Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Ideas on driving pump computer mechanism?

I'm in the middle of restoring a Bennett 766. The pump was by a barn for many years and the computer was frozen up. After removing the pump unit, I was able to lube and free up the computer. I discovered by running my low speed cordless drill in the bottom of the unit, the computer would operate just like it was pumping gas, bell ringing on the gallon and all.

Has anybody figured a way to rig a gear motor or torque motor to do this? I have fond memories of the repetitious "ding" when my dad's car sat at the filling station back in the 50s.

It will take some experimenting to find the right one but electric can openers run slowly and have pretty good torque.

Dear EJC, i recently completed a 766 for a friend and what i did was to take an old spinning motor for a mirror ball and attach it to the computer bottom. Now here is the neat part, I drilled a small hole in the nozel and put a tiny push button toggle switch in it right where the nozel handle touches the back when pumping. Then I ran all my wires through the hose into the pump and wired it. The result..a pump that calculates and dings when you squeeze the nozel just like in the old days only no gas comes out. I dont know how easy it would be to get a mirror ball motor(I work at a sound and light company)but all the other parts i got at sears hardware. Good luck

Hi ejc , i have an old west coast trick for you , or what i did , all you need is an electric motor off a barbi-que , ha , that will do it , it works great on clockface pumps as well , take the shaft that go in the bottom of the computer , find the right length you can use plumers tape , you have to weld a hex head sochet that fits that motor shaft and weld it to the computer shaft , boy i hope i spelled all these words wright , Dwaine from jlgas ,

Any good electrical supply house [J.C.Whitney] should have low RPM motors. Bar-B-Que motors are too loud [and bulky].

Thanks---great food for thought. Pump is just about finished. I left the motor in the pump, and when I lift the lever after removing nozzle, it whines just like I remember. My garage was built in 1916 with the old slider barn doors and wainscoating on the walls and ceiling, so it looks good there. I bought my supplies from Gas Pump Heaven (Park Drive Garage) and they were not only reasonable cost-wise, but fantastic super-service!

I'll have to post a pic when project finished--my first gas pump restoration. I've been doing antique radios and phonographs for years..before that I restored and operated a 1916 small town movie theatre.

Those are all great ideas. If you want to get really fancy, I rigged a very small low speed electric motor to the sight glass spinners on the last tokheim 39 I did. I'll have to experiment with the idea you are talking about. Frank.