Leaking hydraulic pump

[AMink]

The pump that operates the slideout on our '05 Wildcat is leaking. Badly. It drained the whole reservoir within about 5 days. That was just sitting there so it's not necessarily a pressure issue. I contacted Lippert and they said it is a Haldex unit which Haldex no longer supports through Lippert.



I have pulled the reservoir off the pump (easy since it was EMPTY!:-laf) and the O-ring, O-ring groove, and inside of the reservoir look fine. My guess is that there is a seal between the pump and the motor. I'm going to pull the whole thing out and see if I can disassemble it and see if there is a replaceable seal. A replacement unit through Lippert is almost $1300!



Has anyone had luck repairing one of these?

 

[jelag]

That's the same pump that my unit uses... as I remember the fluid is ATF... I'd replace the o-ring, put it back together with a drip pan and see if the o-ring might be the problem... if it still leaks I'd find a good hydraulic shop and let them fix it... . here in Spokane there is a nice pump shop that does generic pump work, been there 15 years or so... if it was mine I'd take it in and get it fixed... actually if it was mine I'd attempt it myself first... but you've got to know exactly where it leaks...

Hope I've helped...

 

[AMink]

I got the schematic from the original manufacturer. First I'm going to try putting some teflon tape around the groove the o-ring fits in. If that doesn't work then I'll move deeper. At least I have a line on parts.

 

[GSchneuer]

Leaking Hyd. pump
I have the same pump in my Hitchhiker with the very same leak problem, the fix is easy and cheap.
Take the pump & reservoir out of your rig. Remove the reservoir and inspect the sealing surfaces very carefully for fine cracks, if none are found, take the pump & reservoir to a Good Hyd. Shop and get said pump & reservoir fitted with the correct new "O" Ring, about $ 1. 79. Install the new O Ring on the pump without rolling the seal on installation. Lube the inner sealing surface with a very light coat of Hyd. fluid. When you install the reservoir on over the O Ring, make sure you give the reservoir a slight twist to prevent the O Ring from twisting or being pinched as you align the reservior to the pump mounting bolt holes. Purchase 4 new mounting bolts that are 1/8 to 1/4 inch longer then OEM, install a split washer over the bolt threads, then install a thin flat washer on top of the split washer and install all 4 new bolts & washers and tighten snugly. Then go too any Home Depot, Lowe's or Ace and purchase a 6 inch screw clamp and install it onto the reservoir all the way up the the mounting bolts & tighten snugly, but not over tighten. DO NOT USE SILICONE SEALENT or any other type of sealent as this will distort the O Ring sealing surface & cause a leak again. Fill the reservoir with fluid while you have it on the bench or work area & let it sit for 10 - 12 hour leak check. If no leaks are noted, all should be well after the Pump & Reservoir is installed. What causes the leaks is heat expanision of the reservoir while either in use or while static in a High Heat Area of the country like where I live in very hot Arizona.

I repaired my pump & reservoir this way 2 years a go, so far not 1 drop of leakage.

Good Luck, Gary

 

[AMink]

I ended up wrapping the groove with a few wraps of teflon tape, reinstalling the o-ring, and going for it. Three days later and it's still good. If it fails I'll try Gary's advice. The other thing I noticed was the breather cap had a little "click" to it like something would open or close. I cleaned the cap out good and hope it's in the open position. Thanks for the advice!

 

[tugboat1st]

I think that teflon tape is just asking for a problem. It doesn't fix or replace a 50 cent "o" ring. I had a similar leak problem. It turns out that the hose fittings just needed a little tightening.

 

[AMink]

All fittings are tight. I don't have to use it for a while so I'll keep an eye on it.