# Cleaning heavy oil out of new Graco sprayer...



## Saskie (Dec 31, 2016)

Hey everyone! I upgraded to the Ultra 395 PC near the end of last fall, but as luck would have it after spending that money, jobs coming in have all been framing or flooring. (Had some advice from people here last year on upgrading so thank you all for that!) Finally got some built ins to do so I 'm just getting around to prepping the new sprayer. Graco seemed to ship it with their throat seal liquid all through it and I'm having difficulty flushing it all out. I've done many cycles of dish detergent, and 3 cycles of krud kutter, but water coming out of the whose still has oil droplets it. My last sprayer didn't come like this, and I'd only put water-based through it.

I've done some searching but have seen a lot of conflicting or incomplete instructions. If it makes a difference I am planning on using this pump for clear finishes as well (part of the reason for upgrading), so getting a good thorough system flush procedure down now will just help me in the future. I just don't want to use a solvent or cleaning liquid that'll give me trouble using different products down the road, or be hard on the pump itself.

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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

I've never heard of a pump full of oil? All pumps have a coating to start that keeps parts from sticking during shipping and sitting in the box, but its not that hard to clean out. Did you buy a new one? Or from somebody who maybe ran oil through it? If you think there is a problem, take it back to the company you bought it from.


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## Saskie (Dec 31, 2016)

MikeCalifornia said:


> I've never heard of a pump full of oil? All pumps have a coating to start that keeps parts from sticking during shipping and sitting in the box, but its not that hard to clean out. Did you buy a new one? Or from somebody who maybe ran oil through it? If you think there is a problem, take it back to the company you bought it from.


New from a graco dealer. Ive kept going with krud kutter several more times, and dish detergent and near fulll strength. Took out the pump filter and used an old toothbrush to scrub out the tube it was in with soap. When I first looked in the pump filter location there where large droplets of oil visible in the water there, I've got it down to just the slightest bit on the surface of what comes out of the machine so far. Unfortutely my local reps stores are closed tomorrow, or I'd just call and see what they advised to run though it. (And I was hoping to get started on spraying Pittglaze on some components tonight/tomorrow morning for install on Monday.)

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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Have to wonder if this is something that was done intentionally, perhaps for storage or shipping reasons, but not addressed before being sold. I don’t have enough experience with new sprayers to be able to say anything for certain. We have some dealers here on PT - perhaps one of them will weigh in soon. 
In the meantime, maybe just running lots of warm water with some Dawn dish soap mixed in through the machine will break down and get rid of the remaining oil.
I would most certainly contact the dealer you bought if from before running any paint through it.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Nope, he's right. I bought that same machine last year and it also came full of pump oil. pain in the ass. I ended up running a gallon of paint thinner through it and then eco tsp and dawn dishsoap. Took me hours to de-contaminate it.. I recommend getting in the main filter area with a tooth brush and degreaser and give all that a good scrub..


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Are you just flushing the pump, or are you flushing the pump and hose?


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## Masterwork (Sep 13, 2020)

Is it just throat seal? I would just circulate a gallon of paint or something through it.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

The only way I could see it being difficult to flush the throat seal, would be to have it go through fifty feet of line.


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## Saskie (Dec 31, 2016)

CApainter said:


> Are you just flushing the pump, or are you flushing the pump and hose?


Pump and a 15' hose I got for use in the shop.

I think I finally got it all, just took a ton of flushes with krud kutter/dawn dish soap.

Scrubbing at the filter housing really helped get it all, so did cycling the pump at a higher speed. In the future, is it fine to clean the gu out with mineral spirits etc even if its primarily a WB pump?

Because I can go a couple months between using the sprayer, some of the reccomendations for storage Ive read were to put a quart of mineral spirits with a couple capfuls for 30 weight oil in it, through the pump. Others say to put antifreeze fluid through it. My last sprayer i always stored with pump Armour and it still had some rusty bits showing up(not enough to cause issues, in the 4 years I had that Magnum Prox17 I put about 175-200 gallons through it and it never gave me issues), so I'm curious about other storage fluids. (Something I could put through the gun as well)

Another comment I read, one thread about using BIN in airless sprayers, mentioned if you use ammonia to flush the gun after the bin itll dissolve any latex alsob in the pump and get gummy, requiring a throurough clean. Since I'm wanting to be able to shoot clears through the sprayer occasionally, (I've got separate hoses for different uses), would it be a bad idea for me to run ammonia or mineral spirits through it and give it a thorough cleaning before to keep anybpossible contaminants out of the clear? (Stuff like General Enduro water base finishes) 

Tha is for your input everyone!

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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

In the future, I would not flush out pump oil with a hose and gun attached. It's just going to contaminate more area than there needs to be. Especially in a line and gun that's supposed to be contaminate free.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

If it's primarily for water based, I would store with antifreeze. Atleast its water soluble and more compatible with latex finishes. In fact some guys thin down their paint with antifreeze. Haven't done it personally. Also like CA says, you only have to load the pump when storing. Not the lines, as to not contaminate your hose. Having a different hose for clears is a good idea, if not a whole machine. I've had issues clearing over a dark colour where I was getting little white speckles in the finish. Completely ruined my finish. I'll never run BIN through my airless again, for reasons you spoke of.


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## Saskie (Dec 31, 2016)

No gun on it, just my 15' line. Just habit from my old sprayer. Didn't have a cap with it so flushing needed a hose on so water didn't dribble out everywhere. There was a red screw on cap on this pump that I pulled off to put the line haha. D'oh. I was pretty tired last night so this my excuse.

Sorry to repeat a question, but what do you guys put in your pumps and guns to prevent corrosion if you won't be using it for awhile?

Edit:Sorry Kevyn your response loaded into the app after I posted this, thanks for confirming the antifreeze for storage. (Gun as well?) Do you have a normal "purge procedure" if your putting a clear through?


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I'm in California, so Corocheck worked for me as a post cleaning additive. I would also use a general throat seal lubricant frequently during operation. However, I would typically blow the fluid out of my lines and gun and cap the hoses. I would put a small drop of gun lube in the gun and tip when not in use.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Have mentioned this before but worth doing so again. If you use antifreeze or Pump Armor in your sprayer, be particularly careful purging it around pets. Our dog (actually just a puppy at the time) inadvertently got into a small amount on the shop floor and it cost us over $2000 to make sure she didn't end up with kidney failure as a result. Better yet, maybe use some of the pet friendly anti freeze if you can.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

RH said:


> Have mentioned this before but worth doing so again. If you use antifreeze or Pump Armor in your sprayer, be particularly careful purging it around pets. Our dog (actually just a puppy at the time) inadvertently got into a small amount on the shop floor and it cost us over $2000 to make sure she didn't end up with kidney failure as a result. Better yet, maybe use some of the pet friendly anti freeze if you can.


100% propylele glycol you can get it from local restaurant supply or on amazon.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Realistically running a couple gallons of paint through should clear it out. If there was really so much oil in there is was contaminating things I would just disassemble and clean it out with lacquer thinner then flush with hot water and detergent.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> Realistically running a couple gallons of paint through should clear it out. If there was really so much oil in there is was contaminating things I would just disassemble and clean it out with lacquer thinner then flush with hot water and detergent.


Have you seen pumps come your way prior to selling that had oil in them such as this? If so, what was the point in putting it in them?


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

RH said:


> Have you seen pumps come your way prior to selling that had oil in them such as this? If so, what was the point in putting it in them?


I have not. also I have only caried tritech pumps the last two yers

when i rebuild pumps I use what I would call generous amount of grease inside the pump. Never had an issue purging out excess


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