PSI-FX4

For those with the electric vacuum pump, they typically become noisy right before they fail. So, last Wednesday I had a little extra free time in my evening to drink a few cold ones. I got a notion to see if I could do anything to fix it and save myself $350.

Removed the pump from the truck, and started investigating. My 2012 truck had the plastic bodied pump from the factory and it started getting louder to the point where it really sounded like it was struggling. My truck has 87,000 miles on it. I quickly realized that I wouldn't be able to do any rebuilding due to how it was plastic and molded together. I chalked it up to me having to fork over the cash. Frustrated, I thought what the heck, and rigged up some blade terminals to make a jumper to be able to get the pump running off a 12v battery. It had really good suction but just very very loud. I went to the shelf and looked around to see if I could have anything I could spray down into the vacuum port to lubricate the camshaft. I took some Loctite Penetrating oil with a straw and gave it a couple little shots while it was running, so it would suck the oil into the moving parts. Now, I let it run like that for about 30 seconds or so and the tone of the pump changed. Was thinking, HMMM.... if I could find something that would lubricate rubber/mechanical parts and displace moisture I might be onto something?
I had some Amsoil Silicone Spray and I done the same thing, hooked the pump back up and with the straw I put it down into the suction port. I gave it several (five or six) two second blasts to really coat everything good. It went to silent almost instantly after the first spray. I let the pump run another 30 seconds and unplugged it.
Installed it back into the truck, and I'm glad to report after being back into the truck for a week, the pump is still completely silent. As a matter of fact, I have to start the truck and jump out to see if I can hear it just to make sure it still is running. Who knows, that may be all it needs! Just take the vacuum line off while its running and spray some silicone spray inside it.

ajsturtz

Nice hack! I may do this next month when i roll through 100k miles...

winchested

I tried this with air tool oil and it did not work. However the pump still works it is just loud as hell. Maybe I'll pull it again and rig it up to power like you did and spray it in while it is running.

PSI-FX4

Update.... been three weeks so far. Pump is still silent. I have listen for it just about every time I start the truck to verify it is still working.

winchested

Pump your brakes 5 times in park and make it actuate and see if it does it.

Apparently Dorman makes a replacement pump now and they state that it is the needle bearings in the one end of the shaft that seem to fail and cause the noise, their new design has cured this flaw.

PSI-FX4

Yeah, the pump turns on. Only a very slight hum just like it was when the truck was new. If I wasn't listening for it you couldn't hear it. My wife still can't hear it running but she heard it before and called my truck a junker. That was offensive! haha

scribe308

This is indeed a great treatment.

PSI-FX4

Been three months, and the truck now has 95,000 miles. Pump is still quiet, and I can hear a very slight hum once it is running.
Just for giggles I changed the oil last night and removed the headlight to access the vacuum line. I removed the line and shot some silicone spray directly down into the pump inlet and reinstalled the line. Started the truck and it's quiet like new, very slight hum.

PSI-FX4

Update:

112k miles, and now ONE YEAR later. The pump is still working great, and still pretty much silent. On every other oil change, I take the headlight out, disconnected the vacuum line and give it a 3-4 second dose of Silicone Spray. I start to hear a little hum from the motor after around 7-8k miles, then I give it another spray and it's all good.

Just a FYI update!

paintballdude05

Nice fix!