Broke my barrel pump, but there's a HAPPY ENDING !!!

[JOAT]

Been using This High Volume Pump from Harbor Freight for several months for collecting oil. It has an impeller similar to a roots blower, and move alot of oil with minimal effort. Much faster and easier than the common vane type barrel pumps.

The other day, the small gear inside broke in half while pumping thick partially hydrogenated. On a whim, I pulled the side cover and attached my cordless drill to the shaft left by the missing gear, and to my surprise, found it ran the pump almost effortlessly! Emptied a barrel in no time.

View attachment 1178

 

[whatabudro]

 

[CHPMustang]

Why kinda volume does that oil pump move Don? I have an electric I use for when filling up the heater but the volume is too fast for the blue manifold pump.

 

[95_stroker]

Okie engineering at its finest.

 

[JOAT]

Why kinda volume does that oil pump move Don? I have an electric I use for when filling up the heater but the volume is too fast for the blue manifold pump.

It's fast. With the handle on it's about 1 gallon per 6-7 cranks. With the variable speed drill you can adjust the flow within a pretty wide range. I was pumping thru a screen last night so have yet to see how fast it can pump. You can slow it down to a trickle if you want tho.

I'm working on adding a nut so it can be socket driven with the cover removed, and still work by hand with the cover back on.

 

[JOAT]

Went thru several ideas that anyone with an elaborate set of tools could do, but scrapped it for the simple idea below that is within the abilities of any handyperson.

I first drove out the roll pin on the gear to the left (see pic in first post) and removed it(mark the gears first so you can get it back together the same). Then decided a 1/2 inch nut (3/4" socket) was about the right size. I wrapped tape around a 7/16" fine thread blot so it was snug in the bore of the gear, slipped a 1/2" coarse nut over it, then tightened down the 7/16 fine nut to hold it in place.

Now you can use a grinder or other device of choice to put the 6 flats on the collar of the gear, using the 1/2 nut as a template. I'll try a few different cutting and grinding tools tomorrow and see what works on the gers material.

 

[JOAT]

Turns out the gears material is pretty soft, so a file or hacksaw could be used if you're patient enough. Took less than a minute with a freshly dressed bench grinder. I got a little sloppy and got into the side of the gear. Didn't hurt it but looks unprofessional. Next one I'll protect with tape or a thin piece of plastic.

And below it is back on the pump, with a 3/4" socket in a drill adapter to turn it. If the little gear wasn't broken it could still be in place, allowing the cover to be reinstalled so in moments it can be converted from powered to manual. Can't wait to try it in the field. In the garage with the drill turning slow it moved warm partial hydrogenated at about 5gpm. 10gpm with the drill going faster, but it was hard to do with the pump in one hand and drill in the other. Should be easier with the pump attached to a barrel tho.