Graco T2 2:1 Transfer Pump Review: Specs, Wear Parts and Rebuild Timing

Nobody brags about their feed pumps, but they decide whether your proportioner gets a steady, bubble-free supply. The Graco T2 has been a common choice for years. Here is our ArmorThane Tech Team take on the T2 (295616): what it does, verified specs, the parts that wear and when to rebuild.

The T2's job in a spray rig

A plural-component proportioner meters A and B precisely, but it depends on feed pumps to push material from the drums to its inlets. Each side gets its own supply pump. The T2 is an air-powered piston pump that sits in the drum through a quick-release bung adapter and delivers material at a steady feed pressure.

When a feed pump falls behind, the proportioner starves. That shows up as cavitation, pressure imbalance, pump dive and an off-ratio mix at the gun. Many "proportioner problems" are really supply problems.

T2 specs

Sources: Graco T2 manual 311882 and the Graco 295616 product page.

Setup habits that extend pump life

• Protect the ISO drum. Graco's manual calls for a sealed container with a desiccant dryer in the vent, or a nitrogen atmosphere. Moisture turns ISO into crystals that chew up seals.
• Use moisture-proof supply hoses on the A side and keep everything grounded.
• Clean, dry air. Water and debris in the air line wear the air motor. Use a filter and drain it.
• Do not run it dry. A pump that empties the drum races, which accelerates packing wear.

Common wear parts

Graco's parts list shows the usual suspects on a piston transfer pump: piston cups, u-cup packings, wear rings, check balls, PTFE seals, rod wipers and square packings. Graco groups them into two kits:

• 262034 upper seal repair kit
• 247883 lower seal repair kit

Keeping one of each on the truck turns a lost day into a lunch-break repair.

When to rebuild

Graco does not publish a fixed rebuild interval, so rebuild on symptoms. Graco's troubleshooting table points to these signs:

1. Low output on one stroke only. Usually a worn or held-open intake or piston check. Clean or service the valve.
2. Low output on both strokes. Check for a clogged hose or valve and an exhausted drum before blaming the pump.
3. Pump fails to operate. Look at air supply, closed or clogged air valves, then a dirty or worn air motor.
4. Erratic cycling. Often an exhausted fluid supply: refill and reprime. If the pump keeps creeping after you shut off the gun, Graco points to a check ball that needs cleaning.
5. Material weeping at the throat. Time for the packings.

For guided checks, use our Troubleshooter. Pick your machine, choose the symptom, and it walks you from feed pump to proportioner to gun, with exact part numbers. If the issue turns out to be at the gun, the Gun Parts Finder shows the parts on exploded diagrams.

T2 vs T1 and T3

Sources: Graco T1 manual 312766 and product page 256200, T2 manual 311882, T3 manual 3A5180 and product page 26A304.

• T1: A lighter, lower flow option. Fine for smaller proportioners.
• T3: Graco says it is about three times quieter and 3.7 in shorter than the T2, with air pilot valve switching for reduced maintenance. Note its lower 100 psi max air inlet.
• T2: The highest rated pressure and continuous flow of the three.

Our take

The T2 is a proven, rebuildable feed pump with enough flow and pressure headroom for most foam and polyurea rigs. Its weak points are the same as any piston pump: seals and checks. Protect the ISO from moisture, keep kits on hand and rebuild on symptoms. Shop T1, T2 and T3 pumps in Spray Equipment and seal kits in Parts & Rebuild Kits, or ask our tech team which pump suits your proportioner.