Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Getting started on my Bowser, how to remove guts

I have decided that I must remove the guts from my pump, it's just too heavy with them in and the wife can't even help me move it a short distance. Not only that, it's leaking gas and oil, and I want to put it in the house.

So, that being said, how do I get this stuff out? I have both doors off, the pulley removed and the faces off. All the bolts are rusted in something fierce and I don't even know where to begin. Should I just take a cutoff wheel to most of the bolts?

Is it safe to cut the large diameter pipes inside if there is still remnants of gas in it?

I'm hitting everything with PB Blaster and I'm no stranger to rusted bolts since I've worked on Jeeps for years. That said, these are some tough bolts.

Spray them with wd-40 or other solvent and let them sit.

Remove Everything below the Veeder-Root variator. Should be a short 1/4" shaft just below the VR unit. Bolts that can't be turned, twist them off. I use a sawzall & have used a torch to cut things out w/ only 1 small fire that burnt like wax. IF the gasoline doesn't smell fresh, don't worry about it. IF your not comfortable using a sawzall/torch, take it apart instead of cutting.

Use six point sockets.

LOL, what is a veeder root variator? The computer?

It's the round thingy under the Slot Machine looking thingy w/ all the wheels.

We always start at the electric motor. It is usually the last to be installed so it should be the first out. Once it is out, you'll have a small space for things you cut out to fall into, making it easier to remove. I use a sawsall and cutting torch. Keep a fire extinguisher handy though. I've gutted hundreds of pumps this way and never had a fire? Just do you work outside to be safe. You'll find that the torch will help you gut the pump in under 30 minutes. Good luck, Paul www.severngaspumps.com

Poor ol veeder root

Ok, next question. How do I get the side panel off around this thing? Do I have to remove this somehow?



Also, the top panel screws are really tight, just drill them out I guess? Nothing but a cutting wheel is touching the screws on this thing.

Patients my boy, Patients.
Haste & Frustrations will cause Problems somewhere down the line.
When Frustration sets in, take a Break & have a couple of Cold Ones. Take your time & LOTS of pictures, most likely you'll need them later.

DB, I get that I need patience, but that doesn't help me get this darn thing apart. Any tips?

SAWALL WORKS GREAT !!!!

How about that thing on the side? Do I need to buy a big wrench to take it off? Can't seem to get the panel to slide off around it.

Start by soaking all the bolts / nuts this week with Pblaster or Gibbs, or 1/2 atf and 1/2 acetone. Start next week on taking it apart. Old british cars start one month pre-soaking. Kroil is supposed to be good also but have not seen it in the area. tt

That thing on the side is supposed to be a cover for the hose outlet and yes, you'll probably have to take it off to get the panel free. Not sure what kind of pump this is so I'm not sure how it comes off but it should be self explanatory. Like DB said, take lots of pictures as you'll need them for reassembly!

Well so far everything I've taken off, except the doors, is trash. As I get to the other stuff I will keep my iphone handy. I can even shoot video of disassembly that way.

I'm going to buy a big wrench tonight and try to get that bolt to turn. The rest will be cut off with a sawzall.

This whole "spray for a week and wait" mentality doesn't work for me. I saw a post today of a guy who gutted 9 pumps in one day, something tells me he didn't wait a week to spray every bolt. It's all in using the right tool for the job. In many cases it looks like the right tool is my favorite Jeep tool...BFH.

Thanks for the help, more questions as I go.

I have gutted tons of pumps and can do them in an 1/2 to an hour each. I use wrenches, socket set and a sawsall. Never hardly ever have any froze up nuts/bolts when gutting. I did a Wayne 80 yesterday and it took about 1/2 hour. Removing external panels for restoring is another story though.

I am not as fast as these guys....takes me half a day or longer to gut a pump. I am not overly mechanical...LOL I should stick to buying signs and hanging them. But, I have fond that if I spray the nuts and bolts ans let them sit overnight, the next day is soooo much smoother.

Right on ALEX! I've gutted over 50 pumps and its the same way. Things go a lot easier after sitting with some penetrating oil on them. I usually spray them down a few days in advance.

Kooky:

That looks like a reducer screwed into the actual gas manifold. If so, squirt it with PB Blaster and grab a beer. Drink the beer. Now get your biggest pipe wrench and remove the reducer.

Once that is out of the manifold, the side panel should clear the internal pipes and come off.

Later . . .

Jim

I like the beer part......

If you are just gutting the pump there is no need to take the sides off. Everything will come out the doors. If you are tearing down to restore that is a different story.

IF it takes Alex & Kevin more than a couple of hours to Gut 1 pump, THEY ARE ENJOYING TOO MANY COLD BEERS!

Ok, great success. I got the reducer off with a horrible pipe wrench from Harbor Freight. I also got a big piece of the motor out. Tomorrow I'll get some help to lay this thing on its side and get at the bolts on the bottom of the motor.

I also noticed, after getting the side panel off, that one of the 4 vertical supports is completely rusted away near the base. Is this an easy fix or should I take it to someone? I don't have a welder, just basic garage tools.

Next question...
Do I leave this stuff in? All of it, or just some? Obviously I'll keep the sightglass. Sorry for the dark picture.

Hi, the photos of your pump look a lot like the Bowser 575s that I used to restore. You will have to take off that that threaded reducer to get off the cover for the hose outlet. Besides soaking it in some sort of penetrating oil, a large pipe wrench and an extra long piece of pipe might be needed to get the reducer to turn out. The cover, which I believe is either stainless or chrome, comes out through the backside when you take off the side body panel. One trick that sometimes work with stubborn nuts and bolts is to first turn them slightly to tighten. This may break the rust seal. A couple of reducers that I had that wouldn't come out had to be hack-sawed from the inside down to the threads of the pipe outlet. I had to make two full length inside cuts close-by, say 1/8" apart, and then pop out the small piece just to break the seal. A lot of work but I saw no other way. Thanks for memories of bruises, cuts and swear words, but it was all worth it in the end.

Sorry, a little late with my info, I missed the second page. Glad you are making progress. I usually just kept the sight glass and the wiring conduit in mine along with the computer head and rod to the crank handle. Since they were for display only, the pump and motor went. Much easier to move.

Yeah, thanks. I'm making progress, albeit slowly. I should have all the guts out later today and am working on getting the panels dissassembled and labelled before soda blasting.

Remember removing inner pumps from the gas pumps lots of scraped hands. Have a Tokheim 850 with everything out its kind of top heavy so be careful moving these, dropped a M and S 70 once from being top heavy now it has light crack on the art deco ad glass frame, my luck.

Where is the local (stl) soda blaster?

Wood River Soda Blasting