How to Tell When Your Grease or Oil Pump Needs Repair

10 Sep How to Tell When Your Grease or Oil Pump Needs Repair

Grease and oil pumps are designed to work hard. In workshops, factories, mines, farms and other industrial environments, these pumps may be used every day to keep machinery properly lubricated.

Because they are usually reliable pieces of equipment, it can be easy to forget about them until something goes wrong.

A grease pump that suddenly stops delivering grease can bring maintenance work to a standstill. An oil pump that loses pressure can slow down a workshop and make even a simple lubrication job difficult. The good news is that pumps will often show warning signs before they stop working completely.

Knowing what to look for can help you have the pump repaired before a small problem becomes a bigger and more expensive one.

At HYCO, we manufacture our own lubrication equipment and also repair other makes of pneumatic and manual grease and oil pumps. Here are some of the most common signs that your pump may need attention.

1. The Pump Is Not Building Enough Pressure

One of the clearest signs of a problem is a loss of pressure.

A grease pump needs considerable pressure to move thick grease through the system. HYCO pneumatic grease pumps commonly use compressed air at around 5 to 8 bar and operate at a 50:1 ratio. This can produce an outgoing grease pressure of approximately 250 to 400 bar.

Pneumatic oil pumps normally require much less pressure. A typical 5:1 oil pump operating with 5 to 8 bar air pressure can produce approximately 25 to 40 bar outgoing pressure.

If a pump that previously worked well suddenly struggles to build pressure, something may be wrong internally.

Possible causes include:

• Worn seals
• A damaged plunger
• Air leaking from the system
• Worn internal components
• A blockage
• Problems with the air motor

A loss of pressure should not simply be ignored by increasing the air supply. The cause of the pressure loss should be identified and repaired.

2. Grease or Oil Delivery Has Become Slow

Sometimes a pump will continue operating but the flow becomes noticeably slower.

You may pull the trigger on the dispensing equipment and find that grease or oil takes much longer to arrive than it used to.

Slow delivery can be caused by a number of problems, including a restriction in the system, worn pump components or contamination.

It is also worth checking the complete lubrication system before assuming that the pump itself is faulty. A damaged hose, blocked fitting or dispensing gun can also restrict flow.

If these components are working correctly and the pump is still delivering slowly, the pump should be inspected.

3. The Pneumatic Pump Runs Continuously

A pneumatic grease or oil pump uses a reciprocating air motor to drive a plunger. As the air motor operates, the plunger pressurises the grease or oil and delivers it through the system.

The pump should respond to demand.

If it continues cycling when no grease or oil is being dispensed, there may be a problem.

Continuous operation can indicate an internal leak, worn seals or another issue that prevents the pump from maintaining pressure.

Apart from putting unnecessary wear on the pump, continuous operation also wastes compressed air.

If your pump suddenly starts running much more frequently than before, have it checked rather than allowing it to continue operating in this condition.

4. You Can Hear Air Leaking

Compressed air is what powers a pneumatic pump, so an air leak directly affects its performance.

Small leaks can sometimes be heard as a constant hissing sound around the pump or its connections.

The leak could be coming from an external air connection, but it can also indicate a worn seal or another problem inside the pump.

Air leaks can result in:

• Reduced pumping pressure
• Poor performance
• Increased compressor use
• Higher electricity consumption
• Unnecessary wear on the pump

Checking the air connections is a sensible first step. If the connections are secure and the leak appears to be coming from the pump itself, the pump may need to be serviced.

5. Grease or Oil Is Leaking From the Pump

A small amount of grease or oil around equipment is sometimes overlooked in busy workshops. It should not be.

A leak is usually telling you that something is no longer sealing correctly.

The problem could be as simple as a worn seal, but continuing to use the pump can allow the problem to become worse.

Apart from wasting lubricant, leaks attract dirt and contamination. They can also create a messy and potentially unsafe working environment.

If you are regularly cleaning grease or oil from around the same part of the pump, it is worth having the pump inspected.

6. The Pump Has Become Noisy

You get used to how workshop equipment sounds.

When a pump starts making a noise that was not there before, pay attention to it.

Knocking, irregular cycling, excessive air noise or other unusual sounds can indicate internal wear or a problem with the air motor.

The same applies if the pump starts operating differently. If the normal smooth reciprocating action becomes irregular, there may be a problem developing.

Having it checked early can sometimes prevent damage to other internal parts.

7. The Pump Struggles to Prime

A pump must be able to draw grease or oil into the pumping mechanism before it can deliver it properly.

If your pump regularly loses prime or takes much longer than normal to begin delivering lubricant, something may be wrong.

Possible causes include:

• Air entering the system
• Worn seals
• A damaged suction component
• Blockages
• Contaminated lubricant

Before sending the pump for repair, make sure there is enough grease or oil available and that the lubricant itself is suitable for the equipment.

If the problem continues, the pump should be inspected.

8. Delivery Is Inconsistent

A properly operating pump should provide predictable delivery.

If grease or oil comes out normally one moment and then slows or stops the next, there may be an issue with the pump or lubrication system.

Inconsistent delivery can be particularly frustrating because the pump may appear to be working when tested and then fail again during normal use.

It is better to investigate intermittent problems early. They rarely fix themselves and often become more frequent as components continue to wear.

9. The Pump Has Been Working for Years Without a Service

Sometimes there is nothing obviously wrong with a pump. It has simply been working for a long time.

Grease and oil pumps contain moving parts and seals that naturally wear with use. The amount of wear depends on how often the pump operates, its working environment, the lubricant being pumped and how well it has been maintained.

A pump used every day in a demanding industrial environment will generally experience more wear than one used occasionally in a small workshop.

Regular servicing gives technicians the opportunity to replace worn parts before they cause a complete breakdown.

If you cannot remember when your pump was last serviced, it may be worth having it inspected.

10. Performance Has Gradually Become Worse

Not every pump failure happens suddenly.

In many cases, performance deteriorates so slowly that operators simply become used to it.

Perhaps it takes slightly longer to dispense grease. Maybe the pump cycles more frequently than it used to. The pressure might not be quite as strong as it once was.

These small changes can become the new normal until the pump eventually fails.

If an older pump does not seem to perform as well as it used to, a service or repair may restore much of its original performance.

Should You Repair or Replace the Pump?

A faulty pump does not automatically need to be replaced.

Many grease and oil pump problems are caused by components that can be repaired or replaced.

Depending on the condition of the pump, repairing it can be considerably more economical than purchasing a complete replacement.

A proper inspection is important because it allows the condition of the pump to be assessed before a decision is made.

If the pump is still in good overall condition, replacing worn seals or internal components may give it many more years of useful service.

Pneumatic and Manual Pump Repairs

Although pneumatic pumps have more components associated with their air-powered operation, manual grease and oil pumps also experience wear.

Manual pumps can develop problems with:

• Seals
• Plungers
• Valves
• Springs
• Handles and operating mechanisms
• Suction components

If a manual pump becomes difficult to operate, stops building pressure or no longer delivers lubricant properly, it may also be repairable.

Do not assume that an older manual pump has reached the end of its life simply because it has stopped working correctly.

Preventing Grease and Oil Pump Problems

Good maintenance can extend the life of lubrication equipment.

One of the most important things you can do is keep the grease or oil clean. Dirt and other contamination entering the pump can damage internal components and create blockages.

You should also regularly inspect:

• Hoses
• Fittings
• Air connections
• Dispensing equipment
• Seals
• Lubricant containers

Do not wait for a pump to stop completely before investigating changes in performance.

A small repair carried out early is often simpler and less expensive than dealing with a badly damaged pump later.

HYCO Grease and Oil Pump Repairs

HYCO is both a manufacturer of lubrication equipment and a repair specialist.

We manufacture HYCO grease and oil pumps and also repair other makes of grease and oil pumps, including both pneumatic and manual models.

Our team can inspect the pump, identify the cause of the problem and determine what is required to get it working correctly again.

Whether you have a pneumatic grease pump that has lost pressure, an oil pump that is leaking or a manual pump that has stopped delivering lubricant, it is worth having the equipment assessed before replacing it.

Don’t Wait Until the Pump Stops Working

The best time to repair a grease or oil pump is usually before it fails completely.

Loss of pressure, slow delivery, air leaks, unusual noises and inconsistent operation are all signs that something may need attention.

Taking action early can reduce downtime, prevent further damage and extend the working life of your lubrication equipment.

If your grease or oil pump is no longer performing the way it should, speak to HYCO about having it inspected and repaired.

Contact HYCO

Address: Wadeville, Johannesburg, South Africa

Phone: +27 (0)11 824 4344

Email: info@hyco.co.za

Website: www.hyco.co.za

HYCO manufactures lubrication equipment and repairs pneumatic and manual grease and oil pumps from a range of manufacturers.