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Broken Bike Pump. Fixable?
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:34 am
by Millon
I took a standard bike pump up to 110 psi to fire my pneumatic cannon. When I tried to use the pump again, it stopped working. Even when the pump isn't attached to anything, I feel a lot of resistance in the plunger on the downward stroke (as if the pump is already attached to something at 80psi), and the gauge remains at zero. If I push hard enough I can get the plunger to go all the way down, but the air seems to be coming out of somewhere other than the end of the hose. Maybe it's some sort of safety release valve.
I imagine the problem to be that the valve that prevents air from going back into the pump from the whatever you are inflating is jammed and wont let air out of the pump cylinder.
Has anyone else experienced a problem like this, and is it possible to take the pump apart and fix it? Or should I go out and buy a new pump? Also, I didn't think that 110psi is pushing it too far, since the pressure gauge went up to 250psi.
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:03 am
by sinper2006
you could try take it back to where you brought it and get it replaced.
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:41 pm
by psycix
sinper2006 wrote:you could try take it back to where you brought it and get it replaced.
Good idea, but it only applies when he didnt take it apart yet AND bought it recently. A 10 year old bike pump wont get refunded.
If you cant get it refunded, take it apart and try do fix it. Maybe the piston is broken/disaligned, and you should also check the check valve.
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:26 pm
by mopherman
After about five generations of crappy pumps, Ive become a bit of an expert at temporary repair. I would try the following-
Take it apart and check all airways for blockage, check the check valve for melting/jamming, and submerge the pump in water wile using and look for leaks in the base. All three of these problems have happened to me.
If its the BELL one from wallmart the check valve probably got messed up. Just trash any wallmart pump.
Good luck.
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:15 pm
by daxspudder
Bells suck. I just had one blow up on me, the screw that seats the chamber in the base wasnt screwed through the hole where it belonged, an the damn pump blew up at 80psi and shot me in the chest... so if you have a bell SCRAP IT.
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:36 am
by sinper2006
psycix wrote:sinper2006 wrote:you could try take it back to where you brought it and get it replaced.
Good idea, but it only applies when he didnt take it apart yet AND bought it recently. A 10 year old bike pump wont get refunded.
If you cant get it refunded, take it apart and try do fix it. Maybe the piston is broken/disaligned, and you should also check the check valve.
I forgot to add that in my post lol. But if his pump is 10 years old lets just hope it has a life time grantee.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:15 pm
by Millon
Thanks for the advice. I just went on a 3 month vacation, but I'll try your repair suggestions when I return and report back with the outcome.