Primus Ergopump connector valve repair.

[Teepee]

The fuel line hand nut that used to spin freely on my Primus Ergopump is now very stiff. Happened overnight. This is a newish pump too.

So far, I cannot find anything on the web to help. I've removed the little screw and forked plate next to the nut, but nothing is budging.

I'm thinking it needs some persuasion but I don't want to persuade it out with a drift until I know it's not going to damage the pump.


Has anyone fetched this piece out?


Thanks in advance.

 

[bilmo-p5]

I took one to bits after breaking the pickup tube and some of the adjacent threads. IIRC, once you have removed the little screw and the locking plate the guts of the valve assy should pull out, but they are a very tight fit with an o-ring or two.

 

[Teepee]

Thanks Ian

I'll give it a 'little tap' to try and drive the aluminium assembly out of the pump body.

 

[Teepee]

I managed to pull the connecting valve off with my fingers, it was tight but not too bad. It means this bit is field servicable which is good news and the lugged part of the multitool will work as a prizing tool. There's no obvious sign as to whats gone wrong with it however, it happened in the space of 2 hours.

Headscratcher.

Edit; corrosion in the aluminium body is scratching the plastic swivel. This has happened since switching to using barbecue lighter fluid. My older Ergopump is untouched by it. They have both been treated in the same way and both have been rinsed with soap and water and vinegar previously.

 

[petrochemicals]

is it the bit that differs from the verifuel pump, so it has aluminium inside not plastic ?. You can buy the lindal thread thing seperate, have wondered whether you can convert old pumps to new ergopumps in the past with that bit.

Best I could think of would be some acidic oxidiser in the barbecue fluid, that doesn't bode well for the plunger tube or the bottle! Bit of food stuff, grit, bird poo?

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I managed to pull the connecting valve off with my fingers, it was tight but not too bad. It means this bit is field servicable which is good news and the lugged part of the multitool will work as a prizing tool. There's no obvious sign as to whats gone wrong with it however, it happened in the space of 2 hours.

Headscratcher.

Edit; corrosion in the aluminium body is scratching the plastic swivel. This has happened since switching to using barbecue lighter fluid. My older Ergopump is untouched by it. They have both been treated in the same way and both have been rinsed with soap and water and vinegar previously.

Well im gonna stick with panel wipe then. Thanks for the heads up

 

[rik_uk3]

Never had problems with Wilko and Flamefest BBQ fluid to be honest. Only similar thing was me using odour free lamp oil in a Tilley lamp, that blocked in about an hour.

 

[Teepee]

is it the bit that differs from the verifuel pump, so it has aluminium inside not plastic ?. You can buy the lindal thread thing seperate, have wondered whether you can convert old pumps to new ergopumps in the past with that bit.

Best I could think of would be some acidic oxidiser in the barbecue fluid, that doesn't bode well for the plunger tube or the bottle! Bit of food stuff, grit, bird poo?

I'm really not sure. Too many variables to know I think. Maybe different grade of ally from the older Ergopump to the new one, lack of grease in manufacture, maybe one had some soap/vinegar left in the valve from cleaning the fuel out to get it home on the flights. The other parts of the pump are fine, no signs of anything corroding.

If the aperture of the older pump is the same, the new nut could be made to fit I feel-it would need a channel routing out to take a forked holding plate though.

Well im gonna stick with panel wipe then. Thanks for the heads up

No worries. I'm sure this lighter fluid is pure paraffin but if you have cheap panel wipe then best to use what you know I reckon.

Never had problems with Wilko and Flamefest BBQ fluid to be honest. Only similar thing was me using odour free lamp oil in a Tilley lamp, that blocked in about an hour.

I really don't think it's the fuel TBH, but it's a co-incedence that it happened after switching. Weird.