DeLaval 73 cleaning

[Grade "A"]

I was given a DeLaval 73 vacuum pump (how nice!!!) out of a old barn. The pump was inside and dry, also it turns over by hand. This thing has sat around for a long time and I want to go through it. I will change the oil and clean it up but would like to know if I should take the pump apart for a good cleaning or am I opening up a can of worms? I work on trucks and heavy equipment all the time and have a understanding about taking things apart, so I have learned that sometimes you should leave thing alone. I hate the spring loaded covers on things that fly off and all you hear is tiny parts falling all around you.
Anyone ever open up one of these, if so is there any tricks or is it easy to figure out.
Thanks, Matt

[mountainvan]

I got a perfection pump last year that needed cleaning. Everyone said use deisel to clean out the gunk. I never took mine apart, worked good all this season.

[Russell Lampron]

Matt,

You want to clean the reservoir under the pump out real good. There will be a lot of gunk in there. These pumps are easy to take apart and put back together but the vanes are no longer available so you would have to have one made for it if you break one. Like Van said flush it out with diesel fuel or kerosene to free up the vanes if they are stuck. You should be able to hear a clicking noise when you turn it over.

Russ

[Grade "A"]

Thanks for the info. I will clean it out with diesel fuel. I can already hear the vanes clicking when I turn it over by hand so thats a good sign. can't wait to try it out!
Matt

[royalmaple]

Your gonna hate vacuum, all that much more sap to boil. It is a real downer.

[Mike]

I bought a delaval 76 yesterday for $100.......I want to put a honda 5.5 on it..Its a 3 hp vac pump.....Does anyone have any info on this one???? Thanks.....Mike

[Grade "A"]

I don't know much about the pump yet but I was told by an electrician that a 1 hp electric motor will run for about $.13 an hour. With the price of gas that is cheap. He also said it will take about a 3.5 hp gas engine to = a 1 hp electric motor. If you have power to where your pump will be it might be worth looking into. on the other hand you can control the rpms with a gas engine.
Matt

[Mike]

I was told if you have a 3 HP vac pump you need to double the HP for a gas motor.....5 HP vac/10 hp gas.ect ect.....

[Grade "A"]

That could be ture, I think he said a 3.5 hp gas because it is common size and you can't find anything smaller than that.

[danno]

When tearing down my Delaval 75 this past year the areas that needed the most cleaning were the oil resevoir (which someone mentioned - they get nasty/gunky) and the import pipe with was 2/3 clogged with gunk.

If you can hear the "clicking", I would add kero or diesel to clean it further, but I don't know if I would bother to take it apart. That being said, they come apart pretty easy and are amazingly basic inside.