# Need help with airlessco 500



## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Try to make this short as possible.

Problem started several weeks ago. I would notice when spraying it would act like it ran out of paint then it would act normal. Bucket was full and did a complete prime. Then I get low but it still submerged in the paint. Fill the bucket up with paint. start spraying for a few minutes then it would start to act like I ran out of paint. This time it did not fix itself like in the past. It just would not build pressure.

Started clean with a 5ver of clean water. It would prime good but when I switch the valve to spray mode it would just not build pressure.

I replaced the prime valve with a new one - Same thing.

I repacked it, including the little ball that's in the piston. After this it it started to work again. Great I thought. 

I used it all day yesterday with out a problem. Shot about 10 gallons through it.

Today was going good for the first 4 hours or so then BAM. Same freaking thing. It just won't build pressure.

So I replaced the prime valve and repacked the thing. What else could it be?

Pat


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

I want to add I have owned this machine for about 4-5 years and It has always worked great.

Pat


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Lower ball is either out of round, has a scrape, or flat spot. Lower seat could be messed up by either having a scratch, or debris stuck on it.

My guess is the lower ball. 

Pat I reread what you wrote. If its a pressure issue, its the upper ball. Prime issues are typically lower ball. You probably sucked a turd up inside the piston. Easiest way to check without tearing everything apart is to get the piston to the bottom of the down stroke. Use an Allen wrench and remove the ball and seat if you can...(it's a total b1tch sometimes.) Bet there's something inside there causing the ball not to seat properly. Change your rock catcher and strain that cheap paint you like using ;-) and you should be good to go.

That'll be $35 +$35 for my misreading of your post wasting my time on the first answer.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks bud, really appreciate it. I will do as you say. just turn the fan blade till the piston is at it's lowest point. Use a Allen wrench to get access to that little ball. I was wondering what that little ball is for. I replaced both balls when I repacked them. Odd though how it's getting stuck.

Pat


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

PatsPainting said:


> Thanks bud, really appreciate it. I will do as you say. just turn the fan blade till the piston is at it's lowest point. Use a Allen wrench to get access to that little ball. I was wondering what that little ball is for. I replaced both balls when I repacked them. Odd though how it's getting stuck.
> 
> Pat


Doesn't take much to block that little ball. The tiniest piece of debris can mess up your day. Yep get it to the lowest position and take it out. Might need a dental pick or something to pull the seat and ball out. Crochet hooks will work sometimes if they're small enough. Dental picks I've found work the best.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks again Andy. I just find it odd that this has happened twice in such a short period of time. Like I said I have had this machine for a good 4-5 years and it's been a beast. For that little ball to get stuck once before the repack and after is strange. The repacking kit came with everything except that little metal curved piece that goes in the piston first. So that is the only thing I kept. everything else is new including the little ball.

Will give it a shot tomorrow and will let you know how it went.

Pat


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

check the piston for knicks and burrs. i dont know airlescco but check balls dont sound like it. Sounds like something still not changed . . . or checked out. 


You installing your packings right, Pat? :jester:


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Paradigmzz said:


> You installing your packings right, Pat? :jester:


Well it was my first time with a little assistant from the owner of the store. It worked good for a day, so I would think so. I hope it's not the piston as those things are expensive.

Pat


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

PatsPainting said:


> Well it was my first time with a little assistant from the owner of the store. It worked good for a day, so I would think so. I hope it's not the piston as those things are expensive.
> 
> Pat


reason i ask is because if you have a nick in it, it will rub the inside walls of the packings and loose the seal. loose the seal and you loose your pressure. if this has happened multiple times, i would be looking at something more than the packings.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Sound similar to what happened to one of my 540's last year. Pressure would go all over the place. I think it was the transducer.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

straight_lines said:


> Sound similar to what happened to one of my 540's last year. Pressure would go all over the place. I think it was the transducer.


Could be, but usually they spike like in your case, or overpressure and dump out the prime valve, or simply don't work at all....like won't even turn over.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

PatsPainting said:


> Thanks again Andy. I just find it odd that this has happened twice in such a short period of time. Like I said I have had this machine for a good 4-5 years and it's been a beast. For that little ball to get stuck once before the repack and after is strange. The repacking kit came with everything except that little metal curved piece that goes in the piston first. So that is the only thing I kept. everything else is new including the little ball.
> 
> Will give it a shot tomorrow and will let you know how it went.
> 
> Pat


Little bits of paint will come loose from inside the suction tube, or off the screen at the bottom. You may have a bit lodged inside the piston that's floating around. Just big enough not to pass through it. Has it been sitting for a while? Or have you ran solvent through it recently? Sometimes that will strip any residual dried latex inside the suction tube causing a blockage.

If your pump won't prime, its the lower ball, if it primes but won't build pressure its the upper.


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

NCPaint1 said:


> Little bits of paint will come loose from inside the suction tube, or off the screen at the bottom. You may have a bit lodged inside the piston that's floating around. Just big enough not to pass through it. Has it been sitting for a while? Or have you ran solvent through it recently? Sometimes that will strip any residual dried latex inside the suction tube causing a blockage.
> 
> If your pump won't prime, its the lower ball, if it primes but won't build pressure its the upper.


I wholeheartedly agree, but pat mentioned he just repacked it and then got back in it again to replace the inner piston ball, so debris may be a possibility, but I was thinking it may be more involved.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Paradigmzz said:


> I wholeheartedly agree, but pat mentioned he just repacked it and then got back in it again to replace the inner piston ball, so debris may be a possibility, but I was thinking it may be more involved.


Its probably not. Had this happen plenty of times lol. You get it all finished, fire it up...and WTF? Sure enough something was lodged. Pats problem just doesn't have the symptoms of something electrical.


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

I'm thinking there's some crap floating around and playing heck with the piston. Maybe time to clean out the pickup tube really good.


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## ibsocal (Apr 17, 2007)

Inlet strainer to fine or dirty or partialy clogged and paint to thick.

just picked up a Airlessco lp 540 highboy with 50' hose,gun and reverible tip for 225 bucks 2 days ago and it works awesome.good pump.


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## mr.fixit (Aug 16, 2009)

could be a seat issue also. inlet seat or piston ball ( outlet) seat


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Did exactly what you said Andy and it worked liked a dream. took less then 5 minutes. I did not even need the dental pick as it came off easy since I just replaced it. Your the man bud  

I did not see anything that was obvious that was blocking the little ball from seating correctly. I just flushed it with some water and that was it. 

Appreciate all who helped.

Pat


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Another PT fairy tell ending.


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> Another PT fairy tell ending.


Yeah, every once in a while something that relates to the trade actually get's discussed and resolved. Kinda gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside. LOL


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Glad to help Pat. Keep your balls clean. Dirty ones can ruin your day.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Words of wisdom.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

straight_lines said:


> Words of wisdom.


Words to live by.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Wolfgang said:


> Yeah, every once in a while something that relates to the trade actually get's discussed and resolved. Kinda gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside. LOL


My warm and fuzzy is always on the exterior.


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## miket (Sep 16, 2009)

NCPaint1 said:


> If your pump won't prime, its the lower ball, if it primes but won't build pressure its the upper.


In my limited experience with a borrowed titan 440 i've had the opposite. I was able to prime, and even slowly clean out the machine, but the flow was just a trickle and it wouldn't build pressure. Turned out the be a piece of junk caught in the lower ball.

A previous time the machine wouldn't prime and the lower ball was clean and free. Clog somewhere in the upper pump so i gravity primed it. I tipped the machine up and held the suction tube above the sprayer and then filled it with water so the air could rise out of the bottom of the pump and the water could flow down into it. It quickly build up pressure and blew the junk into the manifold filter without me needing to take the pump apart.


Are airlesscos as easy to repack as gracos? Do the packings last longer?


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

miket said:


> Are airlesscos as easy to repack as gracos? Do the packings last longer?


Never packed anything before and the airlessco was my first. I needed a bit of help from the owner of the store as he has done many of them. There was a few tricks that really helped. 

If you going to do it on your own, just take pictures of each step as you dissembling the thing. It will help when putting it back.

Pat


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