Lost vacuum today...please help

[Bryan Irvin]

OK guys, please help me out if you can, I'm not the most handy guy on here when it comes to mechanics, but I am learning. I run a Hydramaster 4.7, today when I turned the key, it came on, but the vacuum wasn't working at all! I switched it off and on a few times, and then I got vacuum back...now I'm worried, any ideas of what it could be?

 

[Jim Martin]

Sounds like a loose connection some where...........

I would start with the switch

 

[Bryan Irvin]

Thanks Jim, now let me tell ya how ignorant I am...Where would I find the switch?

 

[Jim Martin]

how did you switch it on and off

Mine had a key switch on the panel

 

[Bryan Irvin]

Oh, I know what you're talking about now, don't have that switch on the 4.7 though. It was strange, the machine wasn't nearly as loud as it usually is, and there there was absolutely NO VACUUM at all. I fiddled with it for a few, and said a few quick prayers, and the vacuum returned. I'm glad its OK now, but I would think that it happened because something is wrong somewhere...Guess I will find out tomorrow!

 

[Jim Martin]

how do you start it up
there has to be a button or switch or something

 

[Jay D]

Did you check your LINT basket? How about checking the belts? Hmmm??
Wd40 for the blower? Grease the NiPPles? Hmmmm?? anything I'm forgetting??

Mister Sir

 

[Jim Martin]

you for got loose connection

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Belts slipping? It would be very noticeable however.

 

[Wj Sabia]

Is your dump valve open?

 

[Greenie]

"I switched it off and on a few times, and then I got vacuum back"

It's seems you already know the problem at hand.

The switch is faulty, probably just a loose wire.

How about opening the panel, and taking a look?

 

[captaincarpet]

I think it must be a wiring problem from switch to clutch. Check the panel, the connector to switch/key may be loose.

 

[Doug Cox]

Was the machine running with no suction or not running at all. It sounded to me like the machine started but had no vac.

 

[Bryan Irvin]

The machine was running, just no vac...no problems since though, ran it all day today, had a job last night, and all day yesterday with no probs...Hopefully everything is ok

 

["The" Al Bradham]

Bryan:
Call me, I have a full time mechanic that can help.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Maybe something like this:

Vac relief opening near floor. Ice chunk from condensation gets drawn into that valve. Ice melts, vac works until another chunk gets sucked through it.

 

["The" Al Bradham]

Nice try Lee:

We are in (almost) Sunny South Carolina.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

No ice huh?....bummer

My son Josh and family lived in Beaufort SC for several years, beautiful place...even Parris Island. I loved visiting there, fishing with grandkids in the little gator-infested marshes.

 

[brileaSM]

lint basket full in waste tank. How about some defoamer.

 

[Aaron]

Check for belt slip; that happens once in a while (but it usually shreds the main drive belt when that happens).

If the truck idled up to speed but you had no pressure or vacuum, the clutch simply failed to engage. Usually signals a clutch failure in the near future or a bad/loose wire to the clutch assembly. Again, easiest way to tell for that is the lights all come on the control panel, then engine idles up to speed, and RPM gauge goes up on the machine, but you don't have any vac or pressure.