Gixxus Christ! Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Ok, I have an old Campbell hausfield compressor I've been using in my garage for years. Last winter I decided to change the oil. I drained it and replaced with 30 wt motor oil, at the time that's all I had. After that, it puked a lot of oil out of a breather. Since then, when cold it starts right up but once it shuts itself off and the pressure drops enough to kick it on, the pump won't turn over, the belt doesn't slip, it stalls the motor and eventually throws the breaker. I can get it to start by manually turning the driven pully backwards to give the motor more of a running start at the compression stroke, otherwise it doesn't run. Tried draining the oil and replacing with actual compressor oil yesterday, no change. Thought maybe too much oil, so I drained it in increments and tried to start it. Nothing. Let out all the oil and still no start. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alansz400 Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Sounds like you have to much head pressure and the unloader is not letting the pressure off the head. That's the little burst of air you hear or should hear when the motor shuts off. It is part of the pressure switch. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Un loader valve, check valve or start capacitor. Would be the things I'd check. If its a small one it might not have all of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Sounds more like a bad start capacitor on the motor to me. If the end caps on the capacitor are bulging slightly, that's a pretty good sign. Not that expensive to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Well ill look at the cap first. Also need to figure out what valve I need if that's the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alansz400 Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 I have one that does this after its hot but it's only if it's plugged into the wrong wrong extension cord or a weak outlet. My bet is the capacitor or relief valve. Considering your power cord and power supply are solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Held the relief valve down by hand and it still stalls. Capacitor shows no sign of bulging. Thinking maybe check valve....or maybe new compressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 28 minutes ago, CrazySkullCrusher said: Held the relief valve down by hand and it still stalls. Capacitor shows no sign of bulging. Thinking maybe check valve....or maybe new compressor. No bulge necessary to be bad. Jakes got access to a capacitor checker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 54 minutes ago, Gump said: No bulge necessary to be bad. Jakes got access to a capacitor checker. Ok. Kid kinda owes me anyway.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 I think it's the check valve, I can hear air gurgling from the oil cup on the shaft. I've decided to just get a new one, this one is old and busted up and I've been pulling good money into the shop lately. It's between a craftsman 33 gal 165 psi unit and a husky with the same general stats. And suggestions? My budget is $300 or thereabouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Only thing I can recommend is if you can afford it, go bigger. Never thought I'd ever need a big air compressor but since my late father in law gave me his big ass 80 gallon 2 stage work horse I find new uses for it all the time. Not saying you need that big just saying you can never go too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 You've been in my garage. Space is an issue. Both of these flow over 5scfm at 90psi and that's really all I need to run grinders and impacts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alansz400 Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 (edited) I can't stand to listen to those oil free compressors run and after owning a real compressor I will never go back. I also wouldn't pay for the Craftsman name when all of them are built in China anyways. I don't know anything about this unit but it might be worth a look. http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/air-compressors/29-gal-2-hp-150-psi-cast-iron-vertical-air-compressor-61489.html A few years ago when all I had to work out of was a 10x20 shed I built a shelf inside the shed to hold my compressor and put a 100 gal. tank outside. The 100 gal. tank is in the garage now with a shelf over top of it. Compressor fills the tank to 120lb regulator set at 90lbs and I have plenty of air before the the compressor has to run. Edited April 25, 2016 by alansz400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 My old man has had one of the smaller HF oil filled compressors in his tractor shed for a couple years and has had no problems with it. He uses it frequently to blow out his mower deck after every mow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 This one is only 4.7@90 but if you want to go super cheap. It's the same one my old man has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 After reading the reviews on the HF compressors I won't buy one. Initially I was going to but it seems like they're just so cheaply made that it's not worth the savings. Maybe your old man got a good one. Idk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 I don't blame you. If I needed a good primary unit I wouldn't get one either. But as a secondary or one to keep in the house I might. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 I don't think much of HF anything is for someone doing as much work as you do Sam. Their stuff is great for us DIY'ers for the most part, but I don't see it holding up long enough as you would use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Their sockets are actually ok if you get the Pittsburgh pro stuff, and I've used their pullers and stuff like that with good results. In fact a lot of my tools are HF. Certain things aren't tho, like impact wrench, air hammer, ratchet handles etc... Just gotta know what to buy from them and what to get from someplace decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 I must be over compensating for something[emoji38] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 90 psi is for airing up tires. I NEED 150 psi for my air tools to function properly. Then again, what I need it for is a little different. One of these days, I'l get a compressor for at home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Just now, jporter12 said: 90 psi is for airing up tires. I NEED 150 psi for my air tools to function properly. This. No point in having a 1300 ft lb snap on impact if your compressor can't run it. Hence the 165 PSI and 5 scfm requirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Just now, CrazySkullCrusher said: This. No point in having a 1300 ft lb snap on impact if your compressor can't run it. Hence the 165 PSI and 5 scfm requirement. Exactly. Except, I'm not a fan of Snap-on's air impacts. IR all the way! (This is the technician's version of the oil, or tires threads) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 I use what I can afford, hence my $40 craftsman pro 1/2 (850ft lb) flea market find and my little husky 3/8 that was given to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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