Vacuum pump question

[Oakshire_Farm]

Hey all!

I have just found what could be a great deal on a Surge Alamo vacuum pump.
Does anyone have one? What are they like? Good/Bad/Run for the hills and don't look back???

This one was used for a commercial goat dairy 10 years ago, when they closed down, it was stuck in a trailer with 6+ deLaval and a few Surge bucket milkers. They said it was for goats? But all the claws are set up for 4 not 2 teats???

Either way, I could get it all for dirt cheap (estate sale)

[sammyd]

The Alamo is a dependable pump. Must be thousands of them still performing well out there.
You can run a gallon or so of diesel through the pump after it is installed, pour it slowly right into the intake of the pump itself. This will help flush any crud off the vanes. Then drain the reclaimer oil.
The reclaimer is usually on top piped into the outlet, you can drain the oil and replace the filter stone that leads to the oiler lines.
Fill to the recommended level with a good vacuum pump oil and make sure that the oil drips through the sight glasses. Usually 3, one for each bearing and one for the vanes.
It is a very slow drip so watch carefully.
You can't adjust oil flow with the stock Surge oiler system but if you see an occasional drip it is probably working OK.

Make sure to put in a new inlet filter as well.

[springvalley]

What sam said, they are good old pumps, I use one. Just make sure it isn`t wore out, rock the shaft back in forth to see if there is any wear on the shaft or bearings. You can buy them down this way for a couple hundred bucks most times , maybe even less in the right situation. > Thanks Marc