Unused pump spares still need a documented decision before they are issued for installation. A sealed package, a familiar colour or a handwritten pump model does not establish the age, material or suitability of its contents. This guide helps stores and maintenance teams keep those questions visible when handling rubber and polyurethane parts for NOV Type P pumps.
What the manufacturer says
NOV booklet 25-101131, page 17, says rubber and polyurethane parts deteriorate with age, with faster deterioration in hot, humid conditions. It recommends retaining new pistons in their original boxes until use and warns against prolonged storage on their sides because the lips can distort. The section does not assign a universal shelf life.
The checklist below is our editorial recommendation for documentation and issue control. It is not an OEM inspection standard, material specification or authorization to install a part.
At receipt: keep identity attached to the part
- Record the supplier's part number exactly as marked, including any suffix.
- Keep the package label and any batch, manufacture-date or expiry information supplied with it.
- Distinguish receipt date from manufacture date. If the latter is absent, record “unknown.”
- Link the item to its delivery document and the applicable storage instructions.
- Note packaging damage, missing labels or discrepancies before transferring the item to a bin.
Do not infer an elastomer grade from appearance. If the label and accompanying documents disagree, keep the discrepancy open and ask the supplier to identify the material and intended application in writing. Do not replace an uncertain designation with a convenient catalogue description.
In storage: make exceptions easy to find
Use a location record that connects each package to its identity and instructions. Where the supplier gives an expiry or reassessment date, make it visible to the person selecting parts. Where no date is given, request the applicable shelf-life policy; inventing a standard number of years would conceal the information gap.
A useful local exception list includes missing identity, unknown storage history, damaged packaging and an unresolved date marking. Mark these items as awaiting assessment rather than mixing them with items already cleared by the responsible team. The list documents uncertainty; it does not itself declare a part scrap.
Keep any approved repackaging record with the replacement package. Photograph the original label where permitted and carry its batch reference forward. A clean new box should not erase the history of the item inside.
Before issue: use a short decision checklist
- Does the package identity agree with the requested component and work order?
- Is documented applicability available for the installed assembly?
- Are the manufacturer's storage and date requirements available and satisfied, or is clarification still required?
- Has any observed damage or storage exception been assessed by the responsible person under the applicable procedure?
- Is the issue record linked to the batch or other traceable identifier supplied?
Treat “unknown” as a request for clarification, not as “passed.” A visual check cannot establish a material's remaining service life. This article supplies no acceptance limits, universal grease choice or compatibility approval.
The NOV 12-P-160 and NOV 14-P-220 pages provide catalogue starting points. Their presence does not establish that a particular packing, piston or valve insert fits the assembly being serviced.
Record the outcome without losing the question
Use a simple handover entry: item identifier; storage location; document reference; observed exception; responsible reviewer; decision; date; work order. If clarification arrives later, attach it to the original entry rather than replacing the unresolved history with a bare “OK.”
For equipment checks after parts have been selected, see the mud pump pre-start checklist. A stores release is separate from installation inspection and permission to operate the pump.
Source and scope
Primary source: NOV, How to Treat Your Type P Triplex Mud Pump, 25-101131, ©2025, page 17, accessed 21 September 2026. The brief OEM summary above concerns ageing and piston handling. Receipt, exception and issue-record suggestions are editorial guidance. Obtain current part-specific instructions for material, shelf life, preservation and application decisions.
FAQ
Does an unopened package prove a spare is usable?
No. Packaging status alone does not resolve identity, age, storage history or application. Review the applicable documentation and any exceptions before issue.
Can receipt date be used as manufacture date?
No. Record the two separately. If manufacture information is unavailable, keep it marked unknown and request clarification where needed.
Is there one shelf-life number for every rubber part?
Do not assign one from this article. Obtain the policy applicable to the identified material and component, including any required storage conditions or reassessment process.
Does issue from stores authorize pump operation?
No. It records the stores decision. Installation checks and return-to-service authorization remain subject to the equipment-specific procedure.