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  • Drum pumps


    Am just wondering if anyone has found a solution to drum pumps losing their prime? The issue is worse when the drum level is low and when there has been some considerable time without use. I have resorted to removing the pump, up-ending it and pouring oil into the stem. Other times I have been able to reverse pump oil into the vanes. Often it's a bit messy so was looking for a better remedy.
    Thanks

  • #2
    Re: Drum pumps

    I have one of those in the photo only used it half a dozen times I got sick of the amount of turns it took to pump oil it maintained prime but only moved like 20l min and it took too many turns of the handle, resorted to 12v gear pump. I have seen in the AIS catalogue a lubemate pump at100l min for $199 they are made by mcnaught

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    • #3
      Re: Drum pumps

      Originally posted by gilfish View Post
      I got sick of the amount of turns it took to pump oil
      Yes, they keep you fit! Good exercise some would say. The way I have my set up, it's rare that I move more than 60L at a time and that's to fill the van up. I might think different if I had to pump a whole 200L at one time though.

      One of my pumps stopped working so I took it apart to find a piece of cable tie had "attached" itself to one of the vanes. Easy fix but not what I expected to see.

      Another one I picked up without a handle so I made one. The mistake was to make it longer than it should have been. One day I'm promising myself to fix it properly and with a handgrip part that's a bit more user friendly.

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      • #4
        Re: Drum pumps

        I have used a pump similar to the one pictured for many years without a problem. I have removed the handle and fitted an adapter to enable it to be powered by a battery drill. It will move 200l. in around 7 minutes on low speed.

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        • #5
          Re: Drum pumps

          I had a pump like that. Came from Supa Creap. It was very hard to get to prime. I ripped the side off it to discover a large hole in the casting of the rotor and it happened to be right under the seal by the handle.
          Some metal filler and a careful filing down fixed it. After that it would prime with only a few turns of the handle.

          Not sure where it was made but looking at the quality of tha casting work, I wouldn't like to buy a car made in the same country.

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          • #6
            Re: Drum pumps

            I have been using one zacchary same for years to collect oil. started to leak, but I fixed that with some home made seals etc. mine hasnt missed a beat. occasionally gets jammed with a fish frame or two, but for the most part no problems at all. dunno how many thousands of litres its collected, maybe 10-15 thousand? Once the pipe slipped off the spout, which made a hell of a mess. apart from that all good.

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            • #7
              Re: Drum pumps

              I've been using rotary pumps like the one pictured for a few years now.

              have two in constant use and yeah it burns some calories but i only pump about 15lt at a time so i just see it as some light exercise.

              i've had no issues with priming whatsoever. just the occasional small drips from the shaft seal.

              Laurie

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              • #8
                Re: Drum pumps

                Thanks for the ideas and thoughts.

                My 2 currently in use also drip from the shaft. The thought here was to get new viton seals, presumably these are o-rings. However after 10years of ownership these are just the same and I've not so much as looked at the seal.

                A couple of ideas on improving the ability to keep the prime. Firstly I thought I could install a tee on the outlet with a blanking plug. Oil could be poured in there with minimal fuss and restore the prime without removal or spillage. Another thought was to install a grease nipple and give a few shots if the pump failed to lift the fuel. A third approach was to turn the pump at high speed with a power drill.

                None of the ideas really appeal and these don't cause enough grief to warrant another job to do. We'll see. The next time this happens I may spit the dummy and rush the offending pump into the shed and braze on a socket to the outlet..... Take that!!
                tbird650
                Senior Member
                Last edited by tbird650; 21 November 2012, 08:19 AM. Reason: spelling

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                • #9
                  Re: Drum pumps

                  If its loosing its prime its leaking. My money is on the shaft seal. simply replace that and tighten all bolts and I dont think you'll have a problem.

                  I just remembered that mine totally jammed once. I pulled the housing apart and wire brushed everything clean. was gummed up with varnish and residue. I dont think it even had a gasket between the housing parts. Made a new gasket out of gasket paper and replaced the shaft seal. I even ground / filed a few casting dags off the inside of the pump. pumps like a charm now and primes no probs. There is no doubt it was a low quality build with cheap components. A bit of TLC though and works really well. A lot cheaper option than an expensive McNought.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Drum pumps

                    Ok, so the inevitable finally happened. The drum pump misbehaved again and got a socket welded on to its' gooseneck. Now I can manually pour in a small amount of oil through the bung. It works well and beats having to remove said pump, up-end it on its' ear and tip oil down the long tube. While the 'up-end' method worked, it often got messy and all too often I got oil on me.


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                    • #11
                      Re: Drum pumps

                      I have a pump exactly the same too,problem is the shaft is aluminium and will eventually chew out if not careful.I've had to replace the saft seal before,the sizing of the seal OD and ID was the same as a hydraulic ram seal (cost around $3-$5),not like a normal single/double lip seal you see for oil seals,got this from a Bearing and Seal company.
                      I made an adaptor and as 250 said
                      I have removed the handle and fitted an adapter to enable it to be powered by a battery drill. It will move 200l. in around 7 minutes on low speed.
                      Low speed is the key not high speed.
                      Another good thing to do is get some course gauze/mesh and cover the hole and hose clamp it in place as you may suck up small nasties which may chop out the seal.
                      I drilled some holes around the periphery at the bottom and bunged the bottom hole,the reason is so you have less chance of sucking and disturbing the crap on the bottom of a drum.
                      Good luck with it.
                      hope this info helps.

                      Cheers
                      Pete
                      96 Dual Cab Rodeo B100% since Jan 2011

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                      • #12
                        Re: Drum pumps

                        Thanks for the thoughts.

                        Speaking about holes in the bottom of the draw-tube. I bolted to one of the holes, a 3 -4" piece of steel that protrudes downwards. This keeps the draw-tube off the bottom of the drum, even if it gets withdrawn. So basically, that last few inches of fuel never comes out of the drum.

                        Another thing I wanted to have was a drain valve in the drum. I decided that I wanted it at the lowest point and not directly under the pump-draw-tube either.
                        Firstly I dented the the base of the drum from the inside using a big, long, heavy crowbar. With an almighty thump I got a dent which is where I welded my fitting.

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