Schrader Spark Plug Air Pump

[zeroland]

I came across this piece of equipment listed in a 1974 'a guide to Land Rover Expeditions (http://overland-live.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/guide-to-land-rover-expeditions-1974.html)' book:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/507.jpg

I guess the concept did not last the test of time - it certainly looked good on paper!

You can read more here: Overland Live Blog (http://overland-live.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/schrader-spark-plug-air-pump.html)

Ebay UK even has a few listed for sale! It's a good thing I drive a diesel and don't have to worry about removing spark plugs to inflate my tires...

I wonder if we will look back to 2012 and laugh at the equipment we carried!

[Tank]

I had one and it worked well for years, but that was when spark plugs were easy to get at, not like today where you need to remove 3 feet of plastic just to find the motor, don't knock it if you haven't tried it, Regards Frank.

[JDNSW]

They work OK, but pretty slow. Used one for years in the sixties. More or less disappeared as cheap battery operated compressors appeared in about the 1970s. Probably also their disappearance was helped by the improved reliability of tyres, and as increasing prosperity led to fewer people travelling on dodgy tyres.

John

[THE BOOGER]

Had one as well bit noisy lasted until the rubber hose crumbled:)

[101RRS]

I had one as well - hoses and insides of tyres perished really quickly due to petrol in the system.

I used it on a Suzuki Sierra - was awkward to use on a hot engine - burnie, burnie

Garry

[p38arover]

I have one out in the garage.

[Tank]

I had one as well - hoses and insides of tyres perished really quickly due to petrol in the system.

I used it on a Suzuki Sierra - was awkward to use on a hot engine - burnie, burnie

Garry
Garry, I dont know what type you had, but the one that I had used the compressed air from the spark plug hole to operate a valve that sucked in fresh air and pumped it into the tyre, no air/fuel mixture was pumped into the tyre on the one I had, i also used to pump up air beds with them, Regards Frank.

[Davo]

I used to use one in my Landie when it had a Holden engine, but these days it's just easier to get an electric pump or even an Endless Air type of thing.

[gromit]

There's one in the underseat toolbox of my Series 1, came with the vehicle.

I haven't tried it but I always wondered whether petrol fumes in the inner tubes was a good idea.....


Colin

[JDNSW]

There's one in the underseat toolbox of my Series 1, came with the vehicle.

I haven't tried it but I always wondered whether petrol fumes in the inner tubes was a good idea.....


Colin

Petrol fumes are not a good idea for the tubes, but if you think about it - engine idling, throttle closed - not much mixture getting to the cylinder you are using since there is a valve on the pump that lets air in, reducing the vacuum, and in fact, some of the air from there is going to be travelling backwards through the intake port due to the higher vacuum from the other cylinders (if you rev up a bit some petrol is more likely to get in as the vacuum decreases, but still would be very little, if any).

Where there would be a problem is if you have rings or valve stem seals letting oil in - that will get into your tubes.

John

[p38arover]

I suspect that fuel getting into the hoses may be a problem with EFI engines.

[austastar]

Hi,
in 1975 I liked the idea, but didn't need the flapper valve to let air in.
I was doing the 'big lap' on a BMW motorcycle which had easily accessible spark plugs, fuel taps and carby float bowls.

With an old spark plug and a hammer to break the ceramics away, I soon had a thread to fit.
This was lead soldered into a piece of solid brass rod with a hole drilled up the centre.
In the hole was a spring and a ball bearing to make a one way valve from the remains of the spark plug.
The other end of the brass rod was turned down to fit an air line just long enough to reach the rear wheel valve in the forward position.
To use:
Remove one plug, turn off fuel, remove carby bowl from the same side carby.
Screw in pump, attach airline to valve stem and start motor.

I could pump a standard holden 13" wheel from flat to 35psi in less than 15 seconds.
With no fuel on that cylinder, fuel contamination of the tube was not a problem.

Carried it for over 250,000km and never had a puncture.

Best thing I ever made.

cheers

[Tank]

John, the one that I had did not use air drawn into the engines cylinder, it drew air from the out side into a pump actuated by cylinder pressure from the engine. As it was also suitable for pumping up air beds I douubt (even back in the 70's or whatever) the powers that be would allow air beds to be filled with Carbon Monoxide, I still have it somewhere, I remember it was Australian made, was noisy and slow, I'll see if I can find and post a pic, Regards Frank.

[bee utey]

I suspect that fuel getting into the hoses may be a problem with EFI engines.

On an older EFI you could just disconnect that cylinder's injector plug.

My brother had a Schrader pump in the 70's, it was used a few times on his 186 panel van and no fuel made it into the tyre. You could breathe the air being blown out of the pump.

[scarry]

The old man had onefor years.It was always kept under the seat in the S1.

[p38arover]

On an older EFI you could just disconnect that cylinder's injector plug.

I'd have to ensure the injected LPG was off, too. :D

[harry]

i had one of those, still got it somewhere,

piece of ****.

[33chinacars]

Had one for the Grey Fergy too

Gary

[digger]

I dont know the brand but I have one (with spare extention and an adapter for size fitting) in "hans" (my S3) toolbox now..

It is pictured in this pile of gear from the car when I got it... (about the only thing safe enough to keep! :0 )

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/461.jpg


(and the extention is just near it there) :)

[101 Ron]

The ones I had were not slow, in fact they were quick.

On my old side valve jeep a shifter on a spark plug was very easy and the diecast pump is a easy hand tight fit in the plug hole.
most people do not understand how it works.
fuel vapour being pumped in the tyres is a load of bull.
A one way rubber valve on the adaptor draws its pumping air from out side the motor and the fact the cylinder it is fitted to is filled with air out the engine means the cylinder cannot fill with fuel vapour as the inlet manifold usually has a vacuum or other wise the carby wouldnt work.
The motor ran rough on three jugs and needed about 1000rpm to run well with the air pump.
If you wanted to pump up your tyres quicker you just rev the motor harder.
It was noisey in operation but not too much so.
On my TDI 300 defender I was seriously think making a pump for air by using the same idea but leaving it permantly connected to a glow plug hole and have a soleniod to switch it on and off from the cabin.
the TDI doesnt need all its glow plugs to start in this country.
It is simple and will be reinvented one day for diesels.

[mick88]

They were a good thing, especially before these 12 volt portable compressors were about.
A bloody lot easier than pumping up a tire by hand....even if you had one of the fancy Rega hand pumps.

Cheers, Mick.

[123rover50]

The ones I had were not slow, in fact they were quick.

On my old side valve jeep a shifter on a spark plug was very easy and the diecast pump is a easy hand tight fit in the plug hole.
most people do not understand how it works.
fuel vapour being pumped in the tyres is a load of bull.
A one way rubber valve on the adaptor draws its pumping air from out side the motor and the fact the cylinder it is fitted to is filled with air out the engine means the cylinder cannot fill with fuel vapour as the inlet manifold usually has a vacuum or other wise the carby wouldnt work.
The motor ran rough on three jugs and needed about 1000rpm to run well with the air pump.
If you wanted to pump up your tyres quicker you just rev the motor harder.
It was noisey in operation but not too much so.
On my TDI 300 defender I was seriously think making a pump for air by using the same idea but leaving it permantly connected to a glow plug hole and have a soleniod to switch it on and off from the cabin.
the TDI doesnt need all its glow plugs to start in this country.
It is simple and will be reinvented one day for diesels.

Quite true with the petrol, no vacuum, no fuel.
But with the TDI fuel will be injected into the pot anyway, washing lube off the walls etc. Dont know how to get around that one.

[austastar]

Hi,
I wonder if any manufacture will ever build it into the engine head/block?

Should be easy enough, the electronics could surely switch one injector off while opening a solenoid in the air line for pumping.

Or am I dreaming?

cheers

[JDNSW]

Hi,
I wonder if any manufacture will ever build it into the engine head/block?

Should be easy enough, the electronics could surely switch one injector off while opening a solenoid in the air line for pumping.

Or am I dreaming?

cheers

I think you are. The proportion of buyers who would value this sort of extra is almost certainly so small that it is not worth the manufacturer doing it. The technology exists - there have been several recent cars that shut off one or more cylinders when operating at low power - it would be simple to add this sort of feature. But don't hold your breath!

John

[scarry]

Found this recently among some family pics.
My father pumping up a tyre West African style around 1960,using a sparkplug pump

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/12178857/640/12178857.jpg (http://picturepush.com/public/12178857)

[101 Ron]

The idea goes back along way.
In the 1920s very large petrol engined trucks, the first with air brakes, did not use a air compressor.
They used a threaded hole in the top of the cylinder head with a check valve and a pipe going back to the main air tank and the system must have worked well, as engine driven compressors were not common until much later.

[roverrescue]

paul,
That is such an iconic image
Thank you for sharing it.
Steve

[zeroland]

Wow, that's a great photo to find. Your father must have a few stories to tell.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[scarry]

Wow, that's a great photo to find. Your father must have a few stories to tell.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

He has been gone a good few yrs now,went too young.

I can't remember the stories as i was young when he went.

Have found a heap of old photos,should actually do a thread with them.

Gradually getting them sorted and scanned.

There are many with the S1 in them.My mother is still here,but age has caught up with her memory,i only seem to get vague answers about the pics these days.

I now think that pic was probably late fifties,say '58,or'59.

Back to the spark plug pump,i remember him using it on Fraser island in the late sixties,early seventies