KRC Pump

I just purchased a KRC pump and it didn't last but a few hours. It was on a sbc and had the bolt on reservoir. I'm not sure what happened to it but it stopped working after just a few hours.. I had to put my stock gm pump back on and continued riding. Any one have any ideas?

What KRC pump?

What did KRC say?

Check your plumbing. About the only thing that can destroy a pump that fast is air, or debris in lines. Post up some pictures of what you are working with.

Check the keeper at the end of your pressure relief valve. They are just pressed on and I've had them pop off before. Always tig them on now.

This is the exact pump I have. I was running a stock pump before with no issues and then put the stock pump right back on after the KRC failed. I told KRC it quit working after a hard hit to the frame. They said it could have messed the pressure relieve valve up. I guess I will return the pump to Jegs but don't want to keep on having the same problem. I do not believe it is a plumbing or air issue.

drivermod said:

Check the keeper at the end of your pressure relief valve. They are just pressed on and I've had them pop off before. Always tig them on now.

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Where is the keeper located at?

jmf said:

This is the exact pump I have. I was running a stock pump before with no issues and then put the stock pump right back on after the KRC failed. I told KRC it quit working after a hard hit to the frame. They said it could have messed the pressure relieve valve up. I guess I will return the pump to Jegs but don't want to keep on having the same problem. I do not believe it is a plumbing or air issue.

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I am running the same KRC set up on mine and I have hit the **** out of trees, rocks, Jersey barriers and have not had any failures from it. I agree with John that it might have been trash in the line or maybe no pressure relief on the system and overheated maybe? Just spit balling here.

Did they krc have the same size pulley as the stock?

We run that pump on VENOM and it's been on there since I bought it so it's been running for a while. It's had a bump to the frame a time or three with no issue. The barrel roll at KOH was the first time it had a problem which was spitting the over pressure ball out of it. We just tapped the hole and put a bolt on it to get it working again. I did replace it with one like it to make sure not to have a problem at a race but keep the old one as a spare. They seem to be really good pumps.

The pulley is 1/4" smaller than the one that is on the stock pump. I just pulled the control valve out and there was some kind of plastic pieces on the relief valve screen. I'm not sure what it is. I did notice some marks on the control valve nut that looked to me as if somebody had already opened it up. KRC told me that if it would have been a complete failure that it shouldn't be able to free spin easily. Maybe the trash had the screen blocked and couldn't get any fluid through? I will put it back on tomorrow and see. I agree with everyone on the pump being a good one. I got a buddy that has one and its been trouble free.

jmf said:

Where is the keeper located at?

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Sounds like you may have found your issue but to answer your question anyway...

The keeper is the little nut on the end of the valve where the screen is. Have had them come off before and loose all pressure. Weld that sucker on there. See pic below.

That "keeper" affects pressure. If one came out on my pump and it was under warranty I would let the manufacturer deal with it. I wouldn't want to have another issue later down the road, return it to KRC, and let them find a welded "keeper." That valve is essentially the "brains" of the pump. I wouldn't think they would want to warranty a pump on which the "brains" had been operated by the user.

patooyee said:

That "keeper" affects pressure. If one came out on my pump and it was under warranty I would let the manufacturer deal with it. I wouldn't want to have another issue later down the road, return it to KRC, and let them find a welded "keeper." That valve is essentially the "brains" of the pump. I wouldn't think they would want to warranty a pump on which the "brains" had been operated by the user.

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There website says to not do that. I would leave it alone.

patooyee said:

That "keeper" affects pressure. If one came out on my pump and it was under warranty I would let the manufacturer deal with it. I wouldn't want to have another issue later down the road, return it to KRC, and let them find a welded "keeper." That valve is essentially the "brains" of the pump. I wouldn't think they would want to warranty a pump on which the "brains" had been operated by the user.

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Letting the manufacturer deal with it is fine and all until you are a days drive from home on a 3 day ride and the stupid thing fails on you the first day. Frustrating to say the least. Been running them tack welded for years with no issues. If you are not having issues with it then fine, leave it alone. For me, if that is what caused a lack of pressure, I'd weld it up and carry on. On a serious note, what is the worst that can happen?

drivermod said:

Letting the manufacturer deal with it is fine and all until you are a days drive from home on a 3 day ride and the stupid thing fails on you the first day. Frustrating to say the least. Been running them tack welded for years with no issues. If you are not having issues with it then fine, leave it alone. For me, if that is what caused a lack of pressure, I'd weld it up and carry on. On a serious note, what is the worst that can happen?

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If the pressure goes too high you can blow a line or blow the back cap off the pump.

Also, the reason that keeper is pressed in and not welded is as a last-ditch fail-safe. If somehow the pressure regulating mechanism otherwise fails, pressure will blow that keeper out internally and the pump will fail without any external damage / shrapnel / pressurized spray. By welding it in you've eliminated that fail safe and now run those risks.

Lastly, a properly functioning pump shouldn't blow that keeper out. If it is it indicates other problems.

In most pumps it's not just pressed in either. It is pressed and epoxied. If it blows and it is simply pressed back in without being re-epoxied it will likely easily blow again, even under normal operation.

How afraid would I legitimately be in your case? Probably not very. Just describing the function of that keeper. I'm not sure what it's official name is either, but I feel like it's not "keeper."

I agree, if you're on the trail and can't get off without welding that keeper in then ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

drivermod said:

Letting the manufacturer deal with it is fine and all until you are a days drive from home on a 3 day ride and the stupid thing fails on you the first day. Frustrating to say the least. Been running them tack welded for years with no issues. If you are not having issues with it then fine, leave it alone. For me, if that is what caused a lack of pressure, I'd weld it up and carry on. On a serious note, what is the worst that can happen?

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What pump are you using? The cast or aluminum one? Here is what I see they say about it on the cast pump.


http://www.krcpower.com/files/Cast_Tech.pdf

Thanks for the info guys. What you described Patooyee is what I assumed would be worst case. I'm certainly no expert in steering pumps but not afraid to do a little trail ninja rigging if need be. My experience is with the cast iron pumps. In my case we may have been overspinning it but dang those aluminum pumps are expensive. Have used the cast iron for years on high winding "bouncers" and Ultra4 rigs with no issues other than the "keeper" popping out. Great pumps in my opinion.

drivermod said:

Thanks for the info guys. What you described Patooyee is what I assumed would be worst case. I'm certainly no expert in steering pumps but not afraid to do a little trail ninja rigging if need be. My experience is with the cast iron pumps. In my case we may have been overspinning it but dang those aluminum pumps are expensive. Have used the cast iron for years on high winding "bouncers" and Ultra4 rigs with no issues other than the "keeper" popping out. Great pumps in my opinion.

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How much over spinning ?

drivermod said:

Thanks for the info guys. What you described Patooyee is what I assumed would be worst case. I'm certainly no expert in steering pumps but not afraid to do a little trail ninja rigging if need be. My experience is with the cast iron pumps. In my case we may have been overspinning it but dang those aluminum pumps are expensive. Have used the cast iron for years on high winding "bouncers" and Ultra4 rigs with no issues other than the "keeper" popping out. Great pumps in my opinion.

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I've heard of tons of people over-revving the cast iron pumps as well.

No one can afford those aluminum ones. It wouldn't seem like the difference in material would justify such a drastic price difference but I guess that's why I'm not in the casting business.

Make sure to read the link that drivermod posted. It's more accurate than my description. My understanding was roughly similar though.