The Rodding Roundtable
Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: GPster on November 15, 2005, 11:49:17 AM
My neighbor is just trying to keep something going. He has a used Devilbis compressor on a probably 80 gallon horizontal tank. It's old, probably over 40 years and had been used for years on a gas-powered industrial painting rigg but is now hooked up to a 1 1/2hp electric motor and runs to 150# and is use mostly to power his in-the-floor single cylinder lift. Over the years the crankcase oil has taken on water (which of course he didn't see checking the dipstick for level) but now it's hammering very badly and he'd like not to have to spend very much money to keep him where he is. Unfortunately we can only identify this thing by pictures as nothing was stamped into the "Model" on the tag, it's a 2 cylinder Devilbis with a serial number 141807. On look at the computor made me realize that I needed to try and help him some other way. If he can't find a way to fix it, it would be easier to find an old pump if anyone's got one around. GPster
A picture would help. How many HP? there are generally shops that rebuild compressors in most fair size towns, they may have the parts he needs.
Joe, if he hasn't already done so, have him drain and flush the crankcase (I use kerosene) and put in fresh compressor oil, not motor oil.
We have a WWII vintage Kellogg compressor that starts making noise when it wants its oil changed. ...That seems to quiet it down for awhile.
If that doesn't work for your neighbor, open up the crankcase and have a look. ....Loose rod cap? ....Worn crankshaft bearings?
Once you know where the problem is, you will know which parts he needs to find, or if you are wasting your time because it's shot.
Oh good, someone other than the king read my question. I ran down and told him about the oil. He had put Non-detergent motor oil in it because the tag on it just said SAE 30. He called and found some Wolfs Head 30 Wt compressor oil in town and tomorrow he'll try the kerosene flush and changing it . He happened on a Kellog compressor to day out of a service station that has had the motor changed on it and the date stamp on the tank is 1964. He may have to go with it but it's an upright unit and it would require placing it somewhere else with re-piping and revamping the electric. I did take some pictures of it today. We still haven't been able to nail down a model number but the only place we have seen one close was in the ones that are made for gas engine power. It supposedly has special valves in the head to un-load the drive motor rather than pumping til it blows up. Unfortunately when talking to someone that is a Devilbis dealer he can look it up on the microfish (?) and tell you what parts he can get if you give him a Model Number but this community doesn't seem to have anyone that rebuilds these things. I keep getting smarter as these things go on. The list of people that I can expect intelegent answers from is growing. GPster