Vacuum Loss at pump

[Brokermike]

My Massport M2 was pulling around 21" when I first fired it up this year. I built an oil reclaimer and it has been working great. The reclaimer is still working great but the pump is only pulling around 16" now. This is of course tested with the gate valves closed so I know it isn't a vacuum leak.

What would cause a rotary vane pump to lose ability to pull vacuum? It has never gotten more than warm to the touch. It did suck in some water that had gotten into the vac transfer line and frozen when I was installing lines. I have since changed the oil and it resumed pulling 21" for a day or two before falling down to 16". Would latent water in the oil reduce vacuum to that degree?

[Haynes Forest Products]

Your sure your getting oil into the pump? What weight oil are you using? Can you get a side cover off and see how the surfaces look? Pull the belt and pull the non pully side plate off. Iff you have alot of water in it drain and go heaver on the oil. I would opt for more oil into the pump yes it cools it but it also helps make a better seal at higher HGs.

[Brokermike]

Definately a conundrum. I am running a mix of ATF and vacuum pump oil. It likes the ATF because it actually will pull vacuum when it first starts. Running straight vacuum oil the vanes seem to "stick" upon startup. After watching it most of the morning. I think your thought about the oil is correct, as it heats up and becomes thinner from the increased temps it is not forming as good of a seal. It has a great supply of oil, 1/4" copper with a needle valve wide open.

Haynes,

What oil are you running in your m-5?

Any thoughts on Start-up?

[Haynes Forest Products]

With my system When I shut down I have plenty of oil sitting in the drum so its well lubricated. When I start up it is fine and I haven't had a problem with overheating or damage as far as I know. After 2 years of steady use it pulls like a new bride. Yea I know 3rdgen:lol

I might try thicker oil I just ran what I could find Tranny, bar oil, multi weight and anything that was slippery all at once.

[HHM-07]

sounds like the vanes are not coming out, in the printing field we use a lot of vane pumps when they give us trouble we will flush them out good with marvel mystery oil, it is great stuff. i would try that.


DICK

[Brokermike]

thanks, that wouldn't surprise me given that they are sticking at startup, they must be not extending all of the way.

[sapsick]

its also possible that the frozen water may have busted a vane

[Haynes Forest Products]

Cracked vanes I dont think will show up with enough oil its the ones with parts missing. I would think that a broken one will destroy the pump

[3rdgen.maple]

What vanes are in this pump?

[NH Maplemaker]

3rdgenmaple,a company called Parts department (www.partsdepartment.com) claim that they can get or make vane for most every vacuum pump out there! There web site shows vanes in stock for a very large number of pumps ! Check out there web site look under store. Hope this will help you. JimL.

[NH Maplemaker]

Guess my last post should have went to Brokermike.Sorry! JimL.

[HHM-07]

A lot of the vane pumps you can take out the vanes and turn them over, in other words they are the same on both sides and can go in either way, they are easy to turn around

Dick

[3rdgen.maple]

3rdgenmaple,a company called Parts department (www.partsdepartment.com) claim that they can get or make vane for most every vacuum pump out there! There web site shows vanes in stock for a very large number of pumps ! Check out there web site look under store. Hope this will help you. JimL.
Ummm Im not looking for any vanes. I service the print industry and have a few sources for vanes and pump rebuild kits. OOOPS NEVERMIND I SEE YOUR LAST POST CARRY ON.

A lot of the vane pumps you can take out the vanes and turn them over, in other words they are the same on both sides and can go in either way, they are easy to turn around
Not recomended unless you have no choice. Especially if they are carbon vanes. What happens with a carbon vane is they wear mainly in 2 spots. One the bottom that is in contact with the journal and second is the one side where all the force is on will wear thin on that side and this is what usually causes the vanes sticking and vacuum loss. Flipping vanes over would only buy you minimal time unless you take your pump apart and rotate them on a regular basis like tires on a car to get even wear, but in order to do this it invovles tapering the other side of the carbon vane that is squared of at manufacturing so it can make a positive contact with the journal. Its more work than it is worth unless you are in a serious jam and need a quick fix until new vanes arrive.