60 gal compressor shipped on it's side, should I buy?

[Josh Reet]

I've got a chance to pick up a used 60 gallon CH/Husky compressor for a good price. But here's the catch...

It sounds like the compressor was shipped across the country a few years ago when the owner moved from the east coast. The issue is that someone set it on it it's side for the trip, and all the oil leaked out. After that it sat in their garage until last week. The owner put some new oil in it when getting ready to sell it. but it hasn't been run since before the move from the east coast.

My worry is about the possibility of oil leaking into the cylinder as discussed here:

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/how-...or-159831.html

Any thoughts?

[mickey cassiba]

Josh,
If it were me, I would pull the head/heads keeping track of the valve plates and gaskets. Take pictures, number the parts, etc. make sure there is no oil in the cylinders. the danger of damage described in your link is real. With the drive belt removed rotate the drive pulley by hand until each piston has come top dead center wiping off any oil found each time they do. When you are satisfied that no more oil can be wiped out, re-assemble the pump and turn it and rotate the pulley by hand a few more times with the safety valve open. If you note strong resistance, or a significant amount of oil comes out of the valve, you need to repeat the first procedures. If not, let it set for a day or so before powering it up. When you turn it on listen carefully as it begins to run. If the motor bogs down, shut it off immediately and go back to the beginning...you may have missed some oil. You shouldn't have any problems. You may get a little oil in the tank, due to leakage into the lines, but it shouldn't be a problem unless you intend to paint with it. If so, you may have to run it for a while with the drain valve open(recommended break in procedure). I rebuilt a lot of DeVillbis compressors during my time with PC/Delta. The above procedure is taken from the shop notes in the repair manuals. C/H compressors are very similar to the DeVillbis machines. In fact some of them have the same pumps...a lot of companies sourced the pumps from an Italian company whose name eludes me at the moment. Good luck and let us know how it works out.

[Mike Goetzke]

I would have the seller fire it up. If it has enough oil in the cylinder(s) to hydraulic than it's his problem. If everything checks out fine I would get a cheap hose and cycle the thing a few times draining air from the hose and bleeding the tank completely.

Good Luck,

Mike

[Josh Reet]

I would have the seller fire it up. If it has enough oil in the cylinder(s) to hydraulic than it's his problem. If everything checks out fine I would get a cheap hose and cycle the thing a few times draining air from the hose and bleeding the tank completely.

Good Luck,

Mike

Sadly, that's not an option, at least at the seller's house. There's no 220 and the compressor is being sold by his widow. She does understand that it's been sitting and wants to make sure that it works before getting paid, enough so that I'm going to take it to my shop and run it there before I pay her.

The issue is more that I don't want to cause any damage when firing it up. She's a nice gal and the price is good, so I'd like to see if I can make this work out (and still end up with a compressor that works).

[Josh Reet]

Josh,
If it were me, I would pull the head/heads keeping track of the valve plates and gaskets. Take pictures, number the parts, etc. make sure there is no oil in the cylinders. the danger of damage described in your link is real. With the drive belt removed rotate the drive pulley by hand until each piston has come top dead center wiping off any oil found each time they do. When you are satisfied that no more oil can be wiped out, re-assemble the pump and turn it and rotate the pulley by hand a few more times with the safety valve open. If you note strong resistance, or a significant amount of oil comes out of the valve, you need to repeat the first procedures. If not, let it set for a day or so before powering it up. When you turn it on listen carefully as it begins to run. If the motor bogs down, shut it off immediately and go back to the beginning...you may have missed some oil. You shouldn't have any problems. You may get a little oil in the tank, due to leakage into the lines, but it shouldn't be a problem unless you intend to paint with it. If so, you may have to run it for a while with the drain valve open(recommended break in procedure). I rebuilt a lot of DeVillbis compressors during my time with PC/Delta. The above procedure is taken from the shop notes in the repair manuals. C/H compressors are very similar to the DeVillbis machines. In fact some of them have the same pumps...a lot of companies sourced the pumps from an Italian company whose name eludes me at the moment. Good luck and let us know how it works out.

I'm guessing that this is probably what I'm going to have to do with it. Thanks Mickey.

[Mike Goetzke]

Sadly, that's not an option, at least at the seller's house. There's no 220 and the compressor is being sold by his widow. She does understand that it's been sitting and wants to make sure that it works before getting paid, enough so that I'm going to take it to my shop and run it there before I pay her.

The issue is more that I don't want to cause any damage when firing it up. She's a nice gal and the price is good, so I'd like to see if I can make this work out (and still end up with a compressor that works).

I have an IR 60 gal. two stage and if you have no restriction on the system you will be able to turn the pump by hand.

[Chris Fournier]

No biggie, turn it by hand as has been suggested. If the price is right a bit of work on your part is well worth it but oil in the cylinders is by no means the kiss of death for this machine. Let us know how it all turns out!

[mickey cassiba]

I'm guessing that this is probably what I'm going to have to do with it. Thanks Mickey.

Happy to help...hope it works out. More air is definitely better

[Josh Reet]

I have an IR 60 gal. two stage and if you have no restriction on the system you will be able to turn the pump by hand.

Mike,

I'm a little confused by that statement. Are you saying "if you can turn the pump successfully, that means there isn't any oil in the cylinder"? Or am I misunderstanding?

[Chris Fournier]

No its not to say that there isn't any oil in the cylinder but it does indicate that theres not enough to cause damage via hydrualic locking. I brought a 2 stage 80 gallon compressor home on its side because it was (surprise to me at the time) too tall to fit upright in my cargo trailer. No problems.

[Josh Reet]

No its not to say that there isn't any oil in the cylinder but it does indicate that theres not enough to cause damage via hydrualic locking. I brought a 2 stage 80 gallon compressor home on its side because it was (surprise to me at the time) too tall to fit upright in my cargo trailer. No problems.

So, let's see if I am understanding this correctly. If I can turn the pump by hand, then there isn't enough (or perhaps any) oil in the cylinder to cause damage issues when running. But there still might be enough oil in there to get into the air and contaminate, for example, a spray gun (though I won't be painting with it any time soon).

So if I try to hand turn it and can't (or feel serious resistance and/or see oil coming out the check valve), I should start from the beginning of Mikey's instructions. If I can hand turn easily, I can skip the disassembly, run it and listen for bogging. Then do some break-in type routines to make try and get any little amount of oil that might be in the system.

[Neil Bosdet]

I brought an 80 gallon home on it's side without any problems too. But I drained the oil first and replaced with new when I got it set up in my shop.

[mickey cassiba]

So, let's see if I am understanding this correctly. If I can turn the pump by hand, then there isn't enough (or perhaps any) oil in the cylinder to cause damage issues when running. But there still might be enough oil in there to get into the air and contaminate, for example, a spray gun (though I won't be painting with it any time soon).

So if I try to hand turn it and can't (or feel serious resistance and/or see oil coming out the check valve), I should start from the beginning of Mikey's instructions. If I can hand turn easily, I can skip the disassembly, run it and listen for bogging. Then do some break-in type routines to make try and get any little amount of oil that might be in the system.

Sounds like you have it, I have to add that dis-assembly was mandatory for us, liability issues. Probably should have mentioned that(It was a pre-coffee post)

[Chris Fournier]

Unless you are using an oiless compressor you will always have oil in the lines, this is why you need to put a filter in line before the regulator to remove oil and water.

Admittedly Neil has proven himself to be smarter than me! In my defense the guy that I bought the compressor from had a tool kit on site that was pretty much comprised of a rusty spoon and a soggy roll of masking tape. My fault for not taking an open trailer and having to lay the beast down. Thankfully my shop has open steel roof trusses so righting the thing wasn't beyond my one man moving crew.

[ray hampton]

will you be able to turn the pulley by hand if it got compressed air in the cylinder