Pump starts slow?

[danno]

You can tell I'm new to this vacuum thing as the last three threads are mine.

This morning when I switched on the Delaval 75 it started sluggish with low RPM's. Within about 5 minutes she was humming away good. Running it this past week she always seemed to start right up with no delay like this morning.

Air temps went from mid 50's last night to low 30's this morning and it has been real wet. I'm running Dairy Vacuum Oil from Tractor Supply.

Any idea why a pump would start sluggish before taking off? Could the oil have gelled or could this be indicative a problem? Looks like a good run beginning early next week and I'd like that pump to be kickin'.

[maplehound]

This happens to me all the time! Try adding to some deisel fuel to the oil. When you have a down day try flushing the whole pump body with deisel fuel. It will help some. On those cold mornings the oil in the pump and on the bearings gets real thick and it may take some time to get it going especially if your motor is borderline on power.

[802maple]

Also you are getting a small amount of sugar vapor and it will gum up the vanes, just run some kero or diesel thru it and it will clean it up

[danno]

I like those answers. Serioulsy don't want to throw a bearing now. OK, stupid question - how do you get the kero into the pump? Through the vacuum inlet line? How much do you dump in - a cupful?

[danno]

Just re-read Maplehounds response - diesel in the oil. Maplehound, when you flush the whole body, do you pour the diesel directly into the vacuum inlet?

[maplehound]

When I flush the whole body I take the whole pump out to where I can get to it, then plug the exshaust port and fill the pump from the inlet and then turn the pump over a couple turnd to get it all through the system. If you have a recalimer you will need to empty the oil out of the esivoir and turn the whoe thing upside down so the diesel doesn't flow out the resivior.

[danno]

How much karo or diesel are people adding to their oil and how often are you adding it? Each time you refill the oil? I don't have a reclaimer.

[maplehound]

During the season I will add about 1/4 deisel on the first or second run the straight oil unless i have more trouble. If it helps try the straight oil on the next fill up. If you still have trouble keep adding some till you can take it apart and fill the whole body of the pump.

[SUGARSMITH]

Are the belts tight ? I have had loose belts that wouldnt turn till after they were hot. Look and see if the motor pully is turning ten times faster than the
belts .

[danno]

Nope, not the belts. They are new and just adjusted. Pulley starts off slow as well and then finally speed up. I'm thinking it's case of stiff oil.

[danno]

yup, the belts. Sugarsmith, you were right on the money. What do new belts do? Stretch! I did add some karo to the oil. I think the stiff oil added to the belt stretch.

Although to cold for sap today, had the pump running on low vacuum so I could fix leaks. When I started I was losing 5 inches, when I was done my vacuum at the top of the bush was the same as at the pump. Only found 3 leaks, but 2 were pretty good ones. I'm sure I'll find more when the tubing thaws. Could only search for hissing, not for fast sap.

[MASSEY JACK]

I work with a guy who used to work for a dairy supply company. He was a roadman that serviced dairy equipment. He says he used to have a lot of problems with vac pumps when the farmers used Agway oil. He claims that the oil had too much parafin in it and it would stick the vanes very quickly. He recommended using a name brand oil like Delaval.