Another Reverso question

[RLKramer]

Hi All, I just tried using my reverso for the first time myself after 5 years of others changing my oil and discovered that it didn't want to draw the oil out of the generator pan. Even with all the valves open nothing seemed to work.

I tried going the other direction and drawing oil out of a jug and nothing worked either.

The machine is making noise like it's working but I'm wondering if the gear driven pump can wear out or have other issues that I can't get it to work. I tried priming it but to no avail.

Ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Mac G]

Separate from the valves on the reverso manifold do you have a ball valve immediately under the oil pan of your generator connected to the reverso hose?
My system is set up like that so with that valve closed nothing will happen in either direction.

 

[RLKramer]

The ball valves were definitely open. I couldn't even draw from a fresh jug of oil to see if it would draw that way. The generator ball valve was also open.

 

[rgano]

The Reverso pumps I have been familiar with were impeller pumps, yet you suggest yours is a gear pump. I replaced so many shredded Reverso pump impellers over the years that I replaced the pump with a gear pump. If I were you I'd pull off the pump's end plate to see what's there. If all looks ok, operate the pump while observing to see if what you see is actually rotating.

 

[garmstro55]

I have the X-Change-R system which is similar to the Reverso. Me, being a dumbass, couldn't get mine to pump from the generator either. Well, it turns out that the long end of the selector handle is the "pointer", and not the little nub on the opposite side. So, I had the pump set to "Off" and not generator. This may not be your problem but it's worth checking.

In the accompanying photo, I had turned the long handle up, which is incorrect, it should be in the down position.

Rich Gano promised to leave his X-Change-R to me in his will, as he has upgraded to a gear drive and eliminated the rubber impeller, which needs to be replaced from time to time.

 

[rgano]

Rich Gano promised to leave his X-Change-R to me in his will, as he has upgraded to a gear drive and eliminated the rubber impeller, which needs to be replaced from time to time.

Yep, in the famous words of Charlton Heston, "From my cold dead fingers." THEN you can have it, Gary.

 

[Comodave]

I have the X-Change-R system which is similar to the Reverso. Me, being a dumbass, couldn't get mine to pump from the generator either. Well, it turns out that the long end of the selector handle is the "pointer", and not the little nub on the opposite side. So, I had the pump set to "Off" and not generator. This may not be your problem but it's worth checking.

In the accompanying photo, I had turned the long handle up, which is incorrect, it should be in the down position.

Rich Gano promised to leave his X-Change-R to me in his will, as he has upgraded to a gear drive and eliminated the rubber impeller, which needs to be replaced from time to time.

I have that one too. At least you have a handle on yours. The PO left me the shaft sticking out without the handle. It was fun figuring out which way was which engine the first time…

 

[DDW]

A Reverso gear pump may have trouble priming itself if it has been dry for 5 years. It isn't really a positive displacement pump in that the gears are expected to seal on the meshing side and ends but actually have some operating clearance. They will if wet with oil but if dry they seal poorly and it will develop very little suction. So if it is a gear pump and is turning, try pouring some oil down the intake in such a way that gravity takes it into the gears. If this is the problem as soon as they get some oil it will suddenly suck like crazy.

 

[La Sirena]

Reverso pumps come in two varieties, gear pumps and impeller pumps. I've had both over the years, and gear pumps are better. Check to make sure what kind you have. My current boat, however, has an impeller pump. I had the same problem as you. I replaced the impeller, looked for downstream impeller bits, made sure all valves were open. My main, main transmission, get home and generator all have small valves on engine that had to be opened in addition to the valves on the Reverso. Check for an on engine valve.

It's not rocket science, right? At last resort I called Reverso, and the young engineer, that just started at the company a few months before, told me to look at the gasket between the impeller housing and the cover plate. Bingo! It is a small gasket and tricky to install right. Mine was leaking air and causing the vacuum to be broken.

 

[sockeye]

We have Reverso system as well for main engines (2) and genset.Ours is the gear variety .Several replies suggest that all valves be open.We do it differently if I am reading these posts correctly .We open port main valve ,pump oil .Close that valve open starboard valve ,pump oil close that valve and then do genset .Each time we only open valve of engine oil we are changing. When we first installed system a few years back it didn't pump even though we thought we primed it correctly .

A mechanic doing a job on another boat hooked up his commercial pump to our discharge hose and primed it properly.It has worked flawlessly ever since.But we only have one valve open at a time