# Meyer E47 Low pressure, high amp draw



## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

I am a fairly competent mechanic, but I am new to snow plows. I traded a guy for a 93 Chevy K1500 with a STP 7.5 with an old E47. (The reason I think it is old is that it doesn't have a drain plug.) I changed the fluid because the previous owner had put transmission fluid in it. I flushed out the rams and refilled everything with SAM snow plow fluid. Then it was working fine a few days ago. 

Now it won't lift or lifts very slowly and has very high amp draw. The truck has a new battery, and I put the trolling motor from my boat in it and wired it in straight to the the solenoid. (and parallel with the starting battery). Not every time, but probably a third of the time it draws so much power it will stall the truck. Not just at idle, but even if I rev it up.

I put a pressure gauge in and it only builds about 1,000psi. 

Any ideas of what could make it draw so much power and only build 1,000psi?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

The pumps shot is my guess. It stalls the trk b/c you running the motor to much that the alt can't keep up. I'm betting the previous owner put trans fluid in b/c hr knew the pump was getting weak


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Captain Bravo;1684693 said:


> I am a fairly competent mechanic, but I am new to snow plows. I traded a guy for a 93 Chevy K1500 with a STP 7.5 with an old E47. (The reason I think it is old is that it doesn't have a drain plug.) I changed the fluid because the previous owner had put transmission fluid in it. I flushed out the rams and refilled everything with SAM snow plow fluid. Then it was working fine a few days ago.
> 
> Now it won't lift or lifts very slowly and has very high amp draw. The truck has a new battery, and I put the trolling motor from my boat in it and wired it in straight to the the solenoid. (and parallel with the starting battery). Not every time, but probably a third of the time it draws so much power it will stall the truck. Not just at idle, but even if I rev it up.
> 
> ...


Check filters, two lower bolts on front of pump. Check your connections, make sure they are clean. Try jumper cable from battery to pump motor to rule solenoid having too much resistance. If it still does it after all this could be bad motor or pump.


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

All the connections are good clean and tight, but I never thought about the solenoid. I did pull the motor apart this evening and it looks good. Brushes in good shape, no corrosion inside. Looks like it may have been replaced not too long ago. 

I never thought about the solenoid though. I'll check that out. Thanks.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Captain Bravo;1684931 said:


> All the connections are good clean and tight, but I never thought about the solenoid. I did pull the motor apart this evening and it looks good. Brushes in good shape, no corrosion inside. Looks like it may have been replaced not too long ago.
> 
> I never thought about the solenoid though. I'll check that out. Thanks.


When you jump power to the motor the plow will go left. So watch out.


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

Will do. Thanks for the heads up.


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## John T (Dec 5, 2006)

There is also a screen INSIDE the pump.


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

Bypassing the solenoid made no difference, so it looks like I need to tear it down and see what is going on. 

This is probably a common story for snow plowing, but of course this happens at the first big snow of the season.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

So if the motor looks good, connections are good, and there was tranny fluid in it. Hummmm maybe look at why your only putting out 1000 psi


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Captain Bravo;1685611 said:


> Bypassing the solenoid made no difference, so it looks like I need to tear it down and see what is going on.
> 
> This is probably a common story for snow plowing, but of course this happens at the first big snow of the season.


Did you check the filters?


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

Forgot to check the filters yesterday, but I checked them this morning. The lower one (or left) has what looks like grease on it. It doesn't feel like ice slush but is that a possibility even with changing the fluid less than 2 weeks ago? The filter wasn't completely covered in any case.

The other one (right side or upper) is missing!

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w39/Maggsters_pics/20131216_062051_zpse4623a48.jpg


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

Draining and replacing the fluid is **not enough** on these things. They really need to be torn down and cleaned very thoroughly every few years. The bottom of the reservoir will almost always be full of very thick sludge.

Do not overlook the plow angle cylinders!!! Because they are the lowest point in the system, they are a point where nasty stuff tends to come from.


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

dieselss;1684849 said:


> The pumps shot is my guess. It stalls the trk b/c you running the motor to much that the alt can't keep up. I'm betting the previous owner put trans fluid in b/c hr knew the pump was getting weak


ATF is thicker than plow fluid, so this would have the opposite effect. ATF is just bad for plows, except for the very few that are actually designed for it.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

jasonv;1686525 said:


> ATF is thicker than plow fluid, so this would have the opposite effect. ATF is just bad for plows, except for the very few that are actually designed for it.


Not exactly because its thicker it would take up the loose of pressure

We had a leaking top seal one top in the middle of a 3 foot snow storm. I purposely put hydraulic jack oil in it because its much thicker than plow fluid. It got me through a 3 day storm


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

jasonv;1686525 said:


> ATF is thicker than plow fluid, so this would have the opposite effect. ATF is just bad for plows, except for the very few that are actually designed for it.


If the previous owner knew it was going out then he could have put atf in to take up the slack if a worm pump


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

I did flush the cylinders. I took the top off the reservoir and the strainer inside looks OK. There isn't much debris on it at all. 

The lift ram is pitted some. Anything else I should check out before I decide on how to proceed?


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## John T (Dec 5, 2006)

Pretty sure you can use the later style (plastic) filters in place of the original. 

the steel screens tend to tear and break off easy...

prolly why yours is missing.


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

How much money do you put into an E-47 before you cut your losses?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

How much is a pump?


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

Smith Brothers has an aftermarket pump for $150, but when I took it apart I realized that the pump is just the beginning. The lift cylinder needs to be replaced and the "A" valve is sticky. So, with the pump, filters, tank studs(one was stripped when I tried to take it apart), "A" valve and coil, lift ram, and cylinder it comes out to about $420 with shipping. It also needs couplers, but I can get those cheap at work. Then there would be misc stuff like fluid. So I am guessing a total of about $450. If I had time I could probably make a lift ram. We have a pile of old tie rod cylinders and as long as I could find one with a 1-1/8" rod I could machine it. But, the snow is piling up. So I am wondering if I should put the money in to it. The high pressure filter threads are screwed up but I can fix that, and put a drain in at the same time. 

Does $450 like a lot for an old E-47?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Just looked at storksauto and they have rebuild e47h for 400 with core


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## Captain Bravo (Jan 19, 2009)

Well. That settles that. Thanks.


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