vacuum pump oil?

[hughjazz]

Hello I think this is my first post I've been a lurker for a couple of months. Good site I like the emoticons especially this guy real funny.


anyway my question, Is there a place to check/add oil to the vacuum pump. I just bought a new one from ebay. before I install it I would like to verify the oil level while it's easy. It's a 89 f350 I promise I will add my info before my next post

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

No oil necesssary, just bolt it on and give it a spin.

Welcome to OB!

 

[Chuckdiesel]

wazzup man. like the man said no oil nessary,cause it has it in it already. I know cause i needed to replace mine in a hurry and could not get the pully off the old one and my buddy (JR) took off the ufo lookin piece and put the new ufo lookin piece on the old pully assembly. the advance auto one did not have a pully. so then the ufo piece which is what makes vaccum had oil in it, i think it was gear oil cause it was thick. but now i can stop again, before no vaccum and no breaks

 

[Exekiel69]

Yep, no oil neccesary, but if You ever run into an oil leaking vacuum pump You can use 80-90w gear oil, that is what I did on mine.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

The oil should be plain 30w or so mineral oil. It's just in there to lubricate the bearings.

There isn't any "oil level" indicator or anything like that, the vacuum pumps are basically throwaway parts that are "lifetime lubricated".

As a side note, make sure you use the proper method to press the pulley on your new pump. If you pound the pulley on, or press against the pump you will ruin the bearings (ask me how I know). You need to use the metric tapped hole in the shaft to pull the pulley on.

 

[hughjazz]

thanks. guys Lots of TDS names here, Is this where all the cool kids are hanging out now?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

thanks. guys Lots of TDS names here, Is this where all the cool kids are hanging out now?

Yes. This place even has a "working" search function.

 

[typ4]

as a tidbit to add, I drained my new oil out and put in synthetic 40 wt motor oil, the old pump oil looked burnt, said to me , heat hurts me. So I went the syn route, we shall see.
Russ

 

[towcat]

thanks. guys Lots of TDS names here, Is this where all the cool kids are hanging out now?

I'm not sure about the "coolness" factor but its a long story why we are now here down in this dark little corner of the IDI world. One thing for sure tho, you can thank Lord Lester for it This place is proof that sometimes change can be a very good thing

 

[ttman4]

I'm not sure about the "coolness" factor but its a long story why we are now here down in this dark little corner of the IDI world. One thing for sure tho, you can thank Lord Lester for it This place is proof that sometimes change can be a very good thing

Yeah, and there wasn't much hope of me ever being much more than a mixed-up, fumblin round 1/2 a**ed mechanic trying to keep my stuff going till I stumbled up on OB's site. Learned lots of good & "right" ways of fixin things here at OB.

Besides that, it's worth it all just watching Towcat's changing Avatars....

 

[Exekiel69]

Besides that, it's worth it all just watching Towcat's changing Avatars....

Yes but I still miss the one on the messy bed. This last ones are pretty but they need more weight on the top.


keepem coming Calvin

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Besides that, it's worth it all just watching Towcat's changing Avatars....

Just how many grand-daughters has that old man got, anyway??

The girl in the captains hat gets my vote.
Or maybe its a cop hat; I think I see a badge.

 

[ttman4]

Just how many grand-daughters has that old man got, anyway??

The girl in the captains hat gets my vote.
Or maybe its a cop hat; I think I see a badge.

Pretty sure they aren't kin.....shop technicians straight outa mechanics school I asked TC last year & I think that's what he said.....or something along those lines.
I figure he calls Labor Ready or those other employment outfits

& I TOO like hats...Captains hats, Cop hats, ball caps, cowboy hats, messy beds....

wished I lived closer.....I'd bring a whole truck fleet to his shop!!!

Oh yeah, back to reality...I clicked on this link to study up on pumping oil......

 

[93_E_350]

I just replaced my vacuum pump again (about 16 months old) with a brand new one. Anyhow I took the new one apart and drained the oil out. The oil looked, smelled and felt like gear oil. I filled it with 10w 40 synthetic before installing it on the engine.

I also took the old one apart, just removed the four bolts that hold the diaphragm to the mounting / cam segment. I sucked on the vacuum inlet and the diaphragm seemed to be intact. I then hooked a vacuum gauge up to the diaphragm, rolled the diaphragm over on it’s back and rapidly depressed and released the steel pin that works the diaphragm with a wooden hammer handle. I had a hard time getting any vacuum buildup at all. I then sprayed the steel pin with penetrating oil and worked it with the hammer handle. I then rolled the diaphragm right side up and let it drain for a while. I then rolled it back over and rinsed the pin area with 10w 40 synthetic while working the pin with the hammer handle. I checked the diaphragm again with the vacuum gauge. Rapidly pumping the steel pin with hammer handle produced 30 inches of vacuum! Once I stopped pumping the vacuum bled off very slowly. At this point I don’t believe the old pump is bad and will keep it for a backup and further testing.

It appears that these things regulate themselves to about 20 inches of vacuum using the diaphragm to lift the actuator pin off the cam.

Also the original level of oil in the pump was enough to fill the cavity about 2/3 of the way full. I filled the new pump to within about 1/8th inch of the top, kind of a divot just covering the cam. I’m thinking the original oil either gets gummy or is so thick that it does not get splashed up into the pin guide area causing the pin to stick in the compressed position?

As far as choice of oil goes I would have used synthetic gear oil if I would have had some on the shelf but I didn’t feel there’s was a lot of pressure or heat so I went with the 10w 40 hoping it splashes around a little more and keeps the pin guide lubricated a little better.

I don’t mind fixing things that go out after a while but this seems a little short on life expectancy? I’ll let you know how it goes…