Wheatley
- December 30, 2025
The Pump Efficiency Playbook
Performance matters when it comes to owning and operating a water system, and every component plays a part in delivering efficient, reliable operation. The key to maximizing performance is minimizing waste, sizing a system correctly and selecting components that make the most sense for the application.
Enter what is known as water-to-wire efficiency. With it, engineers can measure the efficiency of a pump and motor together, as well as the pipe, controls and wire necessary to complete the operation. In any business decision, oversizing leads to waste, and the same is true with a pumping system. By using water-to-wire efficiency measurements, engineers ensure they are picking the right size for every component in a system. The goal is to reduce the horsepower
- October 22, 2025
Proper Lubrication for GASO Pumps: What You Need to Know
Lubrication is one of the most critical factors in ensuring the reliability and long service life of your GASO pump. Without the right oil, in the right quantity, and with the right maintenance schedule, your equipment is at risk of premature wear, costly downtime, or even failure. This guide covers everything you need to know about crankcase lubrication for GASO pumps.
How Lubrication Works in the Power End
In GASO pumps, all parts in the power end are lubricated by splash from oil inside the crankcase. This simple but effective system relies on maintaining the correct oil level and using a lubricant that meets strict performance standards.
Important Note: Pumps are drained of oil after factory
- June 10, 2025
The Right Way to Replace Pump Bearings: A Step-by-Step Guide for Reliable Operation
Longevity and performance often come down to the smallest components - like the bearings inside your connecting rods and crankshaft. Over time, even these high-precision parts experience wear. And when they do, knowing exactly how to replace and adjust them is key to keeping your pump running smoothly and minimizing costly downtime.
Whether you're maintaining a Wheatley Gaso pump or another high-pressure system, this guide walks through best practices for replacing and adjusting crosshead and crankshaft bearings, with key tolerances and expert tips to get the job done right.
Replacing Crosshead-End Connecting Rod Bearings
If you're working with Gaso pump models 1550, 1563, 2017, 2050, 2063, 1654, 1755, 1743, 1753, 2651, 2652, or 1931, here's what you
- February 24, 2025
10 Key Facts About Reciprocating Pumps
Because centrifugal pumps are widely used, pump and rotating equipment engineers are generally familiar with this equipment's operating principles, performance curves and selection criteria.
While centrifugal pumps are the subject of much training, the dwindling population of reciprocating pumps has led to a loss of understanding of this pump type's unique system design requirements. Centrifugal pump specifications are now commonly and incorrectly applied to reciprocating pumps, which can lead to significant reliability problems. End users should consider these 10 key facts about reciprocating pumps that can influence reliability and operation.
1. Pressure Pulsations
Unlike centrifugal pumps, reciprocating pumps have a stronger interaction with the overall system as a result of the pressure pulsations they generate. Because of the linear reciprocating motion of a plunger/piston, the plunger/piston
- January 30, 2025
General Precautions Before Starting Your Wheatley GASO Piston Pump
Ensuring that your pump is properly prepared before operation is critical to its performance, longevity, and safety. Taking a few precautionary steps can prevent unnecessary wear, mechanical failures, and costly downtime. Below is a detailed guide on what to check before starting your pump.
1. Ensure the Pump is Level
A properly leveled pump allows for even lubrication during operation. If the pump is not level, lubricant distribution may be uneven, which can result in increased wear on components. Use a leveling tool to make any necessary adjustments.
2. Verify Lubricant Levels in the Crankcase
Check that the pump crankcase is filled with the correct type and amount of lubricant. Operating the pump with inadequate or incorrect lubrication can lead to overheating and accelerated component wear. Always refer to the manufacturer’s specifications for guidance.
3. Inspect and Tighten
- January 03, 2025
Understanding and Maintaining Gears for the Wheatley GASO Piston Pump
The efficient operation of the Wheatley GASO piston pump relies on two principal types of gears: herringbone gears and worm gears. These components play a critical role in ensuring smooth functionality and proper lubrication for the pump’s moving parts.
Herringbone Gears: Design and Operation
Herringbone gears in Wheatley GASO piston pumps utilize the continuous tooth Sykes design, ensuring maximum durability and efficiency. Key components include:
- The pinion gear: made of alloy steel, this gear is keyed securely to the pinion shaft.
- The main gear: crafted from high-grade semi-steel or ductile iron, it features an internal flange for bolting to the crankshaft using cap screws.
The meshing of the herringbone gears provides the principal method of lubrication for the pinion and crankshaft bearings. Therefore, the pinion must be turning in the direction specified on the
- December 04, 2024
Lubrication for Wheatley GASO Piston Pumps - Power End
Gears, connecting rod bearings and crossheads in all geared piston type pumps are lubricated by splash from lubricant in the crankcase. Crankshaft bearings and pinion shaft bearings in Series 1800, 1500, 1600. 1700. 1900, and 2600 pumps are also lubricated from this same crankcase oil by splash.
Shaft bearings in Series 1550-C. 1654-C. 2000 and 2200 pumps and in pumps with serial numbers 24523 and below are sealed off from the crankcase lubricant by oil seals and run in a separate bath of oil retained in the respective bearing housing.
Warning
The crankcase is drained after factory testing. Remove the crankcase cover or crosshead guide hand hole cover and fill with sufficient lubricant before starting the pump for the first time.
Crankcase Oil for Wheatley GASO Piston Pumps
Quantity and type of lubricant required
- October 08, 2024
Positive Displacement Pump or Centrifugal - Which Should You Use?
What's the best way to determine if you should use a positive displacement pump or cetfrifugal pump for your application?
Positive displacement pumps and centrifugal pumps have different hydraulic designs, resulting in varying application considerations that affect how ideal each pump would be for performance.
Centrifugal pumps utilize a rotating impeller to impart kinetic energy to the applicable fluid
The fluid then exits the impeller radially. The performance of a centrifugal pump is such that the flow rate is variable as a function of system differential pressure or total head. This means it can achieve variable flow while operating at a constant rotational speed:
Additionally, when pumping, the liquid is sheared by centrifugal pumps. What this means: centrifugal performance is significantly affected by the viscosity
- September 12, 2024
Reciprocating Piston Pumps & Their Applications
In this blog, let's compare the operating cycles of two-check piston pumps and priming piston pumps. Pumps are broadly classified into positive displacement pumps and centrifugal pumps. Positive displacement pumps have many different designs. There are three classifications for positive displacement pumps: rotary, reciprocation and linear. This article focuses on reciprocating pumps that operate using pistons/plungers.
Reciprocating piston pumps are one of the most common pumps and are used in many applications, such as pumping peanut butter in the food industry, pumping grease to lubricate machines, metering and transferring adhesive and dispensing oil in vehicle services. These reciprocating piston pumps are also called stick pumps, as the pumping section resembles a long stick that is intended for use with industry-standard containers.
- August 28, 2024
Pump Cavitation: The Symptoms, Cause, Diagnosis, and Cure
“Hey, come listen to this pump.”
If it's a quiet pump, no one ever asks for a second opinion. This is symptom #1 of a cavitating pump. The pump is loud. Descriptors like “growly”, “rumbling”, or “gravelly” are used to describe the atypically loud sound coming from the pump.
The question you need to answer is: “Does it always sound like this?”
If it was much quiter and all of a sudden made noise, alarm bells should be raised.
Symptom #2. The noise is intermittent. It’s loudest when the liquid is more viscous, the supply tank is near empty, when the pump is runs faster, or the strainer hasn’t been cleaned, etc. The noise is loudest when the inlet conditions are worst.
So ask yourself, “How’s flow?”
If it's slow and takes longer to empty the tanks, that should be concerning.
Enter symptom #3. The flow rate