Best oil to use in a shop compressor???

[Brutpwr]

Rod knocking getting real bad on our shop air compressor so my boss wants me to go get the best air compressor and get it installed before it throws the rod thru the case... It's Saturday today so I check on Home Depot and Sears. My buddy just bought one on sale at Sears and it seems to be doing good the last week we've abused it setting up our desert truck for possible CORR 2 class racing. So we get the compressor thats on sale til today for $479.99 and buy the 5 year warrantee for $139.99. The instuction say to only use compressor oil
20 weight (10 weight in cold climates) as regular engine oil will leave deposits. So we go to Sears and pick up two pints for $4.99 each. The bottles have the same SJ, SH, CG-4, CF, and CD as many of the oils we sell here. Is the compressor oil very much different than regular car oil seeing as the API service rating are similar to most car oils? I have used both compresor oils and engine oils including synthetics in my compressors over the years. We even used some Lucas oil stabilizer in the rod knocking compressor and that almost eliminated the knock until today.

Jason :)

[PAToyota]

Compressor oils are non-detergent for one thing.

[Kartracer55]

Yes compressor oils are VERY different from Motor oils. If your in for a semi long read Check this out...
http://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70&highlight=compressor+oil

also explore that site, there are a few threads on compressor oil.

Jim

[hornett22]

amsoil makes a compressor oil.i like it in my snap on compressor.if you have an aluminum cylinder housing it will quiet it down quite a bit.my is cast iron so i noticed no difference.seems to run cooler though.

[Kartracer55]

amsoil makes a compressor oil.i like it in my snap on compressor.if you have an aluminum cylinder housing it will quiet it down quite a bit.my is cast iron so i noticed no difference.seems to run cooler though.


IDK how much it will quiet down a compressor, however, amsoil does make good stuff. I would consider purchasing the Ingersoll Rand branded stuff, because thats the only oil IR tells you to run if you want them to honor the warantee. An oil by Mobile 1 is what Eaton recommends, I can look up the Mobile1 number if youd like, but I have a feeling it will just be labled "compressor oil." If you got the compressor from Sears, chances are It does have an aluminum cylinder, and possible a cast iron sleeve, but I wouldnt count on the oil quieting it down.

Jim

[Brutpwr]

Ok I can believe they may be desireable to be non detergent but I always thought that non detergent oils were only SA rated and not SG SH! At least that was how they were rated back in the days when my engine guy insisted I break in engines on non-detergent oils... We are an Amsoil dealer so I'll have to check that tip out. Going to check that link out now...

Thanks,
Jason :)

[PAToyota]

Back in the day, the detergent oils weren't SG or SH either (depending on how far back "back in the day" was..." :)

[86turbodsl]

You bought a $479 Sears compressor for a commercial shop???? WTH??

Why not a good low speed two stage commercial job like a Gardner Denver, IR,
Curtis, or Quincy???

[hornett22]

IDK how much it will quiet down a compressor, however, amsoil does make good stuff. I would consider purchasing the Ingersoll Rand branded stuff, because thats the only oil IR tells you to run if you want them to honor the warantee. An oil by Mobile 1 is what Eaton recommends, I can look up the Mobile1 number if youd like, but I have a feeling it will just be labled "compressor oil." If you got the compressor from Sears, chances are It does have an aluminum cylinder, and possible a cast iron sleeve, but I wouldnt count on the oil quieting it down.

Jim
my buddy had a craftman with an aluminum pump case and it DID quiet it down quite a bit.i have a snap on and i didn't notice any difference.fins seem cooler though

[Brutpwr]

Well we needed one in a pinch as I don't think the one we had would have made it thru the day (Saturday). If it went down we would have lost an hour or two of labor until we could get a temporary compressor from home etc. Summit had gotten us an estimate where it was cheaper to replace than to fix and that was $1400. We did buy the 5 year warrantee so if it lasts that long we will be happy. It does seem to run quite very hot--it is an oil style but only holds about 15 oz of oil. Our old Summit compressor is over 20 years old and holds almost 1 1/2 courts or about 45 oz and was a dual stage unit with a bunch more cooling fin area. Even the dual stage crossover pipe has some substantial cooling fins. Also we have this same unit at a buddies house and we like how quiet it runs. Its probably 1/3 the noise!

Jason :)

[PTSchram]

You bought a $479 Sears compressor for a commercial shop???? WTH??


It's called economics! In order to remain in business, one must put his $ where they do the most good.

I used a 20 gallon, five horsepower Craftsman compressor for four years providing shop air to analytical instrumentation in a lab I used to own. When I opened the shop I now run, the compressor moved with me. With regular oil changes and drainings of the tank, I was able to use this compressor until last month. The compressor was purchased in 1987, put in the back of my falling-down garage until 2001. The motor finally failed on me last month. Sears wanted almost $300 for the motor. Given the use it got and the less-than-perfect stoarge conditions, I think I got my money's worth.

To replace the Sears compressor, I got a seven horsepower, 60 gallon compressor from Home Depot for $429. The $1000 I saved can now go to mortgage payments.

The larger tank and bigger compressor have already proven to be more efficient than the Sears resulting in additional savings on power consumption. I've added an automatic tank drain setup and expect this compressor to last at least as long as the warranty.

I dont' need the bling (just look at my trail rig!:flipoff2:)

PT

[Kartracer55]

That wasnt a 7hp ypou got...

Its also made by campbell housfeld, so id use thier oil.

Jim

[PTSchram]

That wasnt a 7hp ypou got...

Its also made by campbell housfeld, so id use thier oil.

Jim

OK, it's advertised as a seven horsepower. As for oil, they recommend Mobil 1.

Can't be any worse than the Sears that was probably made by C-H as well and lasted near 20 years with poor operating conditions. It was only $1200 less than an IR.

[rocknbronco]

It's called economics!
It very true that why my broncos are down.

[Brutpwr]

We went with the Sears unit over the Home Depot unit as the Sears had a higher psi cutoff at 150 psi whereas the Home Depot went to 120 psi. I like the extra psi as it helpful for seating tires on the rims etc. Our old compressor would go to 175 but we turned it down to 150 psi to let it live a bit longer. I found the Work Order that the Summit tech wrote up today and it said it needed a flywheel side bearing and that the crank was walking 1/4 inch and had probably worn the case away thus the high replacement cost. I had thought it was a rod knock from wear as this is what it sounded like.

Jason :)

[Munchies]

mine recommended full syn mobile 1

[Brutpwr]

Update on the Sears "Professional" series compressor. One of the guys in the shop I hear was using an air grinder for about an hour so the compressor was on for nearly the whole time. It got hot and started spitting oil into the air line! They let it cool down and topped it off with some extra Sears compressor oil I had bought. This thing is not even 3 month old...I need to change out the overheated oil tommorrow and buy these guys an electric grinder! I also think I'm going to mount a big fan above the compressor so it can be air cooled when its in hard use...not ready to use the 5 year extended warrantee just yet!

Jason :)

[Brutpwr]

Compressor update...has serious blowby problem now! About 3 months old. Will Sears exchange unit or do they repair them? We have the extended warrantee if it makes any difference.

Jason

[Brandon]

not exactly related but how often are people changing oil? I have new oil but haven't changed it since I bought my compressor - it's been 3 years or so..

[steveh]

I've only changed mine when I had to move Interstate, and it had to be empty to go on the moving van. It's an old cheap CH 20 gal unit, hitting 20 years of service this year. I just buy whatever compressor oil is easily available, nothing special.

I would consider adding an hour meter that runs with the motor on a commercially used unit, and then change the oil at whatever hours the compressor manufacturer recommends.

[86turbodsl]

<rolls eyes> Sounds to me like you need an actual industrial compressor. Even the Sears PRO series is not meant to run grinders for hours. Have you looked into a reman pump for your old unit? It sounds like it was a good one if it ran to 175psi. Or look at used units. I bought a 10HP 3PH 120Gal tank compressor a couple years ago for $150. It was cheap because it was so big. You will be swapping that Sears out several times in your 5 year warranty, and when it's done, you will still have to buy a new one.

[Brandon]

I've only changed mine when I had to move Interstate, and it had to be empty to go on the moving van. It's an old cheap CH 20 gal unit, hitting 20 years of service this year. I just buy whatever compressor oil is easily available, nothing special.

I would consider adding an hour meter that runs with the motor on a commercially used unit, and then change the oil at whatever hours the compressor manufacturer recommends.


I'll have to find one of those, the maintenance specs are on my compressor and it is like every 3 months but I don't use it full time so it is hard to compare.

[Brutpwr]

Unit smokes out the intake? When pumping up and then when it shuts off a big cloud of smoke pours out! We bought this because we needed it on a Saturday-a busy day for us and none of the commercial places were open or would be closed by the time we got there... We have the same compressor at my buddies home and it has worked flawlessly and is fairly quiet too! I will get the Amsoil synthetic oil and install a fan above the head to keep it cooler. We only use this for motorcycle tire mounting so it should not have had a problem! We have only used two other compressors besides this one and this business has been open since 1971! The original one still worked but we got the bigger unit and used that for years until it started to knock. That one still works rod knock and all!

Jason :)

[PAToyota]

I'll have to find one of those, the maintenance specs are on my compressor and it is like every 3 months but I don't use it full time so it is hard to compare.

The other thing to consider when it is not used much is moisture. I replace mine each fall so that I don't have any moisture freezing up over the winter when I'm not using it so much. Of course, CA is a little different than PA in that respect! :)

[Brandon]

well it is used weekly but not all day - just in the evening a bit here and there. It's just that it has a peek hole and that oil is so darn clean but I guess that doesn't really mean it hasn't broken down. I just need to get around to doing it ;)

[steveh]

My use mirrors yours Brandon. Mine looks clean as the day i poured it in 5 years ago ... LOL!!!

It's not like crankcase oil, where combustion gases and gasoline vapor are present. As far as moisture. It runs long and hard when I use it, sorta the equiv to driving on the freeway, so it does evaporate from the heat.

I would be interesting to have it tested at a lab, but not really worth it IMO.

[Brutpwr]

On hold with Sears now...turns out after 90 days they repair the unit. Just missed the 90 days by 2 days now!

Jason

[Brutpwr]

Sears repair guy was just here...he did not have any parts to fix the unit but ordered me a bunch of parts + extras so I can fix this myself as needed. They will send them to the house and I can install them myself or call him back to come in and install them! Well see if it still blows smoke afterwards...now I just need to figure out how long it will take to get all the oil out of the tank. Can't imagine it will ever all come out!

Jason :)

[MuddMachine]

One of the guys in the shop I hear was using an air grinder for about an hour so the compressor was on for nearly the whole time.


:shaking: :shaking: :shaking:

Good help is hard to find!

[Brutpwr]

Still waiting for parts. We just blew up another employees compressor he brought in from home. One of those no oil jobs. Anyone need a super noisy compressor that only pumps up to 30 PSI!

Jason :)

[SHERPA]

sounds like the sears compressor is a real POS. which would likely include
most offerings from: home depot, lowes, harbor freight, etc.\

you should have bought a commercial-rated unit from KC Compressor, or
Summit........ oh well, looks like you'll get another chance soon. the sears
compressor just won't live in a commercial setting......

PS: you think your guy killed it with a air-grinder-? try running a sand
blaster.........hehe..

--Sherpa

[Brutpwr]

Still waiting for parts... I know its not a commercial compressor but come-on it is dual stage and it does say "Professional" on the front. I have two Sears compressors from the early 80's and they still run perfect and they have been abused with sand blasters--even had to gang them together to keep up with the air flow demand. This thing does not even have 25 hrs of on time I would think!

Jason :)

[PAToyota]

Bet your really glad that you went the cheap route, aren't you? :flipoff2:

[Brutpwr]

Hey we got the parts in so I put them in myself rather than wait a week for the repair guy to come by. So it turns out we maybe just needed these new reed valve looking things which I replaced--basically intake and exhaust valves. We don't smoke anymore but there was a ton of oil on top of the pistons so I figured we'd still have the oil problem but it seems good now. Now we just need to get the oil out of the tank. There is a ton of it in there cause the air that comes out of the hose spells of oil vapor! So we can't use this for painting thats for sure!

Jason :)

[tennessee rockhumper]

FYI, my old craftsman pro is made by "Devilbis" it says it stamped on the on the side of the tank. they just painted heavily over the top of it. i noticed it one day, got bored and sanded it down to read it.

my new husky brand tank (by home depot) has a "campbell hausfield" stamped and painted over the same way

[Brutpwr]

Yep...this one is a DeVilbliss (sp?). Parts bags say right on the tag--DeVilbliss...

Jason :)

[ZJSAMPLE]

With that Sears extended warranty if it is used in a commercial environment the technician has the right to cancel it.

[Brutpwr]

Yes they can do that! But this is registered at my buddies house so we brought it there! The guy liked our cars and trucks and hooked us up with all kinds of extra spare parts for the compressor! We've been draining the tank daily since rebuilding it and there is still oil coming out of the tank...wish we could flush/rinse this out easily.

Jason :)