I know its late, but I'm hoping someone is out there with an answer. We were getting ready to headout on Thursday for a weekend of dry camping. We have 1972 Ambassador. We filled the water tank - turned on the water pump and NO water comes out of faucets !!! I can see the pump working and can hear it running HELP!!
It is probably a PAR pump, separate motor with a rod going into the pump. If so there are rebuild kits, they are also popular in the boating world. Make sure there isn't a valve closed and no air leaks between the tank and pump.
I know its late, but I'm hoping someone is out there with an answer. We were getting ready to headout on Thursday for a weekend of dry camping. We have 1972 Ambassador. We filled the water tank - turned on the water pump and NO water comes out of faucets !!! I can see the pump working and can hear it running HELP!!
There are several possibilities that could contribute to a pump that runs but doesn't appear to be pumping. The first suspect(s) would be one or more open low-point drains. If any of these low-point drains are open the pump usually cannot supply any of the regular supply points. The second potential issue is providing enough time to fill the water heater - - this can take quite some time if you happen to have one of the ten-gallong water heaters. The third possibility would be that the valve used to drain the fresh water tank may be open or just partially closed (evidence would be a fresh water escaping through a drain hose below the coach). The fourth potential problem is with the pump itself - - a worn out diaphragm or an intake hose that is perforated with holes (leakage would likely be present if this were the issue) - - if your coach has its original PAR (Peters and Russell) water pump there are rebuild kits available and it is well worth the trouble of rebuilding (IMHO). There is a fifth possibility, but it would become quickly evident and that would be a large leak in one of the pipes. A sixth possibility would be a missing or loose drain plug on the water heater - - this was the culprit that caused a similar problem on my Minuet last Spring.
Good luck with your investigation!
Kevin
__________________
Kevin D. Allen WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC/Free Wheelers #6359 AIR #827
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban (7400 VORTEC/4.11 Differentials)
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre/1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible (8.2 Liter V8/2.70 Final Drive)
...if your coach has its original PAR (Peters and Russell) water pump there are rebuild kits available and it is well worth the trouble of rebuilding (IMHO)...
Kevin,
I have heard this before about PAR water pumps. What, in your opinion, makes their pump better than what is currently available new? Is a new PAR pump better than an old rebuilt one?
I have heard this before about PAR water pumps. What, in your opinion, makes their pump better than what is currently available new? Is a new PAR pump better than an old rebuilt one?
Thanks,
Tom
Prior to purchasing my Airstream, my previous experiences were all with ShurFlo pumps. With the ShurFlo, I have never gotten much more than four or five seasons from a pump, and then the response from the company was either no rebuild kit available or it would be cheaper to replace. With the PAR, I have yet to have to replace one before it was 20 or more years old - - the one in my Airstream was rebuilt three times during the first owners' nearly 20 years of ownership at far less than the cost of three new ShurFlos - - then the second owner who was not familiar with Airstreams discarded a perfectly rebuildable pump and replaced it with a ShurFlo that was in need of replacement when I bought the coach in 1995 (he said that it was the second ShurFlo that he had installed in his 10 years of ownership). My Overlander's new pump was a new PAR that was installed in '95 and it required a rebuild kit in 2003. The cost of a rebuild kit was less than $30.00 the last time that I checked, and it was one of the few maintenance tasks that I don't mind handling if I am not pressed for time.
I made a mistake and didn't specify a PAR pump when the original PAR pump in my Minuet was replaced by my dealer due to freeze damage (my own fault for letting winterization slip for too long the first year that I owned the coach - - it was the only damage fortunately). The coach now has a noisy ShurFlo that produces more than twice the noise of the PAR and is no more efficient in its operation - - at least I don't have to wonder if a faucet isn't fully shut off as the pump's noise will wake anyone sleeping within 20 feet.
I will admit that it is partly a preference issue - - I really like the reduced noise level with the PAR. If the pump must be purchased new, it takes about 25 years of use for the increased cost of the PAR pump to be evened out by its rebuildable nature. When I purchased the new PAR for my Overlander in '95, the PAR pump was more than twice as much as the ShurFlo pump that my dealer suggested. I didn't mind paying the extra as I don't mind installing the rebuild kit, but I don't like to get involved in pump replacement.
Kevin
__________________
Kevin D. Allen WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC/Free Wheelers #6359 AIR #827
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban (7400 VORTEC/4.11 Differentials)
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre/1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible (8.2 Liter V8/2.70 Final Drive)
Thanks Everyone for your quick response. I did not have enough time to fix it but we did try a few of your suggestions. I will have to deal with this next week when we return. Campground showers are looking mighty good. Oh well, we will do what we can. Thanks again!!!
Hi Alex;
The first think to do is to heard if your pump make a noise or try to pump. If yes, open or shut the faucets under the galley to permit the water to arrive to the pump; it's only a question of pressure. If the diaphragm or the valves are not in good condition, you'll see leaks under the pump... if no noise, see the fuse or the pump is out.
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