Repair Zefal HPx Pump?
Arthur Shapiro
harder to pump, as if one were starting with about 80 psi of
resistance. As it had provided good service for quite a few
years, and had been run over and slightly mangled a few times
after popping off the bike, I replaced it with another one.
Now the new one is doing the same thing.
I removed all parts from the pump head, leaving me with just the
barrel, empty head, and plunger. The plunger is still well lubed.
It is still difficult to pump the empty pump. So I assume that
water, dirt, or whatever has caused some sort of problem with what
I'd guess is a check valve, possibly where the body meets the
head.
Questions: Is this reasonable? Do I have some means of getting my
paws on that check valve to clean, lube, or otherwise coerce it
into normal behavior? Or is this a common problem with an
otherwise non-intuitive solution - or no solution?
Art, watching bizarre April rains in So Cal
Someone
contacting Zefal...
rrplata
the spring in the pump grip gave up the ghost.) I contacted the good folks
at Zefal who asked that I ship it to them in Dallas, TX and they repaired it
and return-shipped it for free! Vive la France!
Rick
Pasadena, CA
Arthur Shapiro
>A few months back, my trusty old HPx started to get harder and
>harder to pum
I'll follow up on my own posting, for the benefit of others.
Several folks privately suggested that the Zefal had a lifetime
warranty, and that I should check the web site. Using various
search engines, I couldn't find a web site, although I'm grateful
for the other message giving an email address.
I thought about running it up to Performance, where it had been
purchased, but wanted to see if I could do something myself. I
took a strong light and looked down the barrel, and noticed that
there appears to be a screw connection between barrel and head.
Unfortunately, none of my screwdrivers remotely approach the 16.5"
length needed to reach the screw.
I filled my ultrasonic cleaner with paint thinner, and put the
head end of the disassembled pump into the fluid. After a couple
minutes of nuking, I let it drip dry and cleaned both ends as well
as I could with pieces of rag wrapped around a small dowel.
I lubed the plunger with plumber's grease, as long as it was out
anyway.
And when I put it back together, the problem seems to have been
fixed. Whatever was jamming the check valve seems to have been
dislodged in the ultrasonic cleaning process. The HPx is pumping
like new, with minimal plunger resistance.
So I guess I'm set for a while. Still might go out and buy that
superlong screwdriver, as I hate not having the right tool for a
job.
Art
Frank Krygowski
Arthur Shapiro wrote:
>
> In article <8dg37b$2ane$1...@si05.rsvl.unisys.com>, art.s...@unisys.com (Arthur Shapiro) wrote:
> >A few months back, my trusty old HPx started to get harder and
> >harder to pum
>
> I'll follow up on my own posting, for the benefit of others.
>
> I
> took a strong light and looked down the barrel, and noticed that
> there appears to be a screw connection between barrel and head.
> Unfortunately, none of my screwdrivers remotely approach the 16.5"
> length needed to reach the screw.
>
> I filled my ultrasonic cleaner with paint thinner, and put the
> head end of the disassembled pump into the fluid. After a couple
> minutes of nuking...
>
> And when I put it back together, the problem seems to have been
> fixed. Whatever was jamming the check valve seems to have been
> dislodged in the ultrasonic cleaning process. The HPx is pumping
> like new, with minimal plunger resistance.
Obviously, the fumes from the paint thinner, when nuked by ultrasound
and inhaled, have enhanced your upper body strength! ;-)
>
> So I guess I'm set for a while. Still might go out and buy that
> superlong screwdriver, as I hate not having the right tool for a
> job.
Seriously, I wanted to comment on the screwdriver. While I usually
don't mind buying tools, I have made super-long screwdrivers by heating,
pounding and/or grinding the end of a long steel rod. You don't need a
handle, because you can grip the rod in a vise and turn the pump
instead, but if you prefer, an "L" bend in the other end can function
as a handle. It all takes less time than running to the hardware store,
and although it won't be as strong or hard as a commercial tool, it
hardly matters for one-time or light-duty use.
--
Frank Krygowski frkr...@cc.ysu.edu
Chris Thurrott
> From: art...@home.net (Arthur Shapiro)
> Organization: Golden Eared Audiophiles, Ltd.
> Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
> Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 23:42:14 GMT
> Subject: Re: Repair Zefal HPx Pump?
>
> In article <8dg37b$2ane$1...@si05.rsvl.unisys.com>, art.s...@unisys.com
> (Arthur Shapiro) wrote:
>> A few months back, my trusty old HPx started to get harder and
>> harder to pum
>
> I'll follow up on my own posting, for the benefit of others.
>
> Several folks privately suggested that the Zefal had a lifetime
> warranty, and that I should check the web site. Using various
> search engines, I couldn't find a web site, although I'm grateful
> for the other message giving an email address.
>
> I thought about running it up to Performance, where it had been
> purchased, but wanted to see if I could do something myself. I
> took a strong light and looked down the barrel, and noticed that
> there appears to be a screw connection between barrel and head.
> Unfortunately, none of my screwdrivers remotely approach the 16.5"
> length needed to reach the screw.
>
> I filled my ultrasonic cleaner with paint thinner, and put the
> head end of the disassembled pump into the fluid. After a couple
> minutes of nuking, I let it drip dry and cleaned both ends as well
> as I could with pieces of rag wrapped around a small dowel.
>
> I lubed the plunger with plumber's grease, as long as it was out
> anyway.
>
> And when I put it back together, the problem seems to have been
> fixed. Whatever was jamming the check valve seems to have been
> dislodged in the ultrasonic cleaning process. The HPx is pumping
> like new, with minimal plunger resistance.
>
> So I guess I'm set for a while. Still might go out and buy that
> superlong screwdriver, as I hate not having the right tool for a
> job.
>
> Art
Arthur Shapiro
>Uh, http://www.zefal.com appears to work...
>
couldn't find it.
Art
Chris Thurrott
-C
> From: art...@home.net (Arthur Shapiro)
> Organization: Golden Eared Audiophiles, Ltd.
> Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
> Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 02:47:08 GMT
> Subject: Re: Repair Zefal HPx Pump?
>
Matt A. Locker
I'm usually not sarcastic but today I'll make an exception.
That's not a hard one to find. It's even easier to just try it to see what
happens.
MOO,
Matt
In article <qBML4.165515$bm.7...@news1.alsv1.occa.home.com>, art...@home.net (Arthur Shapiro) writes:
|>
|> I'll follow up on my own posting, for the benefit of others.
|>
|> Several folks privately suggested that the Zefal had a lifetime
|> warranty, and that I should check the web site. Using various
|> search engines, I couldn't find a web site, although I'm grateful
|> for the other message giving an email address.
|>
.......
Arthur Shapiro
wrote:
>I'm usually not sarcastic but today I'll make an exception.
>
> www.zefal.com
>
>That's not a hard one to find. It's even easier to just try it to see what
>happens.
You're absolutely right. However, upon looking at the site, it
seems to be solely a minimalist product blurb listing with zero
technical information and no opportunity to communicate with the
company.
I *probably* tried keying in "Zefal" before trying the search
engines, as (as you note) it would be a reasonable thing to
expect, and I'm hardly computer-illiterate. Perhaps the site was
down at that time, or maybe I typed "Zefel" or something like
that.
And if anyone happens to know the workings of the mysterious check
valve, they certainly haven't come forward to share the
information. (Anyone have an HPx and a super-long screwdriver?)
Art
Alex Rodriguez
>
>In article <8dg37b$2ane$1...@si05.rsvl.unisys.com>, art.s...@unisys.com
(Arthur Shapiro) wrote:
>>A few months back, my trusty old HPx started to get harder and
>>harder to pum
>
>
>Several folks privately suggested that the Zefal had a lifetime
>warranty, and that I should check the web site. Using various
>search engines, I couldn't find a web site, although I'm grateful
>for the other message giving an email address.
They do have a web site, I don't have the address handy. They also have a
number you can call at 888-515-7867 central time.
----------------
Alex __O
_-\<,_
(_)/ (_)
Matt A. Locker
Sorry about the sarcasm. It was a long night with short sleep. However,
on page one of the website is a key button for "contact ZEFAL USA" or
"contact ZEFAL FRANCE". I haven't tried either of them but it may be a good
place to start.
Neither of my HP-x's have ever given me any problems. However, my Double Shot
head broke on me a few months back. I purchased a new one from Loose Screws,
and was amazed to find that the new hose didn't fit into the pump. Zefal had
changed fitting sizes over the years. I ended up cutting the new head off and
mounting it onto the old hose. Then I found out that the new reversible
Presta/Schrader head that I installed didn't seem to work very well. After
screwing with it for a month and always seeming to have difficulty getting air
into my Prestas, I decided to compare the old insert with the new insert.
Imagine my surprise to find that the new one was preventing me from getting
the head completely over the valve before it hit the core screw. I replaced
the new insert with the old insert and everything is fine now. After all
this, I kind of with I had either just purchased a new DoubleShot or had
bought a Silca.
Matt
--
Matthew A. Locker
John Forrest Tomlinson
news:8dpddj$nrc$1...@news.btv.ibm.com...
> Art:
>
> I'm usually not sarcastic but today I'll make an exception.
>
> www.zefal.com
>
> That's not a hard one to find. It's even easier to just try it to see
what
> happens.
Matt A. Locker <mlo...@avocet.btv.ibm.com> wrote in message
news:8dq0fo$ck4$1...@news.btv.ibm.com...
> Art:
>
> Sorry about the sarcasm.
Why do you keep talking about sarcasm? I see no sarcasm at all in what you
wrote.
JT
--
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