Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 21, 2006 03:42am | #1

   I'd toss it 'twere it me, but then I actually believe that a poorly-maintained compressor can blow up, LOL!!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   ctsjr | Oct 21, 2006 03:48am | #2

   FG

   Me too!  Me thinks I'm too chicken to risk trying it.  The compressor had been sitting for three years, so there's no telling how much the interior had deteriorated.  Cheap tool that seems to be disposable.  Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 21, 2006 06:41pm | #3

   Don't know 'bout your area, but here around Seattle, we can recycle such things for free.  Just dump in the bin at the transfer station.  Let it live again as a rare piece of metal in a new car, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   ctsjr | Oct 22, 2006 12:24am | #4

   Would that we could.  The left coast is light years ahead of Texas (save the Austin area) as far as conservation/recycling/being green is concerned.  I'll set it out with the trash on Monday, and some guy always comes around picking up other peoples trash to make treasure.  He'll proabably pick it up.  Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"

1. 
   gym | Oct 22, 2006 09:32pm | #8

   That left coast you were referring to in your note--is that when you are facing north or south?

   Gym

2. 
   Mike&L | Oct 23, 2006 03:28am | #9

   That would be the Republic of California.  Left-ish in all things, coastal and otherwise (left because, on the map, the North Pole is UP).  Being a retired Californian, I know that we all aren't pinko commies (that delightfully old fashioned term), but our politics and sense of social entitlement (pitue!) do stretch the envelope.

   Sorry to push this to the cafe'.  :) 

   Mike D 

3. 
   PADDYDAHAT | Oct 23, 2006 05:04am | #10

   Mike, don't hurt youself carrying that burden. We all still love ya.  I have a good Eyetalian friend that we moved from the NYC office to El Segundo Ca. and in ten years he has not had a good piece of Genoa salami, a decent Kinish or a good slice of pizza. That's the price you pay to live in the land of sun, fruits & nuts. Enjoy, Pat

2. 
   BruceS | Oct 22, 2006 03:24am | #5

   I would be tempted to work on it a little before condeming it to death. I would leave the tank drain open.  Spray the air inlet with a good shot of PB Blaster or WD-40 and tip the unit so the solvent can work its way into the cylinder head and valves and let it set for a few days and then try to run it with the tank valve still open.  If it starts running, let it run 5- 10 minutes to blow out any cxxp.  If there arn't any big chunks of scale and the valve will seal.  Then close the valve and pressureize the tank and stand well back to see it it will hold.  The most that will probably happen is that it may develop a pin hole leak.   If it holds you have a nice little compressor for tires, brad nailers etc.  The Unit is probably of DeVilbiss mfg.  and not a bad unit at all.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

1. 
   ctsjr | Oct 22, 2006 04:22am | #6

   Thanks.  I am still puzzled why it "ran" but didn't build pressure and didn't sound like it was running.  It was drawing power, because when I switched it on, my vent fan dropped rpms.  Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"

1. 
   BruceS | Oct 22, 2006 05:20am | #7

   My guess would be that the piston is seized enough to overcome the power of the motor to move it.  It drew power yes,  in a locked rotor state.  Thats what caused a voltage drop and the fan motor to slow in speed.   Let the PB Blaster or WD 40 do its Job and try the compressor in a few days.   It should free up and run if you didn't cook the motor while it was in locked rotor state too long.   If you feel real ambitious you could pull the cylinder head and lightly tap the piston with a rubber mallet.   New cylinder sleaves and pistons are available for those oilless compressors.   But still continue on the conservative side to see if it works.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

   Edited 10/21/2006 10:22 pm ET by BruceS

3. 
   CStanford | Oct 23, 2006 06:15pm | #11

   I don't like the notion of owning a used compressor unless it was clearly maintained very well.

   Junk it. 

4. 
   RickL | Oct 23, 2006 09:42pm | #12

   "I plugged the compressor in, but nothing happened--the pump did not come on, no pressure built, it just hummed very low and pulled power."

   From your description it sounds like the start capacitor is shot. Unless the motor is totally gone it's most certainly worth a fix.