Most Frustrating "Repair" Job Upper Helm Pump

[Lepke]

When I took my Wagner helm pump into get serviced at Olympic drives in Richmond, he said he had just finished a similar pump a couple days before. He worked at the company that had manufactured them some 30 years ago.

He also said when I reinstalled the pump, not to turn the helm. If I wasn't going to drain and bleed the whole system, I should carefully fill the hydraulic tubing leading to the upper helm pump as full as possible, then continue to fill the upper helm pump and let the system naturally bubble itself free of air.

Have any of you heard of reinstalling an upper helm pump this way? Every thing I have read has two people turning the two helms in opposite directions to clear the lines?

I have Wagner steering about 45 years old. Attached is the filling procedure. I installed a small hyd. tank above the upper pump to make filling easier.
Most people that have problems with hydraulic rebuilds either are too dirty or not inspecting the area where the seal rubs. Sometimes you can use a cup seal in place of an o-ring. It seals better and allows for some out of round.

 

[grahamdouglass]

I've read that brochure, that's why I was surprised he suggested I not turn the helm when filling the upper helm. When I collect my helm pump, hopefully today, I will show him the brochure and ask for clarification. Olympic Drives in Richmond is the distributor and service center for Wagner drives, so I would assume they know what they are doing.

 

[grahamdouglass]

Wagner AW upper helm pump installed

When I picked up my upper helm pump I got clarification on filling and bleeding the system.
He said if I wanted to really do a proper job I would drain the lower helm pump and clean any dirt and debris that may have settled in that pump, and then fill the lower pump and then the upper pump. Considering where the back of the lower helm pump was, in the electrical closet, I chose just to fill the upper pump.

The install was relatively easy, and with my daughter turning the lower helm station and myself on the upper helm station turning the opposite way we had it filled and working in no time.

The type of fluid I use however was what the previous owner used, ESSO mineral lube, 10w. This is significantly thinner then the AW32 suggested by Wagner. Because of the reduced viscosity, air probably bubbled to the surface much quicker then if AW32 was used.

 

[grahamdouglass]

Wanger parts manual is now available in the library

If any one is interested the Wagner parts manual is available in the Library.
It has diagrams for model 700, 701, N series and parts numbers. And where you can get these parts. The only thing it doesn't have is a diagram of my Wagner AW pump. I had to get this from Olympic drives. It is a one page mechanical drawing of the pump. When I get around to it I will post that drawing along with the picture of the job they did on my pump.