I'm starting to work on my recently acquired '75 164, which is a "49 state" car -- it has neither a catalytic converter or the unleaded gas restrictor in the fuel inlet. Also, I am not subject to emission testing, since the car is registered as a "collector car" and only needs biannual confirmation that I'm not exceeding a few thousand miles a year. My goal is to make it more of a good "road car", for summer weekend drives.
On the passenger side of the engine, on top (above the generator), it has an air pump. I realize it would have a purpose if I had the Cat (to provide extra oxygen), but since I don't have a Cat, do I really need to have that air pump? I'd like to pull it out, along with its hose (plugging the hose's hole in the manifold) and install a smaller drive belt (to just the alternator) instead.
How will removing the air pump affect my engine's running?