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Vacuum Pump System Maintenance
Vacuum systems are simple to use and maintain. Here are a few tips to remember when using a vacuum system on your truck or trailer.
- Check the oil. Most pumps have a sight glass or external oiler tubes. Check the oil prior to each use and keep the reservoir filled.
- Drain the oil catch muffler daily. If the muffler starts to fill, you will lose pressure, or possibly back-fill. This is also a good way of spotting any water that may be going through the system.
- Clean the air filter regularly, at least at every truck PM, but preferably every two weeks.
- Grease the driveline and moving parts. This sounds simple, but many PM service companies do not even look at your pump system.
- During your PM, run 1-to-2 quarts of diesel through the pump and flush it back into the muffler. This helps to eliminate any varnish or carbon build-up in the pump and will increase your vane life.
- Use the recommended oil for your pump
- Disconnect the vacuum hose from the trailer before moving. A loaded trailer will slosh liquid, and can back into the vacuum hose, causing water to run through the pump.
- Install a final filter between the pump and tank. If any sediment, small objects (even small quantities of water) is sucked through the hose, they will be caught here before making it into the pump. Small particles and water will shorten the life of the pump.
- If using a right angle drive (3-shaft gear box), check the oil in the gear box and clean the vent plug regularly (at PM).
- Follow the manufacturer’s protocols for checking vane wear. Rotary pump vanes are designed to wear down, preventing the housing from being worn. Checking vane wear periodically will reduce the chances of braking vanes and scarring the housing or damaging the drum
- When not in use, or in transit, use a plug or cap to close off the suction line.
- DO NOT OVERSPEED THE PUMP. During installation, the engine should be set-up to the correct speed for the PTO percentage. Electronic engines settings should be changed so that the initial PTO speed matched is correct for the pump. An external tachometer should be used to measure the true pump speed.
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