Just Rebuilt a Cat 3535- any tips for next one?

[Greg Pack]

Well, I got a 3535 rebuilt last week but it was quite a struggle. What I now understand is called is a v packing spacer(the brass cylinder that has O rings on it between the two manifolds), was stuck in there tight The cat video recommends two flat bladed screwdrivers to pry out and remove but it probably took me 30 minutes of wrestling to get each one out. It was like they're glued in. Is there a trick to getting those out easily?

Also, is the hylomar liquid gasket or permatex alternative a must? I used the permatex non setting but it was hard to find. It seems Ive read some just use silicone grease.

Just looking for general tips tp make the next one go quicker

 

[MEP001]

They don't make the Hylomar anymore that used to be recommended. The new stuff that's called Hylomar is just a gasket tack. I used silicone grease when I rebuilt them and never had a problem.

I also never had a problem removing the packing spacers. Maybe someone used LocTite on them?

 

[Greg Pack]

Thanks MEP, Good to know silicone if fine. I imagine that the gasket product would make removal more difficult than just silicone. I did find what I think was supposed to be the proper product, hylomar AF, but I would have to order it. After searching here I used the permatex non hardening gasket product, which incidentally was also difficult to source.

I've owned this pump since new. Probably 16 Yrs and 150K+ cars and this is the first rebuild. The O rings just crumbled when I pulled them off. the spacers were very difficult to remove. I tried reverse pliers with no luck. I pried them out, they would move maybe 1/8" then had to find something to sit under the screwdrivers to give me a higher surface to pry with again and again. The one thing that may have been a factor making removal difficult was that it was a water wizard and it uses a HP wax, and due to the nature of my programming wax is my last HP pass. As a result the wax solution sits in the manifold. There was a build of of residue that I don't see in my SS pumps.

Anyway, A little math suggests that I probably got close to 8K hours out of the original seals, truly a testament to the longevity of those pumps. This is only the second time I've had to rebuild one in 21 Years of being in the IBA segment.

 

[Keno]

Maybe something like a bearing puller would have helped - like a pilot bearing puller or similar. I know some puller can be attached to a slide hammer for those stubborn bearings.

I have been using Hylomar Blue, which I was told is similar to the Hylomar AF they recommend.

 

[Greg Pack]

Maybe something like a bearing puller would have helped - like a pilot bearing puller or similar. I know some puller can be attached to a slide hammer for those stubborn bearings.

I have been using Hylomar Blue, which I was told is similar to the Hylomar AF they recommend.

The slide hammer type puller was what I was wondering if available. A friend of mine owns a pressure washer distributorship and works on a lot of general pumps. i think they have they have a puller type tool used to rebuild their pumps.

Have you disassembled a pump that you put together with hylomar? I was wondering if it would make it more difficult. I did buy some hylomar blue to play with, seems like interesting stuff but not 100% certain what I would use it for other than the pumps, maybe mating motors to gearboxes? Have you found a use for it outside of rebuilding the pumps?

 

[Keno]

The slide hammer type puller was what I was wondering if available. A friend of mine owns a pressure washer distributorship and works on a lot of general pumps. i think they have they have a puller type tool used to rebuild their pumps.

Have you disassembled a pump that you put together with hylomar? I was wondering if it would make it more difficult. I did buy some hylomar blue to play with, seems like interesting stuff but not 100% certain what I would use it for other than the pumps, maybe mating motors to gearboxes? Have you found a use for it outside of rebuilding the pumps?

I used the slide hammer style to remove pilot bearings in my racing days, I'm pretty sure there should be one available small enough to fit in a pressure washer bore.

I have not had to take one of those apart again where I used the Hylomar Blue (only been in the CW biz for 6 months). Hope it doesn't make anything harder to replace next time around. But I figure they are probably using some similar hylomar product at the factory when putting the new ones together, and I am rebuilding those without much issue, so it can't hurt if I use it also.

 

[MEP001]

If you use the non-hardening Hylomar, it just makes it a little more difficult to pull the valves out of the pump. The Permatex stuff labeled Hylomar might cause issues. You'll know if you have the right stuff because the gasket tack will dry on your fingertips in a couple minutes. Don't use that on o-rings.

 

[Keno]

Based on what I found on Hylomar website, I think the Blue or AF should work for the CAT rebuilds wherever CAT recommends gasket compound. From the Hylomar website:

Hylomar Universal Blue is a high performance, non-setting gasket and jointing compound. The compound is resistant to a wide range of fluids including:

• Industrial fluids
• Oils
• Petroleum and synthetic diester lubricating oils
• Gasoline and kerosene
• Water/glycol and methanol/water mixtures
• Air
• Turbine and piston engine combustion products

Hylomar Advanced Formulation is a solvent free non-setting and nonhardening compound which is ideal for sealing joints. It can also be used as a gasket dressing. It will enhance the sealing capability of all types of gaskets.

Hylomar Advanced Formulation is resistant to:

Automotive fluids
Mineral oils
Synthetic lubricants
Fuels

 

[MEP001]

Maybe something like a bearing puller would have helped - like a pilot bearing puller or similar.

I used the slide hammer style to remove pilot bearings in my racing days, I'm pretty sure there should be one available small enough to fit in a pressure washer bore.

A video popped up on my YouTube where someone did exactly this. That tool should be perfect for pulling the spacers on the 3535. (Edit: if you can get the puller behind the spacer, I haven't worked on one in so long I don't remember if you can)

There may be a tool from General Pump that's the right size to pull the spacers, but it expands inside the packing retainer on the General pump to grip it and might expand the 3535 spacer and make it even harder to remove.