closely every time I drive from the time it starts till shut down. I prefer the engine over the radio any day. I just wanted to eliminate that possibly harmless knock so it didn't drown out a possibly critical noise that I otherwise would not hear.

Even in this case the electric pump would compensate or make up the difference. Early on in the project I ran the electric pump for a day and it worked perfectly but the pump generated a lot of heat. I figured the life of the pump would be too short and I wanted a backup anyway I.E. the engine vacuum. If the engine quits you have backup vacuum from the electric pump conversely where you would not have this with the cam driven pump.


I did all the machining myself with scrap aluminum. There were 3 check valves at $11 each and $15 of misc hardware. The vacuum pump was $30 used on eBay came from a VW Jetta. I forgot to mention that I also installed an aluminum vacuum accumulator tank to help lessen the duty on the electric pump. This was a JT 20oz Co2 tank from Walmart for $25 that I modified to accept a 3/8 npt. I am guessing the total cost would be somewhere around the price of a new OEM vacuum pump haha.

I had fun with it and In my mind the car is a bit safer and I have relieved some strain from the cam drive system even though its minimal. I bet I also gained a Tenth of a horsepower or so but if you consider "conservation of energy" its about even because of the added electric strain.

I am not sure of the added weight, probably a pound or so. The electric pump weighs 2 lbs and the block off plate + plumbing probably weighs 2 lbs or so. I am not sure of the weight of the original pump but I remember it was heavy. There are a lot of thick steel parts in the coupler and pump internals.

 

11667556919 Vacuum pump $391.23

Ok I bet labor to machine these parts would not be $290 but it depends on if you your connections.

 

Depends, getting even a +/- 0.020 tolerance on a CNC mill can run up a heafty bill quickly.

- Erik

 

Yes CNC is expensive. These parts I machined were very easy to make and the only real precision that was needed was on the puck that fits into the head. This needed to be a machine fit to ensure that the oil passage was blocked properly. I actually made this slightly tighter than the original pump to make sure it sealed properly. I wasn't worried about expansion rate damage because the head and block off plate are both aluminum. I am not sure what the difference in expansion of cast Vs extruded aluminum would be though. I bet I only had 3.5 hours into making these with my limited machining experience. I have only had minimal operational instruction on a lathe so most of my know how has been learned by playing with the lathe.

 

Maybe 20 years ago....

 

Guess all depends on what's expensive for individuals... ya'?
I know that running the mill out at my work can be billable up to $120/hr in some cases.

- Erik

 

Necrobump

Pump is 11667556919

I found a pump by Pierburg for $220. I cant find much bad about them, they may even be an OEM manufacturer. Any reason I shouldn't buy this pump?

 

I think that Pierburg is the manufacturer of the OEM pump. That's a good price. My issue is that my pump wasn't actually bad it, the coupler made noise that I couldn't get rid of. I thought that if I got a new pump it would just start making noise after a few thousand miles again and I would be right back where I started.

 

Ok so can we hear another video with your delete kit in place?..
want to hear the fruit of you labor please

 

Aftermarket electric pumps?

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performan...FUqY4Aod6GoAGA

We've used this one on some past Electric vehicle builds..

 

Ill look for the before and after video on my computer at home. When I had the PCV delete you could open oil cap on the valve cover and it sounded like someone was hammering on the head inside. Absolutely horrendous.... I ment to upload these a long time ago but I have built a new house/moved in December last year and my wife had a baby this January so I haven't been keeping up on here lately.

 

Ok, so I found the before and after and uploaded them to YouTube. Both of these were taken just after the engine was started when it was cold as this is when the knock occurs. I was able to remove the engine oil cap because I had the PCV delete in place at the time.

Enjoy

Before
after....

 

Can anyone confirm that a new pump will make these noises shortly after installation, or is a sign that the pump is wearing out and wont occur until then (10's of thousands of miles)?

 

Well done ECS Tuning, well done

ECS just added this pump onto their website at $213 preshipped

 

As far as the new pump making noise again in a few miles who knows. To be clear I found it is not the pump its self making the noise, but the coupler between the pump and cam. As far as I know the coupler is not the part that fails, it is the pump its self. I just couldn't stand letting the noise continue knowing I could do something about it. I have read some posts talking about oil leaking from the pump. I could see that as an early warning sign but who knows on that either. If I were going to rely on the OEM pump setup I would probably just replace it every 50,000 miles or so to be safe along with the thermostat housing and change the spark plugs every 25,000. Mine was leaking oil when I removed it although it was just wicking and not dripping. When I worked as a tech at a ford dealer I was told by a senior mechanic that unless it is dripping on the ground its not a leak. Absurd in my mind..... I think that if you get an oily mess on you when you touch it it's a leak.

 

Mine does the exact same thing. Any interest in making another kit?

 

Resurrecting this dead tread as this explains the ticking noise I've been worried about. Also as I'm chasing a possible vacuum issue, it was very informative.

 

check around your meth nozzle. I actually have to replace that whole tube since that's where my leak is. not looking forward to it either

You should probably change your sig pic too, since I have your wheels. lol

 

It's a shame someone can't make up a coupler/sheer pin assy so when the pump fails, it does not take out the cam/timing assy.

 

Any thoughts on how to eliminate the noise with original pump? Even though it can comeback? I just changed the pump and nothing changed...

Is it possible to change the coupler for instance?

 

What noise? Are you saying that your original vacuum pump made noise and that you replaced it with a new one and the noise is still there?

 

yes, I am sure it's this noise but as said in the topic it's the coupler and not the pump...