Dismantling a RLBS (was EWL) Beer Engine - Help needed!

[Fr_Marc]

Quite some time ago, I bought a "fully refurbished" beer engine from RLBS.

It turned out that the engine was not refurbished at all and the beer pumped through it came out with a disgusting moldy smell and taste.

Pumping through several liters of beer line cleaning liquid (as recommended by RLBS) did not help. Nothing did.

So I finally decided to buy the "Seal Kit" (again from RLBS), dismantle the engine, clean all of its parts properly and replace all the seals and rubber parts.

Unfortunately, I did not come very far, as I have no idea how to get to the inner parts of the actual pump cylinder (fittet with a water cooling jacket). Consulting YouTube did not help, as the design of my pump differs from those shown in the diy videos.

Mine is a ELBS (former EWL) Paragon 1/4 pt beer engine with water jacket.

The attached pictures show how far I got disassembling the engine.

I am literally stuck now. I can't figure out how to detach the cylinder (and water jacket) from the rest of the pump in order to have a look inside, clean and replace the fittings). No matter how long I turn the damn thing, it won't unscrew.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you very much for your help.

Marc

 

[DuncB]

I use warm pbw soak and leave some in engine then pump through next 1/4 pint. Should eventually run clear.
Then Starsan.
i have one Colin Farr beer engine with a jacket.
I've taken it apart. Will hunt for some photos, I've posted them in another beer engine thread.
Memory tells me that the top and bottom unscrew from the jacket.
Then the cylinder slides out or the water jacket inside is the cylinder.
Some more photos from you and the parts taken off would be a help.

 

[Fr_Marc]

I have now detached the piston from the handle. You are right, the top and bottom part of the jacket are supposed to be unscrewed from the middle bit.
Since they don’t move, I will try using a tool made for changing oil filters on motor engines as soon as I get my hands on one. This was a tip I found on the Australian Homebrew Forum.

 

[DuncB]

I think I warmed up the end that I was trying to unscrew by holding it in warm / hot ( not boiling ) water.
Yes I did use one of those oil filter remover gadgets with the strap on.

Thread I started for one of my beer engines, some useful links in it.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/beer-engine-strip-down-advice.691756/

 

[Mattswift33]

I have now detached the piston from the handle. You are right, the top and bottom part of the jacket are supposed to be unscrewed from the middle bit.
Since they don’t move, I will try using a tool made for changing oil filters on motor engines as soon as I get my hands on one. This was a tip I found on the Australian Homebrew Forum.

How did you get on with this? I've got one of these exact parts and nothing is pumping through it. With a bit of Googling I've got to where you are in the picture but in truth I've no idea what to do next to strip it down further. Not exactly sure what I'm going to do if I manage to dismantle it!

 

[Fr_Marc]

I gave up on it. I was not able to unscrew the cylinder, no matter what I tried. I even brought the thing to a neighbour who is a well trained and well equiped workman. He tried a few tricks and came to the coclusion that the cylinder not only was screwed tightly but also glued together in some way. He told me that he could not open it without breaking it in the process. That was the point where I gave up.

Looking back, I have spent more money and a lot more time on this so called „refurbished“ model than I would have on a brand new one.

Now I am wondering if I should buy a spare cylinder from RLBS or go for a Marston Pint365 directly…

 

[Mattswift33]

Thankyou very much for taking time to reply to me. I wondered if I was flogging a dead horse and sounds like I am! You might have just saved me weeks of hope and effort!

 

[Broken Crow]

Thankyou very much for taking time to reply to me. I wondered if I was flogging a dead horse and sounds like I am! You might have just saved me weeks of hope and effort!

Welcome to HBT!
It sounds like both you and @Fr_Marc have accepted this as a write-off..... In another recent thread I shared a qoute from my older brother which I always reserved as a final sanction in a life largely filled with repairing all manner of old, worn out, rusted, just plain junk or poorly designed machines, gadgets and whatnots: "If it jams, force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway."
Perhaps for some personal endorphines as well as a sense of closure not just for yourselves, but for the sake of those that might find this thread in desperation, one or both of you might consider the force option which seems likely to destroy it, but hey; you've already accepted it's loss and there is a slim chance this might work:
The melting point of the plastic is probably around 250°F, so carefully use a heat gun to get the plastic hot and try not a standard oil-filter strap-wrench, but a truly gripping locking plier wrench or two:

Maybe you'll destroy it, but it just might work and whatever the outcome you can post pictures here for the sake of those to come. (perhaps with the only personal reward being both the knowledge you may have helped others and just the shear joy you might get from destroying a cause of aggrivation.)
Just a thought.

 

[Fr_Marc]

The melting point of the plastic is probably around 250°F, so carefully use a heat gun to get the plastic hot and try not a standard oil-filter strap-wrench, but a truly gripping locking plier wrench or two

You are propably right, but at this point I am not willing to invest even more money in a heatgun and plier wrench. I have spent enough on the „refurbished“ engine so far. Very disappointed with the company, to be honest. They didn‘t even answer my email when I asked them for help…

 

[Mattswift33]

Welcome to HBT!
It sounds like both you and @Fr_Marc have accepted this as a write-off..... In another recent thread I shared a qoute from my older brother which I always reserved as a final sanction in a life largely filled with repairing all manner of old, worn out, rusted, just plain junk or poorly designed machines, gadgets and whatnots: "If it jams, force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway."
Perhaps for some personal endorphines as well as a sense of closure not just for yourselves, but for the sake of those that might find this thread in desperation, one or both of you might consider the force option which seems likely to destroy it, but hey; you've already accepted it's loss and there is a slim chance this might work:
The melting point of the plastic is probably around 250°F, so carefully use a heat gun to get the plastic hot and try not a standard oil-filter strap-wrench, but a truly gripping locking plier wrench or two:
View attachment 878220
Maybe you'll destroy it, but it just might work and whatever the outcome you can post pictures here for the sake of those to come. (perhaps with the only personal reward being both the knowledge you may have helped others and just the shear joy you might get from destroying a cause of aggrivation.)
Just a thought.

I'm already one tool down trying to open it. Annoyingly I needed it to unscrew the flushing mechanism from my toilet and decided to try the cylinder first. So I've got another, stronger one, arriving tomorrow!

 

[DuncB]

I know this must be very frustrating.
Have you tried the oil filter remover but one on each end ? Rather than holding the jacket and one end?
Warm up the ends by standing them in really hot water before you try sustained torque.
The cylinder is integrated with the cooling jacket I think, rather than a separate piece fitting on the outside of the cylinder.

 

[Mattswift33]

I ended up just buying a refurbished one off ebay. It cost £50 shipped which seemed about the cheapest way to get me back up and running. Similar to @Fr_Marc, I could have spent £50 on tools trying to open the other one and then still not be up and running.

If anyone wants to cover my shipping (would be between £5-£10) I'll gladly send them the old one if they think they can try fix it!

 

[Fr_Marc]

I ended up just buying a refurbished one off ebay.

The shame is that the one that gave me so much trouble WAS a „refurbished“ one off eBay. I wish you luck. I sincerely do!