I'm dealing with a Vac speedline filler that's giving me trouble. I've removed it, reassembled it, tried it again, but to no avail. Right now it's sitting on my desk, no diaphragm installed. What happens is that when I depress the plunger, it comes back up about halfway and then seems to hang on the lock nut; there seems to be some friction there. It will usually pop back out fully after a moment, but I'm wondering what to do about the friction. It looks to me that the metal plunger may be slightly bent, though so slightly that it's hard to tell.
Can a plunger be straightened without making matters worse? Or does anyone have any other ideas? Thanks.
Paul
Full Version: Vacumatic Lockdown Nut Problems
The easier route would be to enlarge the opening in the threaded collar to allow the plunger to pass through easier. This can be done with a drill bit, not sure on size at the moment, or with a half round or full round file. Just measure the OD of the plunger tube and use the next drill size up. I personally use a drill bit in a tap handle for this, and hold the threaded collar in my vac tool.
You will need to know how to disassemble the filler to do this, basically just pull the shim out of the tapered collar on the filler and it will come apart. Do be careful not to lose this shim as you cannot get it back together otherwise. To reinstall, pull the spring inside the plunger down with an xacto blade, slide the threaded collar on, then the tapered collar. Line up the slots in the threaded collar with the plunger and carefully insert the shim, all the while holding down the spring. When you get the shim in correctly, showing on both sides of the tapered collar groove, then release the spring and you are set to go.
Trying to bend or rearrange the plunger tube is asking for trouble. It will most likely crush or break in half on you, I speak from experience here.
If the plunger is not bent then you can take a look at the slots in the plunger tube, and see if they need to be opened up a bit with an xacto knife. What you are describing is typical when someone clamps a vac tool on a lockdown without having the plunger in the up position. This clamps the tube a bit and distorts it, so that it will not operate smoothly.
Cheers and good luck.
Sean
You will need to know how to disassemble the filler to do this, basically just pull the shim out of the tapered collar on the filler and it will come apart. Do be careful not to lose this shim as you cannot get it back together otherwise. To reinstall, pull the spring inside the plunger down with an xacto blade, slide the threaded collar on, then the tapered collar. Line up the slots in the threaded collar with the plunger and carefully insert the shim, all the while holding down the spring. When you get the shim in correctly, showing on both sides of the tapered collar groove, then release the spring and you are set to go.
Trying to bend or rearrange the plunger tube is asking for trouble. It will most likely crush or break in half on you, I speak from experience here.
If the plunger is not bent then you can take a look at the slots in the plunger tube, and see if they need to be opened up a bit with an xacto knife. What you are describing is typical when someone clamps a vac tool on a lockdown without having the plunger in the up position. This clamps the tube a bit and distorts it, so that it will not operate smoothly.
Cheers and good luck.
Sean
QUOTE(SMG @ Feb 12 2008, 05:14 PM) [snapback]512173[/snapback]
You will need to know how to disassemble the filler to do this, basically just pull the shim out of the tapered collar on the filler and it will come apart. Do be careful not to lose this shim as you cannot get it back together otherwise. To reinstall, pull the spring inside the plunger down with an xacto blade, slide the threaded collar on, then the tapered collar. Line up the slots in the threaded collar with the plunger and carefully insert the shim, all the while holding down the spring. When you get the shim in correctly, showing on both sides of the tapered collar groove, then release the spring and you are set to go.
Trying to bend or rearrange the plunger tube is asking for trouble. It will most likely crush or break in half on you, I speak from experience here.
If the plunger is not bent then you can take a look at the slots in the plunger tube, and see if they need to be opened up a bit with an xacto knife. What you are describing is typical when someone clamps a vac tool on a lockdown without having the plunger in the up position. This clamps the tube a bit and distorts it, so that it will not operate smoothly.
Cheers and good luck.
Sean
Trying to bend or rearrange the plunger tube is asking for trouble. It will most likely crush or break in half on you, I speak from experience here.
If the plunger is not bent then you can take a look at the slots in the plunger tube, and see if they need to be opened up a bit with an xacto knife. What you are describing is typical when someone clamps a vac tool on a lockdown without having the plunger in the up position. This clamps the tube a bit and distorts it, so that it will not operate smoothly.
Cheers and good luck.
Sean
Sean, thanks. I already had the filler disassembled and think your latter point -- about the slots in the plunger tube -- is what is going on here. Opening the slots up a bit has made the operation of the filler a lot easier. I still think the plunger tube may have a slight bend in it, but the filler looks to be workable now.
I hadn't realized the problem with the plunger position when removing the filler on a lockdown (this one is a speedline), but this is good to know for future reference!
Paul
To quote Kramer from Seinfeld here "I like to help the humans once in a while". 
Glad to hear that it worked.
Cheers,
Sean
Glad to hear that it worked.
Cheers,
Sean
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.