Parts washer Question

[Brake]

Could a power steering pump be used for a parts washer? Would it be too much pressure?

 

[txvwnut]

Maybe but you could always set it up the recirculate the excess back to tank and also play with the drive motor speeds. You won't actually have any pressure on it until you start blocking off the outlet port. If you stay with a wide open port you will have just flow to deal with. Think about when you put your thumb over the end of the garden hose, the pressure goes up but the flow goes down.

 

[gungatim]

I would think it should work just fine. GM pumps from the 70's were 2.9 - 3.3 gpm depending on model, which should be plenty for a parts washer. how were you thinking of feeding fluid to it and powering it?

 

[Brake]

I have your typical elcheapo 20 gallon parts washer. The pump died a while ago.

I was thinking of adding a tank/tub below on the packing shelf feeding it by a large drain. All the cleaning fluid would be held in this tank. A 5 gallon bucket would likely work good. I should have room to mount the p/s pump and electric motor beside it. I would plumb it all in, maybe add a remote filter. That's about as far as I have got.

 

[nickleone]

My cheap HF parts washer pump died.
I replaced it with a high volume water display pump from HD garden shop.
Considering effort and price it works well.

Nick

 

[sberry]

If it's a hobby it's all good. If I wanted to use it I would replace the pump from HF.

 

[brownbagg]

northern equipment sells replacment pumps cheap

 

[AMCguy]

My first parts washer, I built using a GM power steering pump. It squeaked until there was enough oil in the solvent to lube the pump and then never again. It worked for years.

 

[Worsedog]

In my previous wrecker operator life, we had a parts washer built out of a 55 gallon drum, GM power steering pump and a washing machine motor. It probably ran a couple of hours every day for 30 years and was still running when I left.

 

[Spareparts]

I used a GM power steering pump on mine and hooked it up to a air motor (used) with a needle valve to control both air flow and fluid flow, used very little air. I liked the air motor because of the safety factor, no sparks, no shocking experiences.

 

[Spareparts]

I have also heard that the oil pump out of a small block ford makes a very good pump for a parts washer, you can submerge it into the tank and power it with a small air motor.

 

[gungatim]

what makes the cheap HF pumps fail? mine is going on 5 years now, it's quit a few times over the years but when it does I just pull the cover and turn it by hand and it starts spinning again.