The hydraulic gear pump is an essential component of any system that relies on a hydraulic operation. You need to proactively maintain it to keep it in its best shape. This involves ensuring that the system as a whole and its components are in the best form possible. This will allow you to avoid the massive repair bills associated with fixing a failed gear pump. Gear pump failure can be caused by air leaks into the pump, the pump running too fast, incorrect rotation and much more. Here are signs of a bad gear pump.
1. Abnormal Noise
If you are hearing abnormal noises coming from your hydraulic gear system, it can be an indication that your gear is failing. The strange noises could be caused by cavitation or aeration. The latter is a technical term referring to when the hydraulic fluid in your gear pump gets contaminated by air. When this occurs, your system will produce loud banging and knocking sounds as it decompresses and compresses. Other symptoms of aeration are erratic actuator movement and liquid foaming.
On the other hand, cavitation occurs when enough hydraulic fluid isn’t reaching a particular system component. The result will be that pressure in that part of the system will fall below the ideal vapor pressure of the hydraulic fluid. Cavitation will cause the metals within the system to erode, contaminating the hydraulic fluid supply, which can end up in total gear pump failure.
2. High Temperature
If your hydraulic fluid’s temperature becomes too high, it usually causes extensive-lasting damage to the seals within the system. Additionally, extremely high temperatures hasten the degradation of the hydraulic fluid. The ideal temperature of the hydraulic fluid in any gear system is 82 degrees Celsius. If the temperatures of the fluids within your system go beyond this point, you should avoid operating it. The high fluid temperature is usually caused by an increased build-up of dirt and debris on the attached filters in the hydraulic reservoir. This usually causes the reservoir to be less effective at dissipating the heat in the hydraulic fluid and maintaining the ideal temperature level.
3. Slow Operation
Are you noticing unusually slow operation on your system? You might be experiencing a slower average time or slower average operation. This indicates that something might be wrong with the system’s hydraulic gear pump. There might be an internal or external leakage in your system. The leakages can be from a burst hose, which is typically easy to spot and fix. However, internal leakage normally happens within the hydraulic gear pump, attached valves or actuators. Using a hydraulic flow tester or an infrared thermostat, you can identify internal leakages.
Do You Need Help Fixing Hydraulic Gear Pump Failure in Cordova, California?
If you need any hydraulic repair services in Cordova, California, and the surrounding areas, you should come to us at Hydraulic Power Sales. We have been selling top-quality hydraulic equipment and offering excellent hydraulic repair services to businesses across Northern California since 1985. In addition to this, we manufacture custom hydraulic systems at competitive prices. Call us today for all your hydraulic purchase and repair needs.