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.

Compressor Grenaded Internally
 

On Mon, 16 Apr 2018 14:29:54 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

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.

What brand was it?

Ive learned over many years repairing machinery...NEVER trust the
sight glass if its the flush disk type. They can built up a layer of
crap behind the glass..which plugs off the lower hole..leaving the
sight glass filled with oil, like a deer on the wall...nothing behind
it.


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Compressor Grenaded Internally
 

On 4/16/2018 2:29 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I haven't taken it apart to see exactly what the problem is, but its
four years old.Â* A full year out of warranty.

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

Diagnostic step one.Â* I looked at the oil sight glass, and it showed
just below center.Â* 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!!!Â* Blink!!!

I looked at the sight glass again.Â* The oil level looked the same.Â* 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.Â* 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.Â* It never changed.Â* I wonder how long it was running with
virtually no oil.

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


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.

Compressor Grenaded Internally
 

On Tue, 17 Apr 2018 19:50:58 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

On 4/16/2018 2:29 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
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.


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.

Do an autopsy of the old pump and see why the oil issue was not
noticed


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Compressor Grenaded Internally
 

On Wed, 18 Apr 2018 07:16:55 +0100, Charlie+ wrote:

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

On Mon, 16 Apr 2018 14:29:54 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

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.

What brand was it?

Ive learned over many years repairing machinery...NEVER trust the
sight glass if its the flush disk type. They can built up a layer of
crap behind the glass..which plugs off the lower hole..leaving the
sight glass filled with oil, like a deer on the wall...nothing behind
it.

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

I try to remember to flush out the crank case of air compressors at
least every 5 or so years. Drain, fill with diesel or kerosene, let
it run for 5 or so seconds, drain again and then refill with proper
compressor oil. Remember...NON detergent oils only..if you want to go
cheap and fill it up with a quality 40 weight motor oil and not get
raped by buying way overpriced "Compressor Oil"

Mobie 1 synthetic works pretty well also. But its pricey for a
couple quarts.

Gunner

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Compressor Grenaded Internally
 

On Wed, 18 Apr 2018 07:41:29 +0100, Charlie+ wrote:

On Tue, 17 Apr 2018 23:28:36 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote as underneath :

On Wed, 18 Apr 2018 07:16:55 +0100, Charlie+ wrote:

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

On Mon, 16 Apr 2018 14:29:54 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

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.

What brand was it?

Ive learned over many years repairing machinery...NEVER trust the
sight glass if its the flush disk type. They can built up a layer of
crap behind the glass..which plugs off the lower hole..leaving the
sight glass filled with oil, like a deer on the wall...nothing behind
it.

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

I try to remember to flush out the crank case of air compressors at
least every 5 or so years. Drain, fill with diesel or kerosene, let
it run for 5 or so seconds, drain again and then refill with proper
compressor oil. Remember...NON detergent oils only..if you want to go
cheap and fill it up with a quality 40 weight motor oil and not get
raped by buying way overpriced "Compressor Oil"

Mobie 1 synthetic works pretty well also. But its pricey for a
couple quarts.

Gunner

Thanks - thats properly useful information. C+

Jervelcome.


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Compressor Grenaded Internally
 

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

On Mon, 16 Apr 2018 14:29:54 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

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.

What brand was it?

Ive learned over many years repairing machinery...NEVER trust the
sight glass if its the flush disk type. They can built up a layer of
crap behind the glass..which plugs off the lower hole..leaving the
sight glass filled with oil, like a deer on the wall...nothing behind
it.

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.

--
When a quiet man is moved to passion, it seems the very earth will shake.
-- Stephanie Barron
(Something for the Powers That Be to remember, eh?)