Catastrophic failure !

[toolmaker1]

Well, this was my project this morning. I am a toolmaker in a small mold building shop with no maintenance department so I am usually the go to guy when something breaks.

We have three Ingersoll rand T30 air compressors in the shop. Two of them have 20hp three phase motors and the other is a "little" 15 horse .

A couple days ago we heard a big bang from the compressor room. I went in and one of the big 20hp's was clanging and shaking and the paint was starting to burn off of one of the first stage cylinders. This is what I found when I tore it down this morning! Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics, I didn't have a good camera at the shop. I placed a $20 beside the piston for scale.

Crankshaft came out in pieces

 

[davesnothere]

Damnnnnn geeeeeeeena!

 

[luvit]

send me that broken $20 bill for inspection and specs, then i can send you card stock replacement the exact same size.

 

[Strouty]

I will send a larger upgraded piece of card stock, Luvit is trying to screw you over.

 

[Rezarf]

I don't see anything that a little JB weld couln't take care of

 

[toolmaker1]

I don't see anything that a little JB weld couln't take care of

Yep I was thinking a little jb weld and maybe some duct tape wrapped around for good measure!

 

[70Chevy]

Yep I was thinking a little jb weld and maybe some duct tape wrapped around for good measure!

And maybe a coat hanger...

 

[Strouty]

Looks like a few new parts are in order, how does the cylinder look?

 

[premierplayer]

Hell, it's a air compressor, just weld it.

I opened up the final drive on a JD4200 Thursday, parts looked the same as yours, sad...

 

[toolmaker1]

Looks like a few new parts are in order, how does the cylinder look?

Piston is shot(aluminum) but the cylinder looks good

 

[930dreamer]

I have two cranks. One from a type 30 15T, the other a high pressure model.

 

[litljay]

Wow. I guess I didn't realize they made piston type compressors that big. I figured that anything that big would just move to a screw type compressor.

Good luck with that.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

lack of maintenace

 

[compman25]

I wish when I broke stuff $20 bills appeared in the mess.

 

[A_Pmech]

I've heard the T-30 compressors are prone to crankshaft failure as they're an "overhung" design with main bearings on only one side of the crankshaft. Obviously, there must be some truth to that!

I guess I didn't realize they made piston type compressors that big. I figured that anything that big would just move to a screw type compressor.

They get bigger...

and bigger

and BIGGER!

Although, technically, the last photo is of a blowing engine, it operates as a large reciprocating compressor.

 

[tcsalvage]

used to take care of three large compessors that ran 24/7, finally replaced them with ONE screw compressor that ran half the time and quietly.

 

[toolmaker1]

a pmech - yes large roller bearings on one side only with a hell of a lot of rotating mass, but to its credit it has been running 24/7 for the entire 15 years that I have been at this shop with nothing but oil changes and some grease on the motor bearings.

 

[mike13u]

I've heard the T-30 compressors are prone to crankshaft failure as they're an "overhung" design with main bearings on only one side of the crankshaft. Obviously, there must be some truth to that!

Being 'Overhung' is usually not a problem.... unless, of course, you are an air compressor

 

[ajchien]

And maybe a coat hanger...

Hey, don't knock the coat hanger. My last car had coat hangers, plastic milk cartons and campbells soup cans holding things together!

 

[Catalyze]

Thanks for the photos! My bad day just got better after looking at them.
Craig

 

[Danglerb]

I don't think $20 is going to cover that repair.

 

[Brad54]

Two car batteries, a set of jumper cables, a vise grip and a welding rod will have you right back up and running!

-Brad

 

[WR250F]

That ought to buff right out

I can imagine all the racket it was making.

Since the cyl looked OK, and the crank grenaded, what options do you have ? Are parts avail or are you looking for a new pump ?