Pump just arrived and it's broke

I just got my pump in the mail today. I was pretty excited. I wasn’t expecting to get it until at least tomorrow. Anyway, I bought a Jim Diamond pump, tubing, cylinder, all the works. I get it out, get it prepared as instructed in Pumping 101, AND.. It doesn’t work. No vacuum. So I started dissecting problems. I took the tubing off and just attempted to create a vacuum with the pump. It pumps up, but leaks out right away. I’m assuming this is the problem. Do I have a completely busted pump or is there something that I’m missing here? If this thing is broke right out of the packaging, I’m going to pretty pissed, not that I’m not already.

Okay, this is odd. I connected the hose to the pump and then placed the end of the hose against my palm. I was able to get a vacuum that way, but I can’t without the hose. I still couldn’t get a vacuum with the cylinder, so I unscrewed the female coupling from the cylinder and tried to get a vacuum that way. Not even a hint of suction. So, it would appear the problem is either with the female coupling OR the connection between male and female. What a pain the GD ass.

What is the condition of the black “O” ring on the male connector? Also, does the male connector snap firmly into place in the female connector?

There is no black o-ring on the male connector. It does snap, but I would hardly refer to it as “firmly.” It definitely wobbles.

My bad. There is a black o-ring on the male connector. It appears to be in ok shape. There are two “notches” in the male connector and it is currently in the first notch, furthest away from the tubing - if that makes sense.

UPDATE: The connectors snap firmly into place now. All O-rings are accounted for but still no suction once a connection is made. The problem has to be in the female coupling. There appears to be a black O-ring inside the female coupling, right at the tip end that presses down into the cylinder when the male coupling snaps in. Sorry, I’m doing my best to explain these processes as simply as possible.

There is absolutely NO suction coming out once they are connected.

Well, now the gauge is all messed up. Reads as if there is 5.5 pressure. I’m done messing with this thing. I knew I should have just paid the extra money for a LAP system. This Jim Diamond garbage is fucking shit. Pure festering shit. Sending it back. I’m sure I’ll get my refund in time for NEXT Christmas.

Does anyone have any advice before I ship this thing back?

I take it that you have run through the Differential Diagnosis for Vacuum Leaks thread?

Also, any chance of buying a Harbor Freight pump or a automotive supply vacuum pump (like a brake bleeder pump)? If you could do that, that would accomplish a couple of things for you. You could take the male connector from your current pump, move it to the tubing on the new pump, and see if that works. That would help isolate the problem further. And even if you do return the current pump, now you have a good pump for your new cylinder, likely at a better price than the LA Pump price, so you would save money overall.

Lap pump = harbor freight tools pump