Anybody ever used a gas powered water pump?

Has anybody ever used gas powered water/trash pumps before? Im a design student that is designing waterpumps for my studio and I need suggestions, comments, info on common use problems etc. with gas powered water pumps....

Just tell me one thing you would change about a water pump, or.... I have a quick survey made up if you would take it would be awesome!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XYQ9X9L

Thanks guys

 

I'd pick a honda motor attached to a pacer pump if I was going to go gas.

 

Our old 3.5 hp Briggs & Stratton (circa 1970s or earlier) is still going, albeit slowly weakening as the impeller erodes. The thing's spark plug has been seized since about '98 and it's getting harder and harder for it to self prime against a 10' rise. But it still cranks over on the first pull, and still pumps pretty well against a head of 40 feet or so.

Design suggestions for these things:

- Simple and reliable. I don't need or want variable valve timing, intelligent throttle, etc. I want to push a choke, pull a cord and have it go. And I want to be able to fix it with a crescent wrench and screwdriver if it does crap out.

- Build it SOLID. If it's not cast steel, it had better be forged steel, or at least a really sturdy aluminum part. I do not want injection-moulded one-handed quick release fittings, I want NPT threads tapped into solid metal. Quick-releases, etc. can always be add-ons for people who want them.

- Nobody cares what a pump looks like, as long as it does its job well. Skip the plastic shrouds, just give me a simple metal cage that I can carry my simple, solid, reliable pump with. I want to be able to get a wrench on any bolt in the thing within a minute if need be.

 

I think that stainless shafts are a good thing. I agree with marshmat that something easy to fix in the field is the key to a succesful pump. They are usually for emergency use.

 

Rubber diaphragm pumps can almost pump mud. The local rental guy replaces the diaphragm after every rental, they are very cheap and take only a few minutes to replace.

 

not quite sure I follow Gas as in No, oxy. air? or as in gasoline, you see the world knows gas as gas, NA knows gas(slang) as gasoline
the only pumps I know that can be powered are with compressed air, these are used in situations where internal combustion is not possible, ie mines,

 

Gas=petrol