Brake Air tank oil puke

[Westex]

Prepping the Deuce for an 'outing' here, and I go out and fire up, let warm up, shut down, then open the drain on the inboard air tank and it pukes out what smells like oil. I'm talking air tool smelling oil here. Tanks really don't accumulate moisture here in the desert, but what was really weird, was that the small amount of this substance was GREEN. I've never added any oil to my compressor, or whatever. My question is, do the air compressors pick up oil from somewhere? Are there army gremlins that add this magically as we go along?

 

[63sierra10]

It is common to get a little engine oil in the air system. I did say a little. Too much is not good. The air compressor gets its lube from the engine and just like the engine when the cylinder gets worn some oil slips by. Why it is green is odd though. I would say it is just from going through the lines and what ever moisture that happens to be in it.

 

[Westex]

This is the answer I needed. Thanks so much. I think the green color was probably from o.d. paint somehow. Not much oil came out, so no worries here. Out to Kilburne crater I go, hi ho hi ho.

 

[Jake0147]

If it's more oil than normal, first check is the compressor inlet (?Filter?Screen?little round bug catcher thing?) mounted to the cylinder head of the compressor. Even a tight compressor will pass a little oil if there's too much inlet restriction.

 

[stumps]

Given that the air lines are all copper, and copper corrodes green when exposed to water and other gorp. Perhaps that is where the oil found its green color?

-Chuck

 

[jwaller]

Given that the air lines are all copper, and copper corrodes green when exposed to water and other gorp. Perhaps that is where the oil found its green color?

-Chuck

very good point. had not thought of that.

 

[JCKnife]

OK here I've got the same issue. I've had my deuce for months but really only started giving it any road time over the last couple weeks. Every time in the past when I've opened the compressor after driving, I would get a spray of air and moisture and a little bit of an oily film, but no accumulation of oil. Today I drove it to work and to lunch and back. At lunch it was reading pretty hot, like near the top of the temp gauge. I only went maybe 3 miles topps. After I drained the compressor I noticed a rather large puddle of dark, black oil on the ground. I wouldn't hazard a guess at the volume but it was more than a couple tablespoons, for sure.

I'm going to leave her in the garage at work while I pick up a thermostat and related seals and gaskets over the weekend.

Could running hot contribute to more oil in the air tank? Doesn't make a lot of sense unless it's just a coincidence...which worries me...

Any advice appreciated.

 

[JCKnife]

Any thoughts? I'm going to try the 15 mile trip home in the morning when it's cool.

 

[Capt.Marion]

Drive slow. Drop it down to an idle in 5th gear while on any sort of level or even the slightest down grade...

 

[Westex]

Following up here, my leak actually stopped. I didn't do anything to stop it. After some careful evaluation, I think my truck was rebuilt and Whatever just broke in. The green stuff puke, as I posted above, was probably some kind of overspray with the tank off, to the best of my investigative hypothetical.

 

[Heavysteven]

Any thoughts? I'm going to try the 15 mile trip home in the morning when it's cool.

Flush the radiator system, replace the thermostat, and replace the sending unit.

I am going to clean my inlet to the air compressor today. Good thread

 

[JCKnife]

Made it home OK. Towards the end the temp gauge got up around 220 but never got to the top. I was staying under 1800 RPMs on the highway and under 1500 on surface streets. Fortunately wasn't much traffic out. And the last 2 miles, I got behind a pair of bicyclists and was able to use them as an excuse to go 15 mph the rest of the way. (actually I tried to pass once and they were too fast for me!)

When I opened the air tank, no oil came out. Must have been something to do with the excessive heat yesterday.

I will work on the cooling system before driving again. And clean the inlet on the compressor for good measure.

Thanks, all.

 

[Munk]

It has been in the 80's and pretty humid here and am finding the same problem nut but maybe 1/4 cup in 5-6 days of oil from the inner air tank. could this also be from the air inlet, or is this a badly worn pump? Any help would be a great help.

 

[stumps]

1/4 cup of water out of your wet tank after a day of use in this weather is very normal.

-Chuck

 

[Munk]

Sorry Stumps, it's more oil than water. It is like a oil with little water and darker grey in color.

 

[stumps]

Probably not a good sign!

If I remember correctly, the compressor gets pressurized oil from the engine to pump up and lube the bearings, and the used oil drains back into the engine sump. Bad rings can let through quite a lot of oil, and the pump will still make pressure. If the pump inlet is stuffed, it will tend to suck oil through the rings, but then it won't make pressure very well.

Let us know what you find.

-Chuck

 

[Munk]

Thank you Stumps. i will be looking for the inlet area for a filter or screen to be cleaning.

 

[Heavysteven]

Well there no intake screen on my air compressor. Looks like it was removed.

 

[Munk]

I got in there and cleaned, it was dirty and the amount of oil is gettin less. Thank you Stumps