90Q vacuum pump - What for?

[johnholt@halhinet.on.ca (John Holt)]

Some of us have removed the rod located in the auxillary vacuum pump
(located on the block between the second and third sparkplug) in order to
remove the clanking which is sometimes confused with bad hydraulic lifters.

I haven't noticed any change in braking effort. One Qlister said a change
in braking might be noticed at high altitudes.

_The question(s)_: Are we endangering ourselves by not replacing the pump
or rod or whatever the solution might be? What does this vacuum pump do
anyways?

John Holt (1988 90Q)
Highland Grove, Ontario, Canada
K0L 2A0