How to Mount a Motor to Your Small Block Chevy SBC Waste Vegetable Oil WVO Gear Pump

Parts:

I like to salvage parts when ever possible. It's a challenge to me to build something as cheap as I can. I took the 1/3HP 110volt motor from an old oil heater that was headed to the scrap yard. Any 1/3 HP or larger motor will work. You can find a motor in a washing machine, air compressor, etc. Try to get one with a 1/2" shaft because it will match the pump. I also used an old pool hose and a few fittings from the home store.

Wiring:

Most motors are reversible. Your motor should have a sticker that shows you how to wire it. If you do not understand what is on the sticker, find someone who does. Don't electrocute yourself or someone else. My motor can be reversed by removing a plate on the back of the motor and changing the position of two wires. That's not going to help me when I suck something in my pump. I want to be able to switch quickly from fwd to rev so I can blow out the obstruction and keep pumping.

The solution was to extend both wires out of the panel and into a 2x4 electrical box. I also attached leads to the posts that the wires plug into. You should now have 4 wires (2 wires and 2 posts) inside the 2x4 box. I used a double poll double throw switch. Wire the leads from the posts to the center lugs on the switch. Make a short jumper wire and crimp it to the end of each of the remaining wires so each wire can connect to two lugs on the switch. One wire will connect to the top right lug and the bottom left lug on the switch. The other wire will connect to the bottom right and top left lug. You should have made an X across the switch with the wires. You can Google a wiring diagram for a Pollak Valve. It will show you an example of a DPDT switch. Look at the 4 wires going to the switch and ignore the rest. Mount the switch to the 2x4 box, but leave room for one more switch. Now you can reverse the motor by flipping a switch instead of removing a panel and changing wires. Don't reverse the motor when it is running. Turn off, wait for it to stop, flip the switch and turn it back on.

Power the motor following the diagram on the sticker. Add a switch and a power cord. You can cut a power cord from an old window A/C unit, microwave or other high amp appliance. Don't use a lamp cord. It could burn up. You can also buy a male plug at the home store. Some motors have different speeds according to how you wire it. I suggest starting at the highest speed. If you motor overheats, you can reduce the speed. Lowering the speed will reduce the load on the motor because it is a positive displacement pump. Increasing the size of the hoses will also reduce the load.

Mounting the Motor and Pump:

I was not trying to build a show piece. I just wanted to make something that will work for me. I had scrap wood laying around, so I used it. You can do the same with metal.

My motor had a mounting platform built in. I just screwed it to a 2x6. If your motor has no platform you can secure it with a banding strap. You can use the bolts that hold the motor together and some angle iron to make a mount. Once the motor is secure install a coupler and attach the pump. See my other articles for instructions to make a 3$ coupler. You don't need a big buck lovejoy coupler. I had to place a shim under pump (again just scrap wood)to support the pump. I used banding strap to secure the pump to the 2x6. You could use the bolts on the body of the pump and an angle bracket for a cleaner look. Do whatever works for you.

Plumbing:

The bigger the hose, the better the flow. I have used a garden hose in a pinch, but takes much longer and overworks the motor. I had an old section of pool hose so I used it. Sump pump hose is cheap and works (for a while, it's pretty thin). The pool hose was just a bit too small to fit over a 1.5" hose barb. I used a heat gun to soften the hose and slid it over the barbs. I used PVC fittings to adapt the 1.5" hose barb to fit my pump. A restriction at the pump will not effect the performance. The size of the hoses are important, not the passage in the pump. I used some banding strap to secure the fittings to my 2x6. I added a handle to make it easy to move the pump.

Using a Drill as a Motor:

I made a bracket to secure a pump to a 1/2" Harbor Freight drill. The bracket is not needed, but without it you must hold the pump while running the drill. The bracket allows you to turn on the drill and walk away to man the hoses. Each drill is different, but this will give you an idea how to construct your bracket.

I used a piece of angle iron that you find on a garage door or metal shelves. The home store has it in the hardware section. Since the chuck holds the pump I just needed to stop the pump from spinning. I bent the angle iron and used a bolt as a pin to slip into the pump and stop it from spinning. I used the wing nut on the handle of the drill to secure the bracket to the drill. The bracket runs along the top of the drill and is secured to the belt clip on the drill with a screw. Take a look at the pictures. In this case a picture is worth a thousand words. This is not very professional looking, but it was cheap, easy to make and most important, it works.

I used brass garden hose to pipe thread fittings to attach 10 feet of 3/4"I.D. hose to another pump. I spent a few dollars on the fittings, but I can quickly change hoses if I need to. I use the 10' hose when I can get close to the drum, but I can use 50' of 5/8 garden hose If I need it.

These pump can make a lot of pressure. Make sure your output hose doesn't kink of plug or you could be taking a waste oil shower.