Schrader Spark Plug Air Pump

[zeroland]

I came across this piece of equipment listed in a 1974 'a guide to Land Rover Expeditions' book:



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

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