On Mon, 1 Nov 2010 06:33:53 -0700 (PDT), Robatoy
wrote:

On Nov 1, 9:19*am, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:02:38 -0400, blueman wrote:
"Mike Marlow" writes:

blueman wrote:

- Should the oil be replaced at regular intervals?

Should you read your owner's manual?

- If so, is there a good general rule of thumb for how freqently to
*replace (either in terms of calendar time or usage)?

I bet that manual may just answer this question...

Unfortunately not - it's a Harbor Freight so manual = minimalist
(though as I said in my original post I have paid back the original $99
purchase price many times over just in the savings from not having to
call the sprinkler blowout guy)

Most of their (larger) compressor manuals call for annual oil changes.
I just checked the 1-3/4hp, 3hp 5gal, and 3hp 21gal.

- Also the manual says use "30 weight non-detergent oil". Can I use
*the oil so labeled at an auto parts store or do I still need to buy
*"special" compressor oil of that weight?

You can indeed use the motor oil in the auto parts stores. *I would use
something like Mobil 1 myself, but regual motor oil is really good enough.

Can you get Mobil 1 in a 30weight non-detergent?

That's overkill. *Spend ten bucks on a gallon of Castrol and it'll
last you 5 years or so.


But, but, but the use of regular oil doesn't help us to disconnect
from those greedy exporting countries!!! *he preaches with passion and
thumps his desk*

Sure it does. Castrol is made from oil pumped from the ground in
America!

--
If we attend continually and promptly to the little that
we can do, we shall ere long be surprised to find how
little remains that we cannot do. -- Samuel Butler