Compressor Grenaded Internally

I haven't taken it apart to see exactly what the problem is, but its four years old. A full year out of warranty.

An hour or so ago it started making an awful racket. It sounded suspiciously like it threw a rod. I shut it down along with all the machines dependent on it.

Diagnostic step one. I looked at the oil sight glass, and it showed just below center. Figuring to see how much of its guts poured out I cut the top off a soda can to catch the oil and pulled the plug. Nothing came out.

As one of our members would say... Blink!!! Blink!!!

I looked at the sight glass again. The oil level looked the same. I stuck an air nozzle in the drain hole (turned off the compressor, but left the valve open) and blew thinking maybe it was plugged. A very little oil came out and several chunks of metal.

I check the sight glass almost every day when I start up the air for the shop. It never changed. I wonder how long it was running with virtually no oil.

Well, I'm off to buy a new pump for it. I can't run without air.

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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I finally got the new pump installed. Had to make a mounting plate, then drill and tap for the new pump, then chase down the fittings, and finally take the check valve out 4 times to try and repair it. Finally I did the stupid easy o-ring repair. I know it won't last, but it should last until I get a new check valve atleast. The plunger on the check valve looks like PEEK. Kind of overkill for only 155 PSI.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

On Tue, 17 Apr 2018 07:10:11 -0700, Gunner Asch wrote as underneath :

Thanks for this thread and comments - gonna double check my sight glass today by dip test! C+

Reply to
Charlie+

Ooh, good point. (Checked my sight glass with a tip o' the head to see it move.) Yup, still good. Probably time to change it, too.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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