Has anyone had good experience changing form a cat pump to another brand? After paying $457.65 for a seal kit for a 3535 pump I am starting to wonder about a different solution. I don't mind paying a price for something when the cost and what you get match but for no more than what was in that kit, I think they are way out of line with the cost.
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Cat pumps and cost
- Thread starter mud puppy
- Start date
Waxman
Super Moderator
I bought an Arimitsu pump to replace a Cat on my self serve and it is perfectly adequate.
I had a Cat 3535 on my old wash. I ran it for about 17 years with zero issues. I sold it and it likely is still washing cars!
My Razor runs a 3535 as well. I consider it to be an essential piece of equipment. Mine has already generated half a million dollars in revenue. So.....how expensive would the seal kit seem from my perspectve??? Not very expensive.
I had a Cat 3535 on my old wash. I ran it for about 17 years with zero issues. I sold it and it likely is still washing cars!
My Razor runs a 3535 as well. I consider it to be an essential piece of equipment. Mine has already generated half a million dollars in revenue. So.....how expensive would the seal kit seem from my perspectve??? Not very expensive.
I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
The Cat 3535 is practically bulletproof. I think I would do what it takes to fix yours.
You are all having better luck with those pumps than I have. One of my 3535s has had two seal kits and a set of oil seals in the crankcase on the plunger rods. The other has washed out the head where the valves seat and to fix it cost another seal kit. I run 530s in my bays and have lost count of the number of heads that washed out either where the high-pressure seal seats or where the valves seat. Currently have three in the repair shop getting fixed. Also have two that the seal surface on the plunger rod at the crankcase oil seal is ruined bad enough the oil seal will not hold. Numerous seal kits have been installed in the 530s due to leaking water, lost count of that over the years to. I used cat oil and have made sure there is no air in the water at the pumps causing issues. I bought a brand new 530, installed it and it is having cavitation problems. Cats says I have plumbing issues but when I move the pump to a different bay the problem follows the pump. That issue is still to be resolved.
edredtop
Well-known member
This doesn't sound like a Cat problem; it sounds like a pressure regulation problem imho.
Rapid changes in flow can produce serious damage ( aka water hammer/hydraulic shock )
I would be looking at how your system is controlling those pressure changes and if they are fresh and maintained.
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I would probably listen to the people that make the pump. Seems like a good start and a lot smarter than all of us are. The pumps do have 9 lives. Pretty much bullet proof. I service some that have been in operation for 20 some years and have not been touched. Very rarely do I have to do a seal kit on the 3535 or 3545's.