!@#$ing frame pump quit working!

(wle) may have said:

so where does the one-way action happen?

If the piston had a cup-type seal, that would double as the
check valve that allows air into the cylinder. If they're
using an o-ring on the piston, then the air inlet valve is
elsewhere, and as you surmise, it's likely blocked or stuck.
I have not dissected that exact brand and model as far as I
know, but of the two frame pumps I possess, one has that
type of piston and has had its inlet valve fail to work. On
that one, the valve was a plastic disc on the face of the
piston (which had a hollow pump rod to admit the air), and
the disc had adhered to the piston. I don't know what design
yours uses, and if you dissect it, the warranty is probably
going to be history. Perhaps it's time to change to a
different brand...

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Wle
i cannot keep a frame pump working. this is about my 6th
one, most were returned to the lbs. usually you don;t know
til you are trying to fix a flat. i seem to get about 3
fixes out of each pump..
🙁

latest problem [which i have had before]: pump is a topeak
speedblaster. not a mini.

anyway, what it does is this: it seems to pump fine, or
rather, it would, if it would take in any air.

when you pull the handle out, it wants to to spring back
into the pump, because it doesn;t draw any air in.

it will - if you wait about 5 seconds between strokes, but
with 150 strokes required to go to decent pressure, that is
a problem.

in trying to fix it, i did the following tests.

pour water into pump barrel it goes out the tire end just
fine, so there is no obstruction there

remove the o ring on the piston. strangely, the problem
persists the piston fits securely enough that it can still
not get any air in it even seems to be able to pump somewhat

oil the o ring [after replacing it] no change

so where does the one-way action happen?

you would think the o ring would do that//

//and with no o ring, it
a. couldn;t pump at all but
b. could draw air in just fine.

what the hell is going on?

how complicated can these things be?

is there some micro hole in the piston that is clogged?

wle.

I agree with the other poster's analysis, but I would give Topeak a chance to resolve the problem. I have had 100% success with them and their service organization.
I have been using their Morph pumps in road and Mountain service.
With your luck, you might want to also carry a CO2 inflator as a back up.

C-O-2

(sorry for top-posting, but it seemed appropriate).

GG

"wle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i cannot keep a frame pump working. this is about my 6th
one, most were returned to the lbs. usually you don;t know
til you are trying to fix a flat. i seem to get about 3
fixes out of each pump..
🙁

latest problem [which i have had before]: pump is a topeak
speedblaster. not a mini.

anyway, what it does is this: it seems to pump fine, or
rather, it would, if it would take in any air.

when you pull the handle out, it wants to to spring back
into the pump, because it doesn;t draw any air in.

it will - if you wait about 5 seconds between strokes, but
with 150 strokes required to go to decent pressure, that
is a problem.

in trying to fix it, i did the following tests.

pour water into pump barrel it goes out the tire end just
fine, so there is no obstruction there

remove the o ring on the piston. strangely, the problem
persists the piston fits securely enough that it can still
not get any air in it even seems to be able to pump
somewhat

oil the o ring [after replacing it] no change

so where does the one-way action happen?

you would think the o ring would do that//

//and with no o ring, it
a. couldn;t pump at all but
b. could draw air in just fine.

what the hell is going on?

how complicated can these things be?

is there some micro hole in the piston that is clogged?

wle.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

how complicated can these things be? is there some
micro hole in the piston that is clogged? wle.

i should also say that i ride in the rain, the thing gets
wet, but not that often, and that shouldn;t hurt it, but
maybe it;s a clue to the problem..

wle.

"wle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

how complicated can these things be? is there some
micro hole in the piston that is clogged? wle.

i should also say that i ride in the rain, the thing gets
wet, but not that often, and that shouldn;t hurt it, but
maybe it;s a clue to the problem..

wle.

Had my Topeak Road Morph pump for about 5 years and it works
fine. Keep it in the small pack I wear while riding though.
Saved a few CO2 inflator carriers a long walk in that time.

Cal

wle said:

i cannot keep a frame pump working. this is about my 6th
one, most were returned to the lbs. usually you don;t know
til you are trying to fix a flat. i seem to get about 3
fixes out of each pump..
🙁

The Zefal hpx is probably the best frame pump. Just make
sure you don't drop it, as the body is aluminium and can
be dented.

"wle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

how complicated can these things be? is there some
micro hole in the piston that is clogged? wle.

i should also say that i ride in the rain, the thing gets
wet, but not that often, and that shouldn;t hurt it, but
maybe it;s a clue to the problem..

wle.

do you have it mounted on the frame? I have found that they
get covered in grit and the first time you use them it gets
sucked into the works(this left me on the side of the road
in the rain pulling the pump apart with a screw driver and
washing the insides out in a creek). since then I wrap the
pump in a plastic freezer bag before clipping it into its
mount, no more problems. hope this helps stuart

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

i should also say that i ride in the rain, the thing
gets wet, but not that often, and that shouldn;t hurt
it, but maybe it;s a clue to the problem..

wle.

do you have it mounted on the frame? I have found that
they get covered in grit and the first time you use them
it gets sucked into the works(this left me on the side of
the road in the rain pulling the pump apart with a screw
driver and washing the insides out in a creek). since then
I wrap the pump in a plastic freezer bag before clipping
it into its mount, no more problems. hope this helps

yes i do but that wasn;t it. good suggestion though.

the problem was that somehow, do not ask me how, [heat?
water?] the piston had swelled to where it was not letting
air in on the out-stroke. i just ground it down a little and
voila. [this was an o-ring seal type, but the o ring only
compresses and makes a seal in one direction, otherwise it
should be flapping in the breeze as new air enters, now it
is doing that.] i never thought that could be the problem
but finally, nothing else was it either. :0

wle.

Quoted message said:

stuart

"stu" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"wle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> how complicated can these things be? is there some
> micro hole in the piston that is clogged? wle.

i should also say that i ride in the rain, the thing
gets wet, but not that often, and that shouldn;t hurt
it, but maybe it;s a clue to the problem..

wle.

do you have it mounted on the frame? I have found that
they get covered in grit and the first time you use them
it gets sucked into the works(this left me on the side of
the road in the rain pulling the pump apart with a screw
driver and washing the insides out in a creek). since then
I wrap the pump in a plastic freezer bag before clipping
it into its mount, no more problems. hope this helps

yes i do but that wasn;t it. good suggestion though.

the problem was that somehow, do not ask me how, [heat?
water?] the piston had swelled to where it was not letting
air in on the out-stroke. i just ground it down a little and
voila. [this was an o-ring seal type, but the o ring only
compresses and makes a seal in one direction, otherwise it
should be flapping in the breeze as new air enters, now it
is doing that.] i never thought that could be the problem
but finally, nothing else was it either. :0

wle.