Vacuum pump replacement

T

Trip

Filing Flight Plan
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Trip
I have a PA32RT-300T with a TIO-540-S1AD and on my last trip the artificial horizon started a small tilt and the DG stopped turning. The vacuum gauge read zero, so I need to replace my vacuum pump. I opened up the cowl today and tried to remove the pump. The top two nuts were easy to access, but how do you get to the bottom nuts without removing everything from the accessory drive? Even the special wrench from Rapco looks like it won’t be of any use, and won’t be able to get to the bottom nuts.

Does anyone have any experience, tips, or tricks to getting to these bottom two nuts? Putting them back on with the new pump seems next to impossible too.

I can’t believe something that needs to be replaced as often as a vacuum pump is so difficult to get to.
 
Are you an A&P mechanic?

I’d have my shop remove it and install a pair of Garmin G5s.
 
Doug Reid said:
Sometimes you have to make your own tools . I have an array of special wrenches I use on my old E-225-8 on my Bonanza. Sometimes you have to remove another accessory in order to gain access to the part you need to remove/install. Good luck.
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Many times it's easier, quicker, cheaper to have an expert with the proper tools do it.
 
Tom-D said:
Many times it's easier, quicker, cheaper to have an expert with the proper tools do it.
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Exactly what I am doing after mine died a couple of days ago during instrument training. When this one goes TU maybe time for two G5’s
 
desert nomad and tom hit it, changing a vac pump is not owner approved maintenance. so if your doing it without and A&P you had better have an A&P supervising it. any A&P thats been around a lycoming for more than 5 minutes knows how to get that one nut on and off.......
 
You can buy a wrench designed for vac pumps, or use a very small open end wrench. Make certain the new pump is centered before you torque the nuts.
 
Cause you have to be an A&P to take 4 nuts off??
 
A mag often has to come off to get at those nuts. Even then they're no fun.

None of it is owner maintenance. There are plenty of ways to make lethal mistakes.

And I hope you bought a pump with the vane inspection provision. That way you can replace the pump when it's time to, before it fails and after you've gotten the most hours out of it. I can't understand why some owners can't get that.
 
DesertNomad said:
Are you an A&P mechanic?

I’d have my shop remove it and install a pair of Garmin G5s.
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I actually do have an A&P. I bought a very thin wrench that I think I can bend and grind to a shape that will work. I just wanted to know if someone had a quick and easy suggestion for an off the shelf tool. Or that I did actually have to remove other components on the accessory drive to get at the bottom nuts. Another A&P friend of mine sent me a picture of his homemade wrench for vacuum pumps. He calls it his Jesus wrench....because it performs miracles! I’m going to make one similar to it.
 
If you have a 360-A4K make sure the bend is as short as possible or it will hit the oil line fitting. Had to remove a mag on mine
 
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WannFly said:
no, but you need to have that cert to put the pump back in and get those nuts tightened
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Like this?
Bill Watson said:
I went down to my mechanic to ask how he does it and whether I could borrow his tool. No need, he just uses a screwdriver and a ball peen hammer for removal or installation.
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