Cleaning up a Pump

This is starting as a "how the crap would you go about this?" thread... but will hopefully turn into a decent project that ends up with me having a nice clean usable pump!

So here's the first problem. The threaded output appears to have been chewed on. Hopefully not by a person. Don't ask right?


And here's the second issue. The backside has rust. :-( I wouldn't even use it, but being an Iwaki I'm positive all of the internal materials are just fine. I'll open it up and insure that's true also, but here's the pic!


So, how would you deal with these issues?

I'm planning on filing the output down, putting some epoxy on it to smooth it out and putting a coupling over it... turning it into a slip. A bit of PVC and a union and I'm good.

Need some help with the rust though. What's the best way of dealing with that?

I've heard soaking it in vinegar and rinsing would remove rust I wouldn't know how long though, possibly a few minutes to overnight?

Matt, before you do anything to the plastic, get what ever it is your planning on epoxying to the output. From the look of it, it may be a polyethylene, probably High Density Polyethylene, if a moulding, if its a machined part then UHMWPE is possible.
Either way, it would be a bugger to get any good longterm bond, do a google search on polyethylene adhesive and you'll see what I mean.

Is there any way you can tap a new thread onto what's remaining? That I think would give you a stronger and more permanent solution.

As for the rust, I would remove the cover, use a wire brush, then if you can get hold of a wire brush attachment to a drill have a go at what remains. Otherwise a circular/orbital sander, then sacrifice some sand paper to get rid of the worst of the rust, then good old elbow grease with emory paper I expect would get rid of the rest

If you'd like, you welome to use my bench grinder/ wire wheel for the rust. You might also consider "Threading" the inside using a pipe tap.

Jason, I thought about tapping inside too, but thought that would reduce the diameter of the outflow, also I wasn't sure just how advisable it was to have the flow of water hitting the face of the join, and possibly forcing water through.
I'm a lousy plumber, so I could well be wrong.

My thoughts on the epoxy wasn't that it would stick to the plastic, but rather take hold in all of those grooves and marks. After that, it would be solid. I'd put the coupling over it while it was wet.

Thoughts?

Worse case.. you might have to replace the pump housing. I'm sure you could purchase it seperately

http://www.aquariumpart.com/MD_55RLT_Volute_p/riw00360.htm

Not sure which model you have, but this is one of several

Thanks for the link. I'm going to try to see what I can do with that this weekend. I'm about to open it up and see what the inside looks like on this baby.

UPDATE: Opened this baby up and it looks great. Dang near brand new. Sitting there staring at the inside and then looking at the outside it looks like two different pumps. Freakishly clean. Gotta love Iwaki right?

I'm going to soak the rust in vinegar. Should work if it's a light rust. Will sit the two pumps I've got in a shallow 3/4 inch vinegar solution, then I'll lay paper towels soaked in vinegar over the pumps afterwards. I'm hoping for the best. :-)