pump rebuild

[Jimmy Buffett]

As most of you know I have very limited skills inolving anything mechanical and no skills at all involving anything electrical. I have a 5cp pump that needs to be rebuilt. I bought the seals once and tried to do it myself and only succeeded in ruining an $80 seal kit. I know a lot of you guys could build a machine to change the seals for you without breaking a sweat but where can a klutz like me take a pump to have it fixed? Is there such a thing as a pump shop? Who repairs these things?
Thanks

 

[RykoPro]

I use a pump shop to rebuild the $7,000.00 general pumps on the PDQ's; I also use them to rebuild the wanner hydra cell pumps. Look on the internet and you should find a few. They has been around at least 30 years and its all the do. My friend gets business from then all the time (he grinds the crankshafts for the really big pumps).

 

[Ceverett]

If you do find a pump shop to rebuild for you get an estimate first....i've seen alot of shops charge almost as much as you can get them from kleen-rite for new. Rykopro- What general pump from PDQ cost's $7000??

 

[Randy]

I rebuilt a Cat 310 for a guy in Oregon not too long ago. He sent it to a pump repair shop in Portland, they completely disassembled it and then wanted $900 parts and labor to rebuild it. When I got it, it was in pieces, all it needed was a seal kit.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Jim, if it just needs seals and/or valve o-rings, the 5CP is great for someone who deosn't know one end of a hammer from the other. It is very easy to work on. If you have a spare pump, install it and bring the other one to me and I will show you how to put them in. The only tool you may not have is a 6MM allen wrench. Nothing else fancy is needed. Even when the bottom half of the valve sticks in the head, a nail and a pair of Vise-Grips will pull it right out. You know you want to go on a road trip.

 

[mac]

Cat also has some good information on their web site on how to work on any of their pumps.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Pat,
I took my spare into a place in Lexington today and they said they can have it to me tomorrow. I can put that one on and then hopefully have a little time before I need another spare. We just picked up a bank in Lawrenceburg so I will be heading that way occaisionally. That's getting pretty close to you right? I'll order another seal kit and buy you lunch if you would be willing to try to teach me!
Thanks

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Lawrenceburg is about 40 miles from me. Come on down.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

I put on the "repaired" pump last night. Water pours from where the aluminum part bolts to the blue pump. This is exactly what happened when I did it myself. The pressure is good, just a serious leak. There is no gasket there. Should there be? If I used some "form a gasket" would it help? Would it hurt? Now the bay is shut down since I have 2 bad pumps. We have rain coming though.
Thanks

 

[2Biz]

I haven't ever had one of these pumps apart yet, but it sounds like they put a high or low pressure seal in backwards or you have a bad plunger? At this point, I think I'd take Pat's offer. Sounds like it would be a pretty short trip for you...

I was hoping he would offer to do a seminar!!! I'm only about an hour from Lawernceburg!

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Oh I'm going to take him up on it. I thought I was going to be able to choose a convenient time. Now that I worked on it myself my bay is shut down. This is a famiiar occurance for me unfortunately. When it comes to laddering bonds or senior secured debt I'm a whiz, when it comes to working on equipment it's usually one step forward and 2 steps back.
Also I have 2 different 5cp pumps apart now and they look completely different to me. Is that possible? If I was smart enough to upload the photos I would but...

 

[pitzerwm]

I got a Flip camera there are two versions, 4GB and 8GB, under $100 and you can quickly make a YouTube movie. I have been using it for wood turning demos. It would be really handy for all kinds of things.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

I have a new iphone that does all kinds of cute things. I can email a picture because if I tap on the picture it asks me if I want to email it but most of the other features I am clueless. It also has the capacity for me to point it at something and a person with an iphone or ipad can see it. I really need to learn to use that.

 

[2Biz]

Email me the pics and I will upload them to my server for you and post the links. PM sent for my email address....

 

[Ceverett]

If its leaking water between the head and the pump then it is more than likely a seal is bad. Did the pump repair place only replace the valves? If you take out the brass seal cases sometimes you can remove the seals and slather them up with some vaseline and it *may* stop the leaking for awhile

 

[2Biz]

Pics posted for Jimmy:

Original Pump:

Replacement Pump:

 

[MEP001]

The two pumps aren't different. They look different because in the top photo the seal casings (which hold the high-pressure seals in the manifold) stayed in the manifold. In the bottom photo they stayed on the plungers. You should be able to pull them off by hand or with a towel wrapped around them.

Which one is leaking water? I assume it's the top one. You'll need to pull the seal casings off the plunger and look at the seals. I'd have to guess without being able to see them that they put them in backwards.

Go to imageshack.us with your iPhone - there's an app that lets you upload photos straight from your phone to the site which you can access easily from your phone or any computer and share them in many formats.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

No it's the bottom one that is leaking. The top is only has 600 lbs of pressure.
I'm going to go see Pat, I'm just trying to determine what parts I need to have before I go.

 

[MEP001]

I meant to say the bottom one since it's the one in service.

If you take the manifold from the bottom pump to Pat, make sure you pull those seal casings off the plungers.

All you need to completely rebuild a 5CP manifold is a seal kit and a set of o-rings/backup rings for the valves. I keep a set of valves on hand in case one goes bad, and a set of seal casings which erode over time. The ones on your rebuilt pump still stuck on the plungers look good.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I have a few 5CP parts, but I don't have a seal kit. I can check to see what I have before you come down.