surge alamo question

[ejmaple]

i just got a old alamo pump and had a few questions, i had an sp22 that seized, so i'am new to vain pumps.

first, i don't really know what size motor to use, i'am going to use gas. i think it's a alamo 60, the pump head is 8 inches across and the searial number starts with 60 space 428. are the pump heads the same for the 60 , 75 , 100 models? and just have larger motors? i tryed an old air compressor 1.5 hp motor and it strugled when flooded and alittle better not flooded. to try it out i flooded it by just dumping oil into the pump.

second, can these pumps be flooded? the pump came with a reclaimer but there's an intake pipe with holes starting a little over half way up in the canister over were it splits in half. should i just fill up the reclaimer or should i replace the oil lines with larger ones so more oil enters through the barrings?

thanks ed

[mountainvan]

I run 4 alamos on 5.5/ 160 cc horse honda gas engine with a 2 1/2" or 3" pulley on the engine. the pumps can be flooded. take the reclaimer of off the top and set it up on a stand connected with high temp hose and tubing for the oilers. mine pull from 20-25" of vacuum.

[jrthe3]

i going from a 22 to a alamo 100 this year what is the point of moving the reclaimer just to keep it cooler also how much oil are you runing into the pumps

[ejmaple]

thanks for the response mountainvan. so your saying pipe the reclaimer over and away from the pump ( both oil lines and exaust ) or just oil lines. if just oil lines then i will need to make another reclaimer for exaust. it would seem easier to use oragnial reclaimer on exaust and make a seprate oil resovoir strickly for the oil lines. not sure.

after doing some more searching on MT i think i know how to flood the pump. tell me if this is right.
add a nipple off the reclaimer exaust side, run some pipe ( would the same type of pipe as the oil lines to the barrings work ) to a tee added to the intake side.
should there be a valve there in line to shut off the oil supply?

i found a 5hp honda from a guy who wanted syrup as payment, always like bartering
thanks to all whom respond, ed

[maple flats]

I have 2 Alamo pumps, and the reclaimers are different. My 30 cfm has a reclaimer that is made to pour the oil in the exhaust, the 75 cfm has a separate port to add oil. I doubt the difference is because of the size but rather the vintage. The one that can have oil added directly has no side spout out the side just below mid point, the one that requires oil to be added to the bottom half has such a side port. On mine the port has a slide on cap that looks like a very fine breather screen, it just slides up and off. I added oil on that one in the top as I do on my other one and I got no vacuum. If you drain the top by opening a plug under the bottom half it will drain the top. Inside there is a tube that goes up to the top half only. You will want to get max oil thru the oilers. If original Alamo oilers, take them off and shorten the wire that goes up inside, break it don't cut it. If cut they won't re insert without a hassle because it causes a flaring on the wire end.
I think the heads on a 50-75 and 100 are the same, just bigger motors.
I use 6.5 HP Hondas (200GX), run about 1/2 throttle. On my 75 it has double belts but I could not get over 17-18" because the belts slipped higher, (I had 2.25 drive and 10" driven, for 4.444/1 ratio). For next year that one will get a chain drive and centrifical clutch, and I'll go about a 6/1 ratio and speed the motor if needed instead of half speed. The 30 ran perfectly at 20" with 1 belt and a 4/1 ratio. For gas tanks on both I removed the original and made a cradle beside the pump to mount a 4.5 gal generator replacement tank (bought from Surplus Center @ $17.99 each + ship). The 4.5 tank will run from 16-20 hrs and they start first pull every time. I made a pivot mount for both for the engine as a belt tightener, then I have an adjustable leg (bolt) to adjust tension rather than have the entire engine weight on the belt, to start I close the choke, tilt engine by lifting on the air cleaner to lossen belt and pull the rope, then I let the motor back down. Real easy.

[mountainvan]

move the whole reclaimer. the vibration from a gas engine will cause metal fatigue and the reclaimer to crack. I'll try and take pictures for you. if you have a modern phone I can send the pics right to it with your #.maple flats, I like the idea of the bigger gas tank. I could run my pumps for 36hrs without refueling.

[ejmaple]

mountainvan, ya please send those pic. to 978 855 1155

thanks ed

[mountainvan]

I'm heading up to mountains tomorrow, so I'll get them then.

[maple flats]

move the whole reclaimer. the vibration from a gas engine will cause metal fatigue and the reclaimer to crack. I'll try and take pictures for you. if you have a modern phone I can send the pics right to it with your #.maple flats, I like the idea of the bigger gas tank. I could run my pumps for 36hrs without refueling.
Just remember, the manual says change the oil every 50 hrs. To be honest, I only change once/season, but check daily. I'm sure it is shortening the engine life but I'm in too much of a rush to do it every 2-3 days.

[ejmaple]

mountainvan, thanks for the pic's. it's much clearer in my mind now. those little valves above the site glasses on the baring oilers, were they stock or did you add?

thanks again, ed

[mountainvan]

got those oilers from mcmaster carr. you're welcome.

[maple flats]

mountainvan, what number oiler do you use? I don't like the stock alamo oiler, too hard to regulate.

[ejmaple]

finally got thr alamo pump going, i had to pull it all apart to free up the vanes. very simple pumps. i made a wooden stand for the reclaimer to sit remotly. i fired it up and it pulled good, with a hand over the inlet test, i'll throw a gauge on tomarrow when i get a couple reducer bushings.

i do have anouther question though, as far as flooding the pump with oil, should i add anouther fitting off the bottom of the reclaimer and t it into the inlet side of the pump? if yes how much oil should be flowing? ( 1 drip per second ) more? less?

thanks ed

[RollinsOrchards]

I might be mis-reading you, but I wouldn't pull oil from the bottom of the reclaimer unless it went through a filter. There gets to be some nasty sludge at the bottom of the reclaimer after a while. Trying to get crud out of the oil drippers is a pain.