JeffOYB

I like my Joe Blow. Been using for years. I worked on it some years ago. Forget its innards. Been working great til yesterday.

It just started not clearing air -- the pump springs back up. Gauge reads the new pressure while pumping but bounces back to zero every stroke. Odd thing happens when I re-levered the chuck's grip on the valve stem: air slowly escaped the pump w a chuddering sound.

I took off the top and the stroke-rod and gasket were grunged up so I cleaned them and greased w vaseline. ...Same problem.

Removed the foot stand and took apart the lower end. Seemed straight forward. Un-did the swiveling hose attachment. Took off the gauge. Everything went easy. Didn't see much dirt anywhere. A little sand came out when I took of the foot stand. I re-assembled everything.

Now ZERO pumping ability. Air escaping the base area. I suspect I put something back together in the wrong orientation. Took it apart again. Can't see where I went wrong. No schematic online that I can find. No detailed repair info. (I did find one pitiful flame war here.) I did find a Youtube video where a guy had my same "chuttering" problem and fixed it by lubing the gasket. But no help for lower air loss.

Help?

UPDATE: I fixed my problem. So far the fix has just been to take apart and put back together. i'm guessing just a sticky check valve. it's the spring-thing in the hole on the side at the bottom. Unscrew access cap. take springy out and put it back in. presto.

I'll add a couple more notes here in case they help someone. Really, I think they could. There are TWO major angles where you can go wrong in attempting dis/re-assembly using the "obvious" method.

The yellow model pump that I have is about 10 years old. If you disassemble the gauge area there is a small o-ring b/w the gauge and the main pump barrel. ...It goes to nothing that I can see. But a grey "sprout" from the plastic grey upper gauge "cap" fits into the socket sealed by this o-ring. Maybe it serves a key function somehow. Anyway, make sure this o-ring is properly in its recess. I'm not sure if mine was at first.

The main way any tinkering could go wrong is there is a small o-ring at the bottom of the black plastic stand fitting that the main yellow pump barrel fits into. There is only a slight recess for it. It can easily get nudged off center. I think it was just banging around in the bottom of the fitting for awhile until I noticed it was there. I finally noticed it on my second try. In the end, to re-assemble I turned the pump upside down and set the tiny o-ring over its air hole then I carefully put the black base fitting on over it w the 3 allen-bolt holes in their correct orientation. Then I put the metal foot-stand back in place over that. Then re-installed the bolts. And everything was fine. Needless to say, if you disassemble and let that o-ring get away there is no more air seal and your hopes are gone.

DiabloScott

I had a similar issue.Appeared to be the check valve was sticking open so there air would go in and then come right back out.
Took it apart and cleaned everything - worked for a couple days and crapped out again. It was a fine pump, I got my money's worth... no regrets.

Jax Rhapsody

After the third Joe Blow, I wrote them off.

ksryder

Same. The Specialized Air Tool that replaced it has been superior in every respect.

Jax Rhapsody

I bought a nice pump for 70$ that had no problems with road bike tubes. I also have a nice floor use minipump, because at the time; trying to pump 90 psi in to a 120psi tire with a mini hand pump... no sir.

JeffOYB

So far the fix has just been to take apart and put back together. i'm guessing just a sticky check valve. it's the spring-thing in the hole on the side at the bottom. Unscrew access cap. take springy out and put it back in. presto.

bjkotka

So i had this problem as well with my Topeak Joe Blow II not holding pressure and the handle would bounce back at me when i connected the valve to the tube. I unscrewed the plastic cap just over the steel stand and found that there was no spring rubber thingy or even a O-ring (don't ask me how that has disappeared!? Could me my son doing monkeybusiness XD). Where i live it seemed at first that there where no replacement check valve available so i got creative together with my old man and used a spring from a soap dispenser and cut out a small rounded piece from the rubber with sandpaper that sometimes comes with a tube puncture repair set:

Send me a message for pictures of the project if you want to see the procedure visually. Cannot post pictures here since this is my first post apparently

For the time being it has been working brilliant, have pumped up 4 tires to 60 psi and 2 others to 40 and the solution has not melted. After this DIY fix i found the org check valve available here in the DK and it is on the way here. But i will keep this solution because it works perfectly! The meter even shows correct pressure after each pumping stroke.
Bjørn

armcomdes

Excellent post. Thank you. My pump wouldn't let air into the tube until I heard a click by me pressing downward hard and holding for a bit. Took everything apart, lubed everything with silicone grease (best for rubber) and all is well in Pumpville!
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