What's new

pump oil help

washnut

New member
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
cottonwood ca
Just need some quick tips on a oil that will work in both cat and hypro pumps.
Is there one?
like to by it locally if available, shipping on oil is crazy expensive in ca.

Thanks to all
 

I.B. Washincars

Car Washer Emeritus
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
4,275
Reaction score
1,144
Points
113
Location
SW Indiana melon fields.
I have used 30W Non-Detergent in pretty much everything I've owned (Cat, Arimitsu, General, and even Gail...remember those?). It works fine and available most anywhere.
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,665
Reaction score
3,946
Points
113
Location
Texas
I mix 3 parts ND 30 and 1 part transmission fluid and use it in all pumps. The transmission fluid will help protect the pump if water gets in the crankcase and will clean it out very effectively if water has gotten in it.
 

2Biz

Thread Killer!
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
2,818
Reaction score
431
Points
83
Location
Ohio

Greg

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
53
Reaction score
5
Points
8
Location
Outdoors
Pump oil help

30wt non-detergent is common and ok to use. Stay away from detergent oils as the splasing in the crankcase can induce foaming.

We use a multi-blend non-detergent premium, SHELL TELLUS S2V100 MULTI-WT ISO 100 - SAE 20W40.
Local oil suppliers can furnish this or an equivalent.

Over the years I have experienced various recipies, Just keep in mind; Any oil is better than NO OIL.......

Greg Thoennes
Tech. Support
Arimitsu Pumps
 

Randy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
5,844
Reaction score
2,178
Points
113
How often should one change the oil in there Cat 310 pumps?
 

2Biz

Thread Killer!
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
2,818
Reaction score
431
Points
83
Location
Ohio
So, Randy.....How many years has it been?!?!?!? :rolleyes:
 

Randy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
5,844
Reaction score
2,178
Points
113
I can’t remember when the last time I changed the pump oil. It’s been a longtime
 

GoBuckeyes

Self-Serve and Automatics
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
1,075
Reaction score
347
Points
83
Location
Cleveland
I mix 3 parts ND 30 and 1 part transmission fluid and use it in all pumps. The transmission fluid will help protect the pump if water gets in the crankcase and will clean it out very effectively if water has gotten in it.
Mep, your post regarding the transmission fluid has intrigued me. How does it help with the water, as that seems to be our biggest problem with our cat pumps? Its become such a problem that I replaced two pumps with Arimitsus just to see how they hold up.
 

Kevin James

Active member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
562
Reaction score
32
Points
28
I mix 3 parts ND 30 and 1 part transmission fluid and use it in all pumps. The transmission fluid will help protect the pump if water gets in the crankcase and will clean it out very effectively if water has gotten in it.
Could you be a little more specific on which Automatic Transmission oil you’re talking about, CVT, Dexron, AFT+3 or AFT+4, Type A or Type F. Which one?
 

Washmee

Fullservice Tunnel
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
973
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Canton, Ohio
I'm with Randy on this one. The pumps we use do not come anywhere near the operating temperatures that cause oil to break down and lose its lubricating qualities. It's not like an internal combustion engine that produces high heat and combustion byproducts that contaminate the oil. Unless you have some kind of condensation issues, the oil will last for years.
 
Etowah

Ghetto Wash

Active member
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
611
Reaction score
43
Points
28
I'm in Randy's camp on this one.

I'll bet it's been at least 10 years since I changed any pump oil. Heads wash out and I replace the pump before I have any gear box problems.

I've only had one gearbox problem that I can remember - the threads on the plastic sight glass had worn down and the sight glass fell out of the pump and all the oil drained out. That pump threw a rod right through the case of the pump.
 

Kevin Reilly

self serve carwashes
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
203
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Stockton, CA
I've been using Cat Pumps since the Cat 400 (don't know the year), they went to the 410, then 420 then the 430. The 430 was is the same body as the 400, but just kept changing the front sleeves and pistons. When the 310's came out we shifted to the to that model. We never change oil til we have a problem that requires the removal of the pump from the platform. Usually it's because the oil seals have gone bad and the crankshaft of course starts filling up and changing the color to white.

When it's time for an oil seal change we strip the pump all the way down pulling the crank shaft. We then turn the sleeve over when we reinstall so it will wear evenly, put it back together and put it on the shelf. We have about 7 pumps sitting on the shelf waiting to be used and will probably outlast me!

I run my pumps @ 900 psi and have for as long as I can remember and use 4.25 pulleys which will give us (if my memory serves me correctly) about 4.0 gpm on the pump. They not working too hard at that pressure and that's why I believe I get the life out of the pumps that we get. Tip sizes are 4008 and change to 4007 during drought situations.
 
Last edited:

Kevin Reilly

self serve carwashes
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
203
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Stockton, CA
Forgot to add I use Cat Oil because I have a couple of cases on the shelf. If I ever run out I'll follow Greg's lead because he knows!
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,665
Reaction score
3,946
Points
113
Location
Texas
GoBuckeyes said:
Mep, your post regarding the transmission fluid has intrigued me. How does it help with the water, as that seems to be our biggest problem with our cat pumps? Its become such a problem that I replaced two pumps with Arimitsus just to see how they hold up.
It's a trick I learned from an old mechanic, and I ended up using with my truck when it blew the intake gasket. When I would service a General pump that had water in the crankcase, I would drain it and refill it with the oil/trans fluid mixture and put a tag on it for the customer to change the oil again after a week of running. Sometimes I'd visit their wash to work on something else and see the pump in service with the tag still on it and the reddish oil still in it.

I think the way it works is like this: when the non-detergent oil gets wet and stirred up, it starts to coat everything with a pasty emulsion and the pump doesn't get lubricated. The transmission fluid absorbs the oil and stays liquid.
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,665
Reaction score
3,946
Points
113
Location
Texas
Kevin James said:
Could you be a little more specific on which Automatic Transmission oil you’re talking about, CVT, Dexron, AFT+3 or AFT+4, Type A or Type F. Which one?
I assume you're being a smartass, but if not I just grab whatever is unbranded and cheapest.
 
Top