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Air compressor oil change.....crazy prices!!

darkzero

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Joined
Oct 20, 2011
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3,329
Location
SoCal
Amsoil is a detergent oil, you want non detergent in applications that do not have filters. This is so the **** in the oil settles to the bottom, where the detergents job is to keep it in the stream, so the filter can grab it.
Yes their motor oils are but they do have non detergent compressor oil. That's what I'm currently using now in the past 2 oil changes.

I thought it was expensive back when I bought it, after the pandemic & inflation I'm sure it costs even more now. Next oil change I'll probably switch to something else.

(Bottles used to be transparent when I I bought them.)
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Walkers

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May 17, 2021
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Cave Creek Az
Yes their motor oils are but they do have non detergent compressor oil. That's what I'm currently using now in the past 2 oil changes.

I thought it was expensive back when I bought it, after the pandemic & inflation I'm sure it costs even more now. Next oil change I'll probably switch to something else.

(Bottles used to be transparent when I I bought them.)
20230509_214934.jpg
Very interesting, I didn't realize they had that as well.
 

dscheidt

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Apr 26, 2017
Messages
2,905
Fram claims to have invented the oil filter in 1932
puroloator was selling oil filters in the 20s (the chrysler six had one, about 1925), so whatever fram invented in '32, it wasn't the 'oil filter'. All of these were bypass filters, though, that filtered only a small fraction of the oil as it circulated. 10% is the common figure, but there was variation. early war experience showed premature engine failure on lots of engines, which led to the full flow filter, and subsequent improvements in filter media.
 

dnschmidt

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Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
7,285
Location
Phoenix, AZ
How much oil do your compressors take? My Quincy 80 gallon 5 HP doesn't take much more than a quart. If I've got to blow $20 every year on an oil change what's the big deal.
 

cherrybomb

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Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
892
Location
Near Madison Wi.
How much oil do your compressors take? My Quincy 80 gallon 5 HP doesn't take much more than a quart. If I've got to blow $20 every year on an oil change what's the big deal.
I'm just a firm believer in using good synethics when applicable,I'll hope that the grandkids won't be upset that Grandpa is spending part of their inheritance on Amsoil
 

Sumboodie

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Mar 20, 2021
Messages
10,711
Location
AK
You must be thinking rotary screw compressor oil. The compressor shop I worked at used iso32 turbine oil in rotary screw machines. You did see some machines with hydraulic oil in them so I could see ATF working in a pinch. The IR long life rotary screw oil stinks though is required for an IR service contract/ warranty. Suliar had lifetime oil that would stay clear, all you did was top it off and change filters. We run Atlas Copco rotoextend here for some reason, non of our crapcos are under warranty any more.



I was servicing compressors in Colorado. We didn't see a ton of below 10 degrees though we did see below 0 on occasion and never had calls for starting issues because of oil. Plenty of shops had their compressors outside and didn't run 24-7/ shut them off at night.
 

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PoorUB

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Mar 29, 2021
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11,679
Location
Fargo, ND
Everybody here recommending conventional 30W non-detergent oil must be living in warm climates. My box-store 3.3HP Ingersoll-Rand twin piston pump single stage really struggled to start on that oil when the ambient temperature was below 45 deg. F. I would recommend a synthetic compressor oil if the unit has to start in those conditions.

Two different businesses that I worked at, which had big 2-stage industrial piston pump compressors kept outside, both had cold-weather starting issues. We would have to go out with heat guns and warm up the compressor crankcase in order to keep the units from tripping circuit breakers, for the first start of the day.
My compressor sat in the cold and I ran nothing but 10w ND all year a round. That compressor is 35 years old and used when I got it. I had had the pump apart a couple times for oil leaks, but never and lubrication issues.
 
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Jswain

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Apr 26, 2013
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Location
Calgary, AB
How much oil do your compressors take? My Quincy 80 gallon 5 HP doesn't take much more than a quart. If I've got to blow $20 every year on an oil change what's the big deal.
I feel the same way. The cost of a new quality pump buys a LOT of oil changes.

If you're using it to fill tires twice a year ok, but if you're running die grinders/impacts/paint guns/blasting even semi regularly what's $20 bucks a year
 

Uncle murph

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Joined
Jan 28, 2021
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1,476
Location
Harford county
It's time to change the oil on my IR 5L5 and online prices for IR oil is $40+ per quart! I've had the unit since 2006 and I changed the oil the first time right at the recommended 200hrs. That time I used IR oil that came with the compressor. Now, I'm at 550 hrs so I'm way overdue. I was floored when I saw the prices! Any recommendations for a slightly cheaper oil that will still do the job?

Funnelsysteminplace.jpg
Just changed the hydraulic fluid and filter on a Deere 5200,$300+.
 
OP
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evintho

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Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
1,358
Location
Santa Rosa, CA.
I feel the same way. The cost of a new quality pump buys a LOT of oil changes.

If you're using it to fill tires twice a year ok, but if you're running die grinders/impacts/paint guns/blasting even semi regularly what's $20 bucks a year
It gets used a lot for all of the above! I'm just gonna grab some NAPA 30wt ND and change it.
 

dnschmidt

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Oct 3, 2014
Messages
7,285
Location
Phoenix, AZ
This has been overthought to death. We've not lubing the Space Shuttle but some everyday run of the mill air compressor of which there are a million in this country. The Valvoline I recommended about is fine, the Amszoil is fine, the Quincy I've used on my personal compressor works fine. The compressor oil at Harbor Freight works fine. This oil is about as simple as it gets. Kill a Dinosaur, wait a million years, pump the black goo out of the ground and then rather crudely refine it. Compared to the chemistry involved in modern synthetic engine oils and especially ATF its chemical child's play.
 

PoorUB

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Mar 29, 2021
Messages
11,679
Location
Fargo, ND
This has been overthought to death. We've not lubing the Space Shuttle but some everyday run of the mill air compressor of which there are a million in this country.
Hey, this GJ. It is what we do, spend stupid amounts of money on rarely used tools!
 

welder4956

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Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Messages
3,072
Location
Birmingham, AL USA
My compressor had oil in it when I bought it
Mine too, but the owner's manual recommends changing the oil every 100 hours of operation. I don't have an hour meter on it, so I changed it about once a year before I retired based on my infrequent use. I use it more now, so I should probably do it every 3 months or 6 months now. The old oil is pretty black when I change it.
 
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