General Cycling Discussion - Crap I think i broke my floor pump....

Long story short I pumped up a tire without loosening the presta valve so it didn't pump, then I loosened it put the pump on and now once it hits around 60-80 PSI it starts pouring out air from the head. Tried multiple tires to be sure. Did I blow out a seal or something? Its a Blackburn I don't remember the model but it was like 20 bucks.

Does the pump have a dual presta & schrader valve fitting? If yes - is the air 'pouring' out of the schrader fitting? If so - try covering the schrader-opening on the pump's chuck and try pumpng it a few times. Then try it on your tire. Make sure you unscrew the brass-cap on the presta-valve, and all pump-parts are screwed down as well.

I HATE Blackburn-pumps for this very reason.

Does the pump have a dual presta & schrader valve fitting? If yes - is the air 'pouring' out of the schrader fitting? If so - try covering the schrader-opening on the pump's chuck and try pumpng it a few times. Then try it on your tire. Make sure you unscrew the brass-cap on the presta-valve, and all pump-parts are screwed down as well.

I HATE Blackburn-pumps for this very reason.

I've had that issue in the past which is annoying as well. It doesnt seem to be coming out the schrader side though its coming out from around the presta valve like a seal is blown. HOWEVER it did work fine if I held my foot against it while pumping, tilting the chuck to the side a bit which also makes me suspect the seal is like screwy. Can I even service this thing to fix that?

On the presta-valve that's jutting out of the inner-tube, you see the little brass head you unscrew - yes? Well just below this is another part of the valve-fitting that turns. This tightens/loosens the valve-core. Be sure it's screwed down securely. Then try it.

I've had that issue in the past which is annoying as well. It doesnt seem to be coming out the schrader side though its coming out from around the presta valve like a seal is blown. HOWEVER it did work fine if I held my foot against it while pumping, tilting the chuck to the side a bit which also makes me suspect the seal is like screwy. Can I even service this thing to fix that?

Even cheap pumps (such as my harbor freight) can be somewhat serviced. The hose typically connects on both ends with a screw-on compression nipple that can be unscrewed. You might be able to find a new presta head for it and just replace it by unscrewing the hose. Just look at the pump and see what i mean. I found this out when I recently had a hose blow out near the pump head. I unscrewed the hose, cut it down 4 inches, reattached, and was good to go.

Most Blackburn's have a lifetime guarantee. I've brought two back to my local dealer and they just hand me another one, no receipt required, no paperwork.

On the presta-valve that's jutting out of the inner-tube, you see the little brass head you unscrew - yes? Well just below this is another part of the valve-fitting that turns. This tightens/loosens the valve-core. Be sure it's screwed down securely. Then try it.

Ok I tried that too yesterday, still had the same issue.

I will try taking it apart but not too far, I like the store exchange idea as mentioned, didn't realize there was a lifetime warranty.

I like the short Blackburn pump - I forget it's designation - as it flies the furthest when I kick it. :D

Most Blackburn's have a lifetime guarantee. I've brought two back to my local dealer and they just hand me another one, no receipt required, no paperwork.

the problem with that, though, is that you still have a blackburn pump...

On the presta-valve that's jutting out of the inner-tube, you see the little brass head you unscrew - yes? Well just below this is another part of the valve-fitting that turns. This tightens/loosens the valve-core. Be sure it's screwed down securely. Then try it.

It's my understanding that there are almost no tubes with removable Presta valve cores... was that untrue? I find the threaded valve stem to be about the thickness of a human hair, and if you look at it wrong, it's going to bend. I'm always uber careful, but it isn't easy taking a pump-head off 100% straight. Month or so ago, it stuck a little getting off and bent the stem... I tried to VERY gently get it straight and boom, broke.

Anyone know of what tubes (for 700 x 38C tires) have presta valves with removable cores?

I've seen them mentioned, with problems attributed, in a few threads. None of my collection has such. But it doesn't hurt to check - especially if it's the last resort for one's lovely Blackburn pump. After that - if it still don't work - back to the store it should go.

There are a plethora of threads on floor-pumps around. In case you decide to upgrade above the Blackburn. My Blackburn quit inflating presta-valves some time back. It now does work - for Schrader only. And we have a fleet of 26" 3-speeds here. So it should stop working altogther any day now...<grumble>

Funny I had the same issue with my pump the other day. I got it working somehow but the gauge does not work anymore :(.

I had a similar problem trying to fill my tires (which also have Presta valves) because the part of the pump hose thing that attaches to the valve didn't seem to fit onto the Presta valve properly, even though my pump is supposed to be able to do both Presta and Schrader valves. Fortunately, I have a small adapter to turn the Presta valve into a Schrader valve when you screw it on, and when I filled it as a Schrader there was no problem with air leakage or fitting it on. So getting an Presta-Schrader adapter might solve your problem.