Tire cleaner product low/nil output

[shielphi]

Hi all, my problem is that the tire cleaner is low or non-existent out of the gun. I get lots of air but no product. The pump is pumping lots and the air and product gauges are at the right levels. So it should work? The solenoids are working and there is 24 vac on the solenoids.When I turn up the air the product gauge goes up but no product comes out. Previously when I turned the air down the product would trickle out in a small stream.
I am at a loss to know what to do.

 

[Greg_T]

Potential blockage somewhere along the product lines? Maybe a filter from the mixing tank blocked up?

 

[MEP001]

Your pump is either bad or has lost prime.

 

[slash007]

I just had this same exact issue and thought it was the pump. but it was outputting fine. That is where you should start and it's easy to check. My issue turned out to be the TC was not strong enough. KleenRite had accidently sent me some that wasn't concentrated, so when I put in a new pail and kept the same tip, it was still green but mostly water. I only got air from the guns until I upped the tip. Gauges showed correct and upping those did nothing.

 

[MEP001]

I just had this same exact issue and thought it was the pump. but it was outputting fine. That is where you should start and it's easy to check. My issue turned out to be the TC was not strong enough. KleenRite had accidently sent me some that wasn't concentrated, so when I put in a new pail and kept the same tip, it was still green but mostly water. I only got air from the guns until I upped the tip. Gauges showed correct and upping those did nothing.

I looked back on his previous posts and saw that he has a JC super saver. What he describes here is exactly what I've seen happen when the pump has completely failed or has lost prime. I guess he's gone the last three years with no tire cleaner...

 

[slash007]

that's been my experience too, and why it took me forever to figure out the issue. It just didn't make sense when it wasn't pump. I actually turned my air all the way off and still no chemical came out. Usually doing that should produce liquid only.

 

[MEP001]

Usually, unless the pump is either completely bad or has lost prime. Sometimes it'll reprime by turning the air all the way down, but I've usually had to crack the outlet fitting loose to get the pump flooded before it would start working again. The fact that the air pressure is also affecting the liquid pressure gauge tells me there's no liquid being pumped.

 

[shielphi]

that's been my experience too, and why it took me forever to figure out the issue. It just didn't make sense when it wasn't pump. I actually turned my air all the way off and still no chemical came out. Usually doing that should produce liquid only.

How did you fix it?

 

[MEP001]

Have you checked the pump to be sure it's making pressure?

 

[shielphi]

Have you checked the pump to be sure it's making pressure?

yes the pump seems to be outputting enough. Maybe not enough so I'll change it

 

[shielphi]

that's been my experience too, and why it took me forever to figure out the issue. It just didn't make sense when it wasn't pump. I actually turned my air all the way off and still no chemical came out. Usually doing that should produce liquid only.

Yes that is what is happening here. How did you fix it?

 

[shielphi]

Have you checked the pump to be sure it's making pressure?

Yes it is outputting but maybe not enough. I don't know what pressure it is supposed to be.

 

[MEP001]

Yes it is outputting but maybe not enough. I don't know what pressure it is supposed to be.

When you turn the air all the way down, what does the liquid gauge show?

 

[slash007]

Yes that is what is happening here. How did you fix it?

I emptied the chemical tank, put in a larger tip and refilled it worked perfectly after that. Still doesn't make sense why no liquid when air was turned down.

I first tested the pump. Chemical came out strong. Looked in the tank. It was green. Then adjusted air and chemical over and over with no luck. Then went on top of a bay and took the line off before the check valve. Came out strong. Replaced check valve on the off chance all 6 bays went bad. Didn't work. Scratched my head till it almost bled. Decided to look at the foot valve in the 5 gallon pail. Noticed it said "dilute up to 24/1".

Said aha, all this started a couple of days after I replaced the pail. Looked up my KR order. Said I ordered the concentrated JBS Predator I usually do. Sent KR a long email about all the trouble I just went through.

They apologized for the mistake and sent me 4 pails of the correct stuff.

Still scratching my head over why no liquid when air was all the way down.

 

[shielphi]

When you turn the air all the way down, what does the liquid gauge show?

Your reply solved my problem.The product gauge showed all is well. When I turned the air down the product went to zero. A good test to remember. Seems that the air was giving the product a false positive reading because the product pump was poor. I replaced the pump and it came up OK.
Thanks
Phil

 

[shielphi]

I emptied the chemical tank, put in a larger tip and refilled it worked perfectly after that. Still doesn't make sense why no liquid when air was turned down.

I first tested the pump. Chemical came out strong. Looked in the tank. It was green. Then adjusted air and chemical over and over with no luck. Then went on top of a bay and took the line off before the check valve. Came out strong. Replaced check valve on the off chance all 6 bays went bad. Didn't work. Scratched my head till it almost bled. Decided to look at the foot valve in the 5 gallon pail. Noticed it said "dilute up to 24/1".

Said aha, all this started a couple of days after I replaced the pail. Looked up my KR order. Said I ordered the concentrated JBS Predator I usually do. Sent KR a long email about all the trouble I just went through.

They apologized for the mistake and sent me 4 pails of the correct stuff.

Still scratching my head over why no liquid when air was all the way down.

Thanks for that, my problem turned out to be different. The product gauge showed all was well. When I turned the air down the product went to zero. A good test to remember. Seems that the air was giving the product a false positive reading because the product pump was poor. I replaced the pump and it came up OK.
Phil

 

[MEP001]

Thanks for coming back with an update.