Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Steve Chapman on March 31, 2008, 07:02:17 pm
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Hi all,
having another problem with the recently aquired steamway tm after sorting the
burner out.
There basically is no suction on the hose, it seems to me to be a problem with
the kohler engine not turning fast enough, but has been for a tune up today
and has come back exactly the same?
Is there anything else i should be looking for, have done the obvious looking for
blockages etc but now i'm stumped.
Not that well up on blowers etc, maybe a problem here i dont know?
Any help appreciated!
regards
steve
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Steve give dave Leaona a ring he should be able to advise
email me for his number
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Steve
When you say there is no suction, do you mean none at all? Is it belt or coupler driven?
Is the blower actually turning?
Im sure Mick Halliday could help you out.
Alan
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if the engine is running then follow the problem to the end.
is the engine turning the blower.
is the hose from the blower to the tank connected
is the hose from the wastetank to the hose connector connected.
is the waste tank lid closed.
is the waste tank allowing in air ( leaking)
there are not alot of things that will cause a total loss of vacuum.
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As what Mike has already said.....plus you could try......take the waste tank lid off and disconnect the filter inside the tank where the blower hose connects, start the machine & put it up to full revs.....see if there is suction there. Start the engine and put your hand half over the hose and see if there is suction there. If not check the hose that connects the blower & waste tank. It may be kinked or it may have collapsed. Depending on how the blower is connected to the engine....are the belts on tight enough? if its direct drive then it the coupler sound?
Which Steamway machine is it? Model? if i know this i may have a better idea of the machine.
As mike has also noted, there is not much that would stop suction from the blower.
Richie.
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Thanks all for the info,
will have a thorough check through tommorrow, have spoken to dave liahona
and he has given some pointers as well, hoping its something silly like the lid
being off ::)
its a steamway 4200 mastermatic, direct drive to the blower, does any one
know what max rpm these should run at, its a kohler 20 hp engine?
regards
steve
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max 3600rpm but might be limited to 2800rpm by manufacturer ( i think)
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i was half-way through a job once and was convinced that my machine was foaming and i hadn't got any de-foamer on board so i spend an hour driving to a supplier and back and when i got back the first thing i noticed was that my vac pipe was kinked going over a roof parapet to the first floor, the air was very blue,
;D colin
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Another obvious thing to check (But I have done it) is your emptying valve closed.
Dave.
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HA! HA! HA! did that on my portie last week took a couple of min's for my brain to catch up ;D ;D
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Steve
If your machine is sounding quieter than before this problem started it’s a fare bet your direct drive couplings have broke. :'(
Dave Lee
If you left your drain valve open on your new machine I’d doubt if you’d notice, with all that air you’re pulling with that wind turbine you have fitted.
;D
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Hi Steve,
One of my machines is a steamway Equinox, have you left the blower oiler valve open?
All the best
John
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isn't it a relief though when it turns out to be something silly you have done. I can live with mild embarassment over opening my wallet.
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i was half-way through a job once and was convinced that my machine was foaming and i hadn't got any de-foamer on board so i spend an hour driving to a supplier and back and when i got back the first thing i noticed was that my vac pipe was kinked going over a roof parapet to the first floor, the air was very blue,
;D colin
colin why drive to a spplier should of gone to the cornor shop and got a bar of soap or abottle of hair condisher they do the same ;)
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susan, i didn't know that, what do you do with the soap or conditioner, i mean that in the nicest way possible!!!!
colin
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When i first started out we had a bottle of comfort we used as a defoamer and it works. just pour a little in waste tank.
I had on times run out and got some from the client.
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Dave Ingram,
Hi Dave, yeah your spot on, it would just feel like I was dual wanding. Are you going to the CCDO, I hear its a lovely place. ;D
Dave.
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Hi all, thanks for all the replies !
re inspected today and it turns out the direct drive coupler has murdered
itself, :'(
Oh well, it could be worse i suppose, am ordering a part in from the states, at
least its a secondary machine and not the main one we use otherwise I'd be
really cheesed off :o
It was good to have all the input tho, its funny how logic goes out of the
window when your panicking about something.
Still wish it was something silly tho :(
regards
steve
ps - I think the fitting of it is going to be a bit of game, but educational ;)
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Hi Steve,
Had the same problem with my promount. Mine went half way through a job though. Took it to woodbridges where they put it down to a gunged up blower. They spent half a day cleaning the blower and fitting the new coupler, cost over £300 for the privilege.
I bought a spare incase it happened again it cost about £80 if i remember rightly. Having watched them do it I'd be confident doing it myself if it happened again.
How much was it from the states if you dont mind me asking?
All the best,
Jason.
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Hi matey,
At least you know it is something minor. Im glad that i put the coupler down as one of the probable problems ;D
Richie.
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http://www.lbk.co.uk/
try here , I think these are the nearest to you, cant see why you have to order from states.
Personaly, I would get the alignment checked if woodbridge have fitted, "No I,m not knocking woodbridge" but the t/m I bought had numerous couplings fitted by them and the owner give up in the end because of the problems. Hence a t/m for me, a little advice from Mike halliday been "purchase a larger one than is required" and some adjustments to the alignment and its now ben fine " touch wood"
geoff
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susan, i didn't know that, what do you do with the soap or conditioner, i mean that in the nicest way possible!!!!
colin
as what as been said already just use the liquid as you would with de foumer as for the soap i just open the lid of my waste tank (t.m.) and drop it in too the cage at the top if its a porty you can just drop it in to the tank and carry on , doing this is not the best thing to do and you should always keep an eye on things however it will get you buy to finsh the job
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Hi Steve,
Had the same problem with my promount. Mine went half way through a job though. Took it to woodbridges where they put it down to a gunged up blower. They spent half a day cleaning the blower and fitting the new coupler, cost over £300 for the privilege.
I bought a spare incase it happened again it cost about £80 if i remember rightly. Having watched them do it I'd be confident doing it myself if it happened again.
How much was it from the states if you dont mind me asking?
All the best,
Jason.
It worked out at $32.00 so i got two but not sure how much the shipping is yet :o
The down side is the engine has to come out to fit it :o
Hopefully be here in couple of days, so we'll see, :P
steve
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who says the engine has to come out? thats not an easy job, can you just pull the blower back?
Mike
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just going by what steamway have said, asked if i could just move the blower and they said no way !
apparently you can only get the alignment right by moving the engine ??
Will see when i get the part, if there is a short cut then i will find it, but obviously dont want to bust it again straight off :o
steve
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Hi Steve,
Thats a good price. Shipping shouldn't be that expensive.
Dont know about taking the engine out. To repace mine you have to unbolt the engine (4 bolts i think) and slide it forward to seperate the drive shaft, the re-fit new coupling and slide back and replace bolts. 1/2 hr job I recon.
Hopefully yours will be the same.
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Jason
Yeah I think thats what they were on about, just moving it a few inches enough
to slide the coupler in, if its only four bolts then shouldn't be to much of a
problem - i hope ::)
dont want to speak too soon :-[
steve
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its the exhaust that might be a problem, its not that flexible.
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Steve,
While I had my Steamway Sidekick, a smaller TM, I know, however, I had to replace the pump drive belt. This meant splitting the drive to the blower. I moved the engine back, removed the rubber drive coupler, and slid it through. Moving the engine back was simple enough, but meant uncoupling some rigid parts, like the exhaust pipe, and a couple of hoses to the heat exchangers etc. Took about an hour.
Dave.
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Dave all your parts are rigid now :o
Shaun
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Steve, whatever you do, do not move the blower.
You move the engine so not to disturb the generator.
Its fiddly but once you get into it it isnt that difficult.
Oh and as said, the shipping will be next to nothing.
And all in all it will be so much less then the company that wanted to do it for you.
If you havent done it by then I will show you how to do it on my machine on Monday.
Best, Dave.
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Hi all,
just to let all you concerned people know ;) the steamway is back in action
today and sucking like no tommorow ;D
thanks all for the help esp Dave Liahona, followed the advice to the letter , slid
engine forward, coupler in and all back again!, all seems to be ok at the mo.
One good thing has come out of this, I've had a fast track education into the
workings of a t/m.
A maintenence session at the next ccdo would be very handy tho. :D
regards
steve