Builds Work In Progress aka: Badass (28 Viewers)

[roadstr6]

It looks like a PO has added a regulator onto the end of the tank. Normally you'd have the adjustable regulator up top where by where your other gauge is located. The reason it's not there is most likely because of possible interference with the spinning belt. Doesn't matter. What you have is perfectly acceptable. The good thing with having it this way is that you have two places that you can connect an air hose...either up top or down on the end at the regulator. The regulator will control the air output at whatever pressure you decide to set it. Need 120 psi? Tighten the T handle and watch the needle go up. Let's say that you are running a spray gun and it needs to run at no more than 20 psi...loosen the T handle and you have a regulated 20psi at the hose. The gauge on top if the unit is your actual tank pressure. The gauge on your regulator is your regulated pressure. If you unplug compressor and let it leak down, eventually the tank pressure and the regulated pressure will become the same and both gauges will eventually fall to zero. If they are both at zero, your tank is empty. It will make more sense as you use it.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

It looks like a PO has added a regulator onto the end of the tank. Normally you'd have the adjustable regulator up top where by where your other gauge is located. The reason it's not there is most likely because of possible interference with the spinning belt. Doesn't matter. What you have is perfectly acceptable. The good thing with having it this way is that you have two places that you can connect an air hose...either up top or down on the end at the regulator. The regulator will control the air output at whatever pressure you decide to set it. Need 120 psi? Tighten the T handle and watch the needle go up. Let's say that you are running a spray gun and it needs to run at no more than 20 psi...loosen the T handle and you have a regulated 20psi at the hose. The gauge on top if the unit is your actual tank pressure. The gauge on your regulator is your regulated pressure. If you unplug compressor and let it leak down, eventually the tank pressure and the regulated pressure will become the same and both gauges will eventually fall to zero. If they are both at zero, your tank is empty. It will make more sense as you use it.

Yeah that’s essentially how I understood it once I started googling ‘how it works’ on the internet. Found a fsm that’s close to this one for the sake of having something. No idea yet if it’s single or dual stage but whatever. I saw a video of a tank that had a pinhole. The guy decided to gut it just to see the inside. The tank was literally empty. Is that how this probably is? Tank simply acts as a reserve? And if a part of my fittings leak then it’s most likely empty once shut down since both gauges go to zero? What’s the hose between the motor and the pump for, oil? He’s got a soft line attached to copper w/ two hose clamps. And what’s the smaller line?

 

[roadstr6]

The oil stays in the crankcase of the pump. No lines for oil. The big double-clamped hose from the pump to the gauge plumbing area is how the tank gets filled from the pump. It looks like this was once a hard line that was cut off at some point and replaced with a hose. Not ideal, but it will work. You could replace it with copper tubing and fittings from the hardware if you wanted to. The smaller hard line is for the pressure (safety) switch. Basically an on/off regulator that kicks the switch off at a pre-set pressure (probably aroune 120-150 psi). This is to keep from over-pressurizing your tank. Whatever that switch is rated at is as high as your pressure can go. Once it reaches that pressure, motor and pump stop. As you use air and the low threshold is reached, motor and pump kick back on.

Oh yeah. It's a single stage and yes, the tank is literally just a big empty tank. Nothing in there but air and a little condensation. It is just as you said, air in reserve. That's your big volume of air. Without a tank, you'd only get little puffs of air directly from the pump each time the pump piston made it's stroke...kind of like those little portable tire inflators that plug into your cig lighter. No tank....just pft pft pft pft pft as fast as it can go.

 

[g-man]

I'm guessing the hose from the pump to the tank should be a metal line. Lets say the pressure switch fails to turn off the pump and it continues to run. That hose reaches 150 psi it may blow or come flying off and injure someone before the relief valve on the tank activates. Prob best to replace it with a metal line. roadstr6 is right on the money about the pressure line coming off the pressure switches. It's sending the pressure to switches in the black box so those electrical switches know when cycle the pump back on. There are adjustment screws inside so that you can turn them up or down. I have mine set on 120 psi for full and cycle back up when it drops below 90. Many tools operate at 90 psi so it makes sense. Get all your leaks fixed first then you can set your pressure switches.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

So that valve on the side is definitely affected by the tee. It does go up like the small one as well but probably w/ all my messing yesterday it’s closed down some now. I tried turning it some but still a bit nervous... I’ll get more courageous soon enough. Main valve showed 90 while the one on the side showed 60. I added an hose w/ a blower attachment and blew a bunch of air out then removed it and tried the pressure release safety pull which works too. Emptied it down to 10 and opened the drain at the bottom, quick spurt of air and gross water. Now I know when it’s empty, it’s definitely empty. I’ll get the leak fixed this weekend and get the leak down done. Been busy trying to do small tasks and give my kid attention so he doesn’t think I’m ignoring him! Ha! Ran out today and bought him his own reel lawn mower. $25, well spent, he loves it!

 

[g-man]

That pet cock valve in the bottom will work for now to drain water and/or air off the tank. This is all one banana stuff compared to replacing cam bearings. Here's a pic of my pressure switches. The black flathead screw slot at the top right is for adjusting the cut-on pressure, the brass slotted allen screw to the left of it is for adjusting the cut-off pressure. Instead of a T handle I have a black knob. The recessed torx screws on the corner take the entire switches out of the box. THEY HAVE SPRINGS under them, don't take them loose. Good idea to look in this box even if your happy with the pressures to make sure the contacts are good and the wires aren't burned up.

 

[g-man]

Notice the line to the pressure switches is metal also.

 

[g-man]

I replaced the original pressure switch after I mistakenly took it apart to clean it and couldn't get it back together. Afterward I noticed they have slots (edit) at the sides of the switch to run a brush through to clean the contacts.. Duh!

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

So this spring you’ve mentioned many times... similar to the spring that’s in the draw cord area for a lawn mower?

 

[g-man]

No. They're little springs under the switches. The bottom of the spring rests on the bottom of the housing. The switch is pushed down on them somehow and so they are under tension. All I am saying is you don't need to remove the switches from the housing or the springs go everywhere and it's very hard if not impossible to reassemble it. If your switches are sticking then brush the contacts off w/out removing the switch.

 

[g-man]

Fel, Here is a youtube video of another idiot ..not me this time, who took it apart and is trying to put it back together. Notice at 18 seconds into the video you can see the contacts from the side of the switch...that is where you can run a file to clean the contacts w/out taking it apart. Also you get a look at the springs and what a pain it is to try and reassemble.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Back this up. Grab a beer and take a break.

This is my guiding light. Compressor as leak free as possible right now. Holding air much better once shut down too. I taught myself a lot about plumbing air tight connections this AM; teflon tape is my best friend. It’s going to be awhile before I get overly my nervous fear of the tank exploding... I keep a safe distance from it as it’s coming up to pressure.

Rocker assembly off. Gave each spring a couple taps of a rubber mallet. Stopping for a late lunch and possibly have the last beer in the fridge before I get down to the leak down. In that short trip to my friend Kurt’s house last weekend, the head has a nice rim of coolant/oil mix where the valve cover gasket met it.

 

[Infinity00]

But the rocker assembly doesn’t have evidence of coolant anymore, as far as I can tell from the picture. I can’t work on my rigs right now so I’m waiting to hear how your leak down went. I’m very curious to learn what’s up. Don’t open that head gasket packaging with dory fingers quite yet...that was a great suggestions to just pull the assembly. Smart move just to make it easier and results more obvious

 

[dogfishlake]

You have a 20 amp breaker so should be good unless they ran smaller wire in which case the breaker is the wrong size. I doubt it. The white wire in your garage should have "12/2" printed on it. That would be for 20 amps and you are good. If it says "14/2" then that is for 15 amps and not so good.

 

[dogfishlake]

My answer is way late. Didregard. Duh

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

My answer is way late. Didregard. Duh

Hahaha! Thank you tho.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Apologies, this is a near complete copy and paste from an email I just sent off.
For hoohas tried it again (first time only difference was I let the pistons be where they were) and brought each piston all the way up. Then initially only hooked hose to compressor air and let the psi gauge go to 80 with cylinder gauge showing red 100%. Next, unlocked regulator psi knob and tightened up cylinder gauge to get to yellow set as close to zero possible (damn finicky) and watched psi gauge drop to near 2. Last, attach coupling into spark plug coupling and cylinder pressure reading jumps to 15%, on every single one. Very little difference across the board. So WHY is my compression so poor in 2 & 5?

So it appears my girl is plenty tight if I’m doing this right.
Conclusion? I believe I have a leaking head gasket and will move forward w/ pulling the head. Will not pull the trigger until I have some thoughts from the big ‘ol puddle of mud.
Added one photo of how the cylinder gauge appeared w/ reading.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Should I have turned the crank while I had my reading on the cylinder gauge? If I had shifted the pistons position could that have allowed me to detect a worn cylinder wall?

 

[FJACS]

So WHY is my compression so poor in 2 & 5?

Because the valves were too tight

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Because the valves were too tight

Oy! On only two AND compression worse on the SAME two valves? It can’t be that much of a coincidence.