Re: Any air compressor experts around?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: treebasher</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sean the Nailer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ok, here's how I'm seeing it. The problem is in the compressor itself.
The pressure switch is just that, a fancy on/off switch. It is adjustable, but all it does is turn the motor on or off.
Obviously, it is running. Second obviously, the head/block gets hot.
There's an air leak somewhere, either internal or external. Have you sprayed around any of the joints with soapy water, to see if any air is leaking out of a bad joint? (I'm guessing not, but also guessing that there's no leaks.) Here's why:
As stated previously, I'm thinking that it's a valve issue in your compressor. Sounds to me like a valve isn't closing properly, and you have air "by-passing" where it isn't supposed to be.
So instead of air being moved from one chamber to another, (and thereby filling the tank with higher and higher pressure) all that is happening is the air is leaking back into the chamber it was just "pushed out of" by the cylinder.
That continuous "backing-and-forthing" is going to cause a lot of heat just in itself, as well as there isn't any 'fresh' air to cool the components. As that is an air cooled device, by design.
As suggested by others, put the cover back on the pressure switch, and focus more on the head.
If you want to give me a call, PM me, and I'll help you out as best as I can.
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Listen to this advice. You are most likely dealing with a broken reed valve. Easy to replace and check.
The other thing to add to your diagnostics list is the unloading valve. This valve bleeds off pressure during start-up until the compressor reaches full speed in order to reduce load on the motor. If it is hanging open you will never be able to build pressure and quite possibly generate excessive heat in the cylinder head.
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Yep, any of the above is likely.....but, it could also be busted rings in one/both of the cylinders. Compression rings, very similar if not identical to the cylinder/piston/rings in a vehicle engine. It was stated only 3 hours run time, so broken rings are unlikely, but definately possible. If any of that's the case though, the block is probably junk due to scoring on the cylinder walls. It could be honed if not too bad, or bored if bad...machine shop, rings, new piston, etc,,,expensive. Could also be a cracked piston top. Wondering what I would find if I changed the oil in it.
Were it me, I would make IR foot this bill.........
