Another Compressor Question

Dan Mosley

Member
Messages
1,169
Location
Palm Springs, Ca
Today i took the heads off both cylinders and cleaned them up well and the valves that look like feeler gauges (small thin pc's of metal - 5 on top of the plate and 5 under on each side). They were caked with Carbon and junk and i got them very clean.
There are 2 little bolts that go thru from top to bottom on each plate (sets between the head and cylinder) that hold the valve plates in place and i did not remove them because i saw on one side that the head of one of the bolts was broken. I removed the head of the bolt with my fingers but the other bolt seems to be holding the plate with the valves under it in place very strongly. So i finished up both sides and put new gaskets on and turned it on.
I plugged it in and it ran beautifully and very quiet. Now the problem is the gauge will not read past 53psi. After 20 min or so of running quietly and not seeing anyother problems the gauge still says 53. I turned it off and drained all the air out thru the drain line and plugged it back in - same problem - builds up to 53 and runs nice but will not "Show" any higher pressure reading. I shut it off and left it for awhile and came back out - there is no air leak and still showed 53 - turned it back on for 15 mins longer and still will run nicely but remains at 53.

Ahhhhhhhh Anybody have any suggestions ???


Thanks Dan
 
Well Dan, Good to see you got it apart and back together without major problems.

Those "reed" valves need to be correct, or you will not get full pressure build.
After you finished cleaning and reassembling, were they all flat against their seats? Was there any warpage or distortion in the length or face of the reed?

Without seeing what you had there, it's a little hard to give much advice. Have to say, you may have to tear into it again.

Tell me if I hit on anything. I'll try to help more.

I tried looking for info on that model from I-R, but never found much.

Aloha, Tony
 
Dan, if anything seemed funky with the reed valves, you might be time and money ahead to drop a rebuild kit (or a few select replacement parts) into the pump. One of the nice things about I-R compressors is the fact that parts are available. I did a quick Google search for "Ingersol Rand" +rebuild and here's the first company I looked at:

http://www.aircompeq.com/ir30kit-b.html

A bit more digging found this listing of individual parts:

http://www.ecompressedair.com/aircompressorparts/ingersollrand_type30_kits.shtml

I have no idea if these places are reputable or have good prices, but it looks like parts should be pretty easy to find.

On the other hand, when the guy you bought it from ran it, did it show anything higher than 53 psi? Also, is there any possibility the pressure relief valve is faulty? I wonder if it's letting pressure off early, then closing at 53 psi. :dunno:

For the price you paid for that compressor, I think you're still gonna have a great deal on your hands when all is said and done. :thumb:
 
I think two things. One bolt was tight, the other finger loose. Which is correct? In the rebuild they probably have a torque. Search online and see if you can find it. Also, second thing, wondering if any of that "gunk" or oil went past and is in the pressure relief valve. Just wondering out loud. Hey, this way when all is said and done, you will know this compressor intimately and will not be afraid to tear into it if it ever needs it again. This is how you look so wise in your old age, when your grandson or nephew has it in his shop and you are dottering around, he says something about it and you don't mention any of the past problem but start telling him what it looks like on the inside and right off the top of your head tell him how to fix his problem! :eek:
 
Tony-Vaughn-John

Thank you for the information and where to get parts and kits for the rebuild.




Comments/Concerns/Questions:
-----At his shop it ran fine and climbed well above 53

----- The cylinder on the left is the one where the bolt head came off when i touched it- broke with threaded pc of the bolt still in hole but remained very secure with the second bolt holding the valves down.

-----I agree that i purchased it cheap enough to where i dont mind buying the rebuild kit or parts but im not sure which parts to buy. I dont even mind replacing alot of the parts just to make sure im going to have it fixed. Any ideas on what i should buy even to be on the safe side ??
I can work on it fine - I just dont know much about what part/parts i should replace

-----I see on the websites Vaughn posted that i can get the parts easy enough (Ingersoll Rand T=30, model-2340 (32261117) (s/n-957600) and i may be better off replacing that one plate on the top left that the bolt broke in - especially if i have to worry about torquing it down (I dont have any torque tools anyway). However there are plenty of parts.
There is no shop around me that can help anyway and after looking the closest shop would be hrs away and i wouldnt want to have to transport it back and forth so thats why i dont mind replacing parts.

Well if you have suggestions on what to replace even if more than what i may need let me know...........Thanks alot for your responses and the help


PS - Im going to take the heads off of both sides and take pictures so i can show what the plates and valves look like and ill post them today as soon as i get both off
 
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Dan,

You might try calling I-R on Monday. They probably have a technical group who might give you some advice.

Companies who produce good products like I-R compressors are often great about helping the consumer too.
 
I replied to your pm lat night but you may not of received it. My internet connection keeps on going down.

I can only see one gauge on the compressor on all the pics you posted before. Its a dumb question but did you try and increase the pressure by adjusting the knob on the regulator?
Its also possible that the gauge has been fouled by the oil. Try a new gauge.
It still sounds like a regulation problem to me. The only other problem you would have with the reeds is if you reinstalled them backwards or upside down.
 
Ok i may have found the problem but not sure so ill seek your advice again here.......

Pictures 1 & 2 show the left side taken down - I noticed that the gasket was not placed correctly (the "U" shape in the middle was put in facing the wrong way). Can anyone tell me which way the plate and cylinder go togther ? when the plate goes down on the cylinder which part faces which way ? In looking at the cylinder one side is U shaped and smooth and the other side is saw pattern looking - which part of the plate (valves on on side and holes on the other) goes over what on the head ?

Pictures 3-8 are the right side taken down - same questions ?
When i took it off it was on this way (see pic 6) where the areas marked right side were placed ontop one another which i think is probably wrong------------

So it maybe that between putting in the gasket wrong (opposite way) and i may have possibly not put these plates and valves back in correctly - it may be what has caused the problems ( meaning i caused them LOL dang)

Thanks to all that can help me
 

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New Check Valve v. Old Check Valve

Im calling US Equipment tomm i think they may have sent the wrong check valve...................sent them a picture of the old one and the tech guy got some measurements from me and told me this was the correct valve for sure. I rec'd it today but i think he may be wrong or im not seeing something correctly so ill find out tomm
 

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