Why the Rover/WABCO abs pump gets fried
The Land Rover Classic power brake pump has no internal cooling, and if it runs long enough, or becomes stuck, its internal plastic insulators will begin to melt, and soon all the smoke will leak out. Without smoke the unit will stop permanently. We rebuild a lot of them and the meltdowns are common, & saddening since often the driver had no way to know what was happening --- happily cruising the byways, meanwhile the pump starts a normal cycle but never switches off. Ten minutes later there are no brakes.
What
to do about it?
We designed a tidy internal thermal cutout, like many electric motors use for self-protection, but never fitted one. Who wants to be the guy that switched off somebody's brakes at some critical moment -- just to save a pump?
We debated a bigger motor or better cooling, and that could come to pass. They won't look original, which, as Classics become collectible, has importance. And they will be costly, done right. For now there are new knock-off motors you can buy from the Usual Suspects for these pumps --- but not only are they no better for cooling, they are rather wimpy in power, and un-repairable.
How about a little heads-up then?
Those of us driving a RRC, 1990 to 1995 (me), need a way to know about a runaway pump in advance. So we invented an audible warning device which will sound if:
~ The brake pump runs longer than 1 minute at a time (poor flow or performance).
~ The brake pump runs more than 50% of the time during any 2 minutes (bad check valve or accumulator).
~ The brake pump runs anytime when the key is switched off (stuck relay).
Meet our Pump Saver!
It uses an aviation sounder in a frequency range that even those with most hearing damage can hear. Also a switch can be added to it to mute a warning for a couple minutes, if you wish. It makes a little road-runner beep-beep on startup to acknowledge it's online, and then leaves you alone.
HERE ARE THE GUTS
CLOSED UP
SOUNDER & PIGTAIL
