Pump Seal Replacement on FI Series Taco Pump

Master Field Technician Matt Rogers teaches us how to replace a pump seal on an FI Series Taco pump. Matt Rogers teaches a series of Pump Schools across the Southeast United States. For more information, or to schedule a pump school for your team, contact us today at blogs.heattran...

[@padillasensimilla121]

How do you pull the stationary? The video just jumps past this procedure

[@kenaiinaugust]

I've got a seal leak on an FE pump. I followed these instructions meticulously. The seal leaks with the pump on or off. The part I have the least confidence in is the condition of the surface area where the ceramic seal sits on the housing. It was very pitted. Can the recess in the housing be slightly milled down to get a smooth, flat mating surface? Does the tolerance of the seal allow a slight increase on the depth of that recess?

[@hoffmanhydronics]

Unfortunately, the pitted area you’re dealing with is a common problem on these old FM and FE series pumps. And unlike the predecessor BB pump that hat a seal cap (which you can still get) for the stationary, the casing for FE and FM pumps is not available. A replacement pump is how most people go. However, this means having to redo some piping. I have machined out and inserted a fabricated sleeve on some of the bigger pumps that were expensive to replace and even JB welded a few in as a last resort.
Do not use RTV or silicone to try and seal these - too flexible and easy to change position under pressure. If you choose the epoxy method, stationary must be flat and centered, high-temperature epoxy, and full cure before assembly. Also, the area must be completely cleaned before epoxy (acetone and vinegar). National Seal used to have oversized stationary elements where you could over-bore the hole without using a sleeve but it’s been decades since I used them.
Good luck,
Matt