Bought this D8A Vacuum Pump on eBay. The packing was very bad but it managed to survive shipment without serious damage.
Listing said, "THIS UNIT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. IT WAS RECENTLY PULLED FROM SERVICE AND WORKS FLAWLESSLY." -- Yeah, Right!
Looking into exhaust and intake ports there were nasty, rusty-looking deposits. Same through side window. Pulled some of it out of exhaust with my finger. Came out easily. Felt a little gritty, but not hard like rust. Putting it on a flat surface, it could be smushed out. Maybe a resin sucked into the pump?
Removed the intake port. Same nasty stuff there, but could clean off fairly easily with no corrosion on the metal parts. The bad news -- it was on all surfaces I could see through the intake port hole. Later, I pulled the side window -- same heavy deposits there too.
Good news -- Spinning the motor fan by hand, it moved easily. A hand over the intake port could feel a vacuum beginning. Without filling with oil (it would have been quickly contaminated and oil capacity is listed as one quart -- expensive) I pulsed the power on very quickly and the pump sounded smooth.
I can't see putting oil into it and running it without tearing it down and cleaning out the extensive contamination. I have ordered a D8A major repair kit. When it arrives I intend to open the cases and scrub out all the schmutz I can find inside. I doubt that there is damage that can't be undone, but the pump is very contaminated and it seems foolish to try to run it more without extensive cleaning.
I am looking for any guidance or advice. I wonder if there are issues with alignment of the pump parts after tear-down. If it is hard to align after a complete tear-down, I may only pull the main case first, and just clean the majority of the oil container. If it is not very difficult to re-assemble, I should probably go through everything while I have it open. I hope I can hear from someone who has been inside these types of Leybold pumps.
Pictures -- Click on items below for larger version of the image.
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Fisher brand seems the same as Leybold brand. |
Inside of exhaust port looks pretty clean, but this is after I cleaned what I could reach with a paper towel. |
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Not clear. Nasty orange-brown deposits on inside. |
Removed window (inside view). Looks rusty but probably not rust. |
All of inside surfaces seem to be coated with this rusty-looking deposit. |
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Rubbed this from inside of exhaust port. Same sort of stuff in intake port and on every inside surface I can see. |
Schmutz sample from inside window. Pen tip to show size. Looks rusty but though it feels a bit gritty, can be smashed to a smear. Maybe some kind of resin sucked into pump. |
