Question:
My pump is getting sluggish. I’m not sure if anything is wrong, but it doesn’t seem to work as well as it once did. I don’t sense anything major being wrong, so is there anything I can do to restore the vitality of my pump? Some people have told me I need to flush the pump. What exactly does that mean?
Nathan Gadburry
New Haven, Conn.
Answer:
The people who give you advice could be right. After some period of use, pumps may begin to get sluggish. Contaminants and small debris may have collected inside the pump. Flushing the pump will clean up and rid the pump of these particles. Here’s how to flush your pump:
1. With your truck running, turn on the pump.
2. Locate your vacuum relief valve. It should be relatively close to your pump. Make sure it’s not your pressure relief valve. If you try flushing your pump with the pressure relief valve, you will only have more problems.
3. The vacuum relief valve has a spring on it that can be pushed by hand. When it is pushed in, air is sucked into the line and that air runs through the pump and out to the oil catch muffler.
4. Slowly pour a quart of diesel fuel (there are also flushing liquids available under various brand names) into the open vacuum relief valve. The liquid should be sucked rapidly into the valve.
5. The running pump will now spin the fuel around and dispense it to the oil catch muffler.
6. Grab a bucket and empty the excess diesel fuel from the oil catch muffler.
7. Your pump should immediately run cleaner and healthier. If the sluggishness continues, it’s time to look for other possible causes to the problems.
Pumps should be flushed at regular intervals. It will keep the inside of your pump clean and running properly.
Hydraulic or Air Brakes: You Make the Call
Question:
I’m in the market for a new service truck. Most of the trucks I’ve driven had air brakes. In shopping for a truck chassis, I find trucks with hydraulic brakes are a better buy. What’s your take on air brakes versus hydraulic brakes?
Leon George-Henderson
Hope, Ark.
Answer:
It is true that hydraulic brakes will cost you less at the time of purchase. This is true on all trucks rated at 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW) and smaller. But, before you order hydraulic brakes on your new truck, here’s the rub: Hydraulic brakes require more maintenance over time and the money you save at the purchase time will be given back to the dealer later. And, very likely, if you keep the truck, maintenance costs will more than exceed your initial savings. At our shop, we are big fans of air brakes and most of our customers are too.
Hydraulic brakes come with a hand brake. As it wears down, the hand brake needs to be adjusted. Consider what would happen if the hand brake gets out of adjustment and fails to work when your truck is parked on an incline. Or what if your route driver forgets to release the hand brake at some point during the day? He’ll drive around town with the brake on and ruin it. (Would a driver forget something like that?)
The truth is, hydraulic brakes are high maintenance and need more attention. Rotors and calipers wear quicker than regular brakes. With air brakes, you have to pull a knob to set the brakes and you aren’t going anywhere until it is released. With air brakes, there is less maintenance and fewer things to go wrong. Over the life of the truck, you will more than likely save money having air brakes.
