Oil from air compressor intake?

[FMJ]

Ideas about why my air compressor is dripping oil from the intake?, Bad rings?...

I have another compressor in the shop, but would like to make sure it's bad before I swap the whole unit out.

It is the 2 cylinder unit.

 

[Nonotagain]

Ideas about why my air compressor is dripping oil from the intake?, Bad rings?...

I have another compressor in the shop, but would like to make sure it's bad before I swap the whole unit out.

It is the 2 cylinder unit.

How cold is your shop? If the air temperature is below 40 degrees or so the rings on the compressor won't seal well until its run up to temperature.

Also, cold air condenses more moisture, so check the tank for water.

My 5hp 3 phase two stage Ingersoll compressor resides in my shed most of the year. It gets moved into the house for the winter due to higher electrical draw on a cold motor and all of the condensation that collects when it's run in cold weather.

Change the oil often. I change mine every 200 hours of run time or once per season with the synthetic oil sold by IR. On new compressors, Ingersoll extends the warranty for an additional year if you use their start up oil kit.

Last item to look at is the pressure relief valve. Make sure that the compressor starts and shuts off at the correct pressures. A single stage compressor should shut off at around 125 psi or so. If you attempt getting the rated 135 psi out of it, the compressor life will be shortened.

 

[FMJ]

Compressor is on my Deuce. Sorry about the shop reference, I should have said spare compressor for the truck.

 

[Nonotagain]

Compressor is on my Deuce. Sorry about the shop reference, I should have said spare compressor for the truck.

OK,

How much oil and water are you draining from the air tanks? Are the oil lines that feed the compressor tight and leak free?

If the air tanks aren't oily, I would not be concerned about "some" oil (moist) around the air intake provided that the compressor recovers pressure after a few stabbs of the brake pedal. If the compressor dosen't build pressure, then I would replace it.

Are you running the alcohol injection system?

 

[WillWagner]

FMJ,
Is there oil in the wet tank? There is supposed to be a filter in the little cannister on the intake of the compressor. On some trucks that had the filter on the intake, I heve seen oil spit out if the were no filter installed in the can.

 

[FMJ]

FMJ,
Is there oil in the wet tank? There is supposed to be a filter in the little cannister on the intake of the compressor. On some trucks that had the filter on the intake, I heve seen oil spit out if the were no filter installed in the can.

No, nothing significant, Is it possible for the compressor to fail in a way that pressurizes the crankcase? I swapped out just the "intake cannister" assembly with antoher, and test drove the truck, no oil so far but it seems to only happen after extended driving. I also have a persistant rear main seal leak. I have already replaced the seal with the "good" one from OD, but it still drips alot of oil from the fording plug hole...also the turbo "slobber tube is putting a noticeable amount of oil on the front axle. It almost makes me think the crankcase is getting pressure somehow. It is a 500ish hour motor that runs great.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[m16ty]

You said in your thread title that you had oil comming from your governor. Only way oil can get to the governor is if the compressor is pumping oil. I'd check the tanks for oil.

 

[FMJ]

You said in your thread title that you had oil comming from your governor. Only way oil can get to the governor is if the compressor is pumping oil. I'd check the tanks for oil.

I may have mistaken the small round intake air cannister/filter on the side of the compressor for the governor?

I had Mike fix the title for me!

 

[m16ty]

I may have mistaken the small round intake air cannister/filter on the side of the compressor for the governor?

I had Mike fix the title for me!

Ok . The governor is mounted up on the firewall .

 

[WillWagner]

There is a way to measure the crankcase pressure, the procedure is in one of the manuals, but, I have never found a published spec for it, or, if it is measured with an orificed fitting off of the blow by tube or just comming off of the oil filler/dipstick tube and leave the BB tube open. There are alot of people who ask about this and or state that there is too much blow by comming from the draft tube. The only way to know if there is too much, is to measure it. Yes, an air compressor or a turbo can fail in a manner that pressurizes the crankcase. Let me PM someone that is good at digging up info. Maybe he has some time and can find the spec.

 

[FMJ]

Thanks Will, also, upon further review, I have grey soup coming out of my inner air tank, so it looks like maybe the rings in the compressor are bad?, would also explain the oil from the intake of the compressor?

 

[m16ty]

How much oil are we talking about here? Is it just wet around the intake or is oil running down the block? If it's just a little wet I wouldn't worry too much. I've never seen a air tank without a little oil in it so how much oily water came out? You could take the line off the compressor and run the engine and see how much oil you are getting right out of the compressor.

 

[FMJ]

Update, I changed out compressors. I pulled the head off, and it had all kinds of oil in the top end of the compressor. It was running down the block, all over the IP, and then down onto the winch DS.....

So I swapped it out. Hopefully this will also fix my rear main, and slobber tube problems. I really don't want to take the tranny out again...

 

[gimpyrobb]

Take the one you took off apart and clean it up. The red valves get dust/dirt collected on them and have a habbit of not closing all the way. I taken apart and cleaned up 3 now. They all work much better once I'm done. .02

 

[FMJ]

Take the one you took off apart and clean it up. The red valves get dust/dirt collected on them and have a habbit of not closing all the way. I taken apart and cleaned up 3 now. They all work much better once I'm done. .02

Thanks Gimp!

I need to make a new gasket for the cylinder head, and that swap was a P.I.T.A......