Vac pump elimination.
 

Can the vacuum pump be removed and the hole blocked off? or is it integral to the function of the IP somehow, since it's inline?

I'd like to simplify my vacuum system and use and electric pump.

have you found a suitable vac pump?

I can't see any reason why its removal would have adverse effects.

Just remove the guts of the old pump and put it back. What did you find to replace it?

Electric pumps are marketed for race cars, which do not generate sufficient intake vacuum due to the intake valve timing. They cost about $400 and are automatic, running on demand and shutting off when sufficient vacuum is attained.

If your car has an Automatic Trns you will need vacuum for that. The vacuum shutoff can be replaced with a self fabricated manual one.
The door locks only need a small vacuum pump.

I am interested in replacing my Vacuum Pump with an electric one also as I have 2 cars with Vacuum Pumps.
I am bidding on one of the 12 volt Thomas Vacuum pumps on Ebay; but have no idea if it will be enough for the job. Also the pump pulls 8 amps and I may have to get a higher AMP alternator.
These cars are supposed to be equiped with Vacuum Pumps for the brake booster (I got this info from EV-Electric Vehicle sites) as I believe these models had turbochargers.
Buick-1982 Skhyhawk J and 82-85 Skuylark X
Cadillac- 82 Cimmaron
Chevy- 84-86 Celebrity A, 82 Caprice B, 82 Cavalier J, 83-85 Citation X
Oldsmobile- 86 Cierra A, 82 Firenza J, 82-84 Omega X,
Pontiac- 85-86 6000, 82 J2000, 82-84 Phoenix X
After a 3 hour search of the local junk yard I found not ever 1 of the above cars.
A new Vacuum Pump for the above cars is supposed to be arround $300 and the GM part number is 22034995

Google and look at the EV sites and some will have a picture of the GM Vacuum Pump. It is found under the fender well with a plactic cover over it or inside of the engine compartment near the Booster.

I've thought about that too, to eliminate engine-death due to vac pump failure.

as I am restoring my SD, and really going thru it with a fine tooth comb, I'll be eliminating 90% of the vac system in favor of manual or electric. Door locks are going to be electric, the heater controls are going to get converted to a kinda of Frankenstein conversion with an 82 camaro control head (FREE) the only vac I'm gonna need will be for trans shift and basic heater flap control, or and Pwr brakes...brakes...gonna need a reservoir.....

The chances of that are extremely small, especially on 61x engines.

The automatics need a constant flow rate for the VCV to control shifting firmness. An electric pump would be running all the time.

The engine will run fine without the pump. It only rides on the timer's track and has no ties with engine operation except for the EGR and shut down, both of which can be eliminated.

Thats true about the trans needing vac all the time, you'd have to use a continuous duty $$$ pump. Oh well, I'll just leave it on and "chance" it then. :D

Are we forgetting the brake booster? Will an elecric pump suffice to supply the vac, plus that of the AT, the VCV and the door locks?

Pumps do exist that could handle it (such as the ones used in electric vehicles...) but it'd be expensive and use a lot of electricity.

In the end the only way is to buy an electric Vacuum Pump and try it.
I could at least use it on my Stick Shift Volvo as it only needs Vacuum for the Brake Booster.
And, while a Vacuum Pump failure on the Volvo will not injure the engine you won't find a used one at the junk yard and a new one is as much as a Mercedes Vacuum pump.
Also I replaced the Volvo Alternator long ago with a Delco one and it should handle the extra AMPs of an electric Vacuum Pump.

A friend of mine works for a large motorhome company in Oregon. He designed a vacuum(electric) pump for them. This was for the diesel chassis. I'll give him a call tomorrow. Shawn

None of the X - Body or J - body cars you mention have a turbocharger. They all get their vacuum from the engine. Only the '83 and later J-Body Pontiac Sunbird (which is the renamed J2000) had a an optional turbo. And the reason why you never see these cars you mentioned is they don't last 20 years. It's about good 5 to 10 years too late of seeing a lot of them in the boneyards.

They had a lot of other models of the same make and year ranges when I looked at the junk. So the year ranges of cars are avaliable but not the one on the list.
Even odder I went to the junk yard a few days ago just to get some small parts and stayed longer as I found out when I arrived it was 50% off that day. Stayed longer and found the 2nd Diesel Volvo I have seen at that yard in I believe 15 years!
Since I have one I took some parts off including the Vacuum Pump. So I may not need an electric Vacuum Pump for the Volvo.
I paid $2.50 for the Vacuum Pump as the Lady pricing had no idea about them; even when I told here what it was. A new one is as much as a Mercedes Vacuum Pump.