Topic: Thermactor air pump date code

[preaction]

Are there dates for the air pump ? Was the same pump used for small and big blocks, just different pulley diameters ?

[Bob Gaines]

Are there dates for the air pump ? Was the same pump used for small and big blocks, just different pulley diameters ?

Yes on date codes. It depends on year and application. Early style pump is basically the same but with different ports on the back (back plate)depending on BB or smallblock application 68-70 more universal.

[preaction]

Bob how does this read out ? More importantly is this the date.

[Bob Gaines]

Bob how does this read out ? More importantly is this the date.

Sorry, I am out of town and am having a difficult time reading with my I phone. Maybe Jeff S can take over.

[preaction]

Don't sweat it Bob its not that important just a learning curve for me, enjoy your weekend.

[travnemi]

Hey there,

I believe the date is in the Circle pie looking casting stamp. The second photo is the model of the air pump.
Two hose fittings on the back is for Small Block, three are for BB.

A little off subject, does anyone have a part number for the Smog pump belt?

Travis

[preaction]

Hey Travis, some of the pics you posted of your pump would have shown the numbers in my pic but didn't seem to be there so I asked. Kevin Marti is where I got my belts yours would be different because of no air.

[J_Speegle]

Two hose fittings on the back is for Small Block, three are for BB.

Well sort of - at least that is the way it was planned. Would say that on about 15% of the original systems I've seen on small blocks in 66-67 the three ports on the back were used with one capped off.  So IMHO not real unusual to find that way.

A little off subject, does anyone have a part number for the Smog pump belt?

From the other thread - if someone does a search and comes up with this one - C5TE-8620-L is what your looking for 36 1/4" x 1/2

[preaction]

So would the number stamped on the pump in my pic be a serial number ?

[mistabreez]

The stamped number on your pump I believe is the assembly date using the Julian calender.  Most of the 1966-mid 1967 pumps were stamped this way from the ones I have seen. Yours translates to the 34th day of 1967,  1st shift or February 3,  1967.  This should somewhat correspond to the casting dates of the pump housing and the rear plate.

C.J.
 

[preaction]

Thanks CJ, I have seen a couple of these and thought it was a date but because of the small number of them around there's not much info.

[Engineer]

The stamped number on your pump I believe is the assembly date using the Julian calender.  Most of the 1966-mid 1967 pumps were stamped this way from the ones I have seen. Yours translates to the 34th day of 1967,  1st shift or February 3,  1967.  This should somewhat correspond to the casting dates of the pump housing and the rear plate.

C.J.

I am quite certain that C.J. is correct, the stamped number is the pump assembly date. His decode is perfect.

The casting date wheel is read the following way: Date in the center is the year cast "66" = 1966. You will note that the wagon wheel around the year has 12 sections, each one represents a month. The bumps in the wagon wheel section each represent a casting production run in that month. For this casting tool cavity / tool you will see it was in production January through May, and then again in November (one bump in the 11th section), so one would interpret: 1st production run of this cavity / tool in November of 1966. Which matches well with a February 3rd, 1967 assembly date. The castings were run by the supplier in relatively large quantities.

I am certain the forum already knows this bit of trivia: These air pumps were manufactured by Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors Corporation.

Rick

[Bob Gaines]

I am quite certain that C.J. is correct, the stamped number is the pump assembly date. His decode is perfect.

The casting date wheel is read the following way: Date in the center is the year cast "66" = 1966. You will note that the wagon wheel around the year has 12 sections, each one represents a month. The bumps in the wagon wheel section each represent a casting production run in that month. For this casting tool cavity / tool you will see it was in production January through May, and then again in November (one bump in the 11th section), so one would interpret: 1st production run of this cavity / tool in November of 1966. Which matches well with a February 3rd, 1967 assembly date. The castings were run by the supplier in relatively large quantities.

I am certain the forum already knows this bit of trivia: These air pumps were manufactured by Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors Corporation.

Rick

Rick, that is one detail out perhaps tens of thousand that some of us try hard to ignore    . I had almost forgotten completely .Thanks for reminding me again  .   

[GT500KR]

Rick, that is one detail out perhaps tens of thousand that some of us try hard to ignore    . I had almost forgotten completely .Thanks for reminding me again  .   

As are the steering boxes on the 71 to 73 Mustangs