Compressor bushing question

[Clik]

Does anyone know for sure if the bushing on the side of an Ingersol Rand 80 gallon unscrews?

I was changing the valve from 1/2" to 3/4" when the big bushing started to back off while I was unscrewing the 1/2" valve. Seeing that they use some sort of hard sealant I figured I better pull the big bushing out and reseal it. I got about one turn out and it doesn't want to budge. This is a brand new compressor. Before I put and impact to it I want to make sure it's supposed to unscrew.
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[Busted Knucles]

Can you post a pic of it?

 

[matt_i]

The "big reducer" from something like 1-1/2 to 2" NPT down to 3/4 or 1/2 is a huge pain.

Its going to be messy. I put a 4' pipe wrench on my T-30 compressor hoping to gain an advantage and just cracked a corner of the hex off. Next solutions are to use a recip saw to cut the bushing into 2 pieces and pull it out, ignore the metal swarf in the tank.....or...the blue wrench, which I'm confident will work but is going to wreck the paint job all around it which I'm unwilling to do.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I just looked at the manual for the 80gallon 2 stage Ir compressor that they sell at tractor supply. The half inch valve screws into a 2”NPT inspection opening.

Just unscrew the 2” NPT reducer bushing. Then clean the threads, put some rectorseal #5 on the threads and screw it back in. Here is a tightening guideline for NPT threads. https://www.surpluscenter.com/images/techhelp/NPT.pdf

I used my Dewalt 20v impact to put one in and put a line on the socket to track how much it was tightened. It’s a lot easier than wrestling with a pipe wrench. Usually I go for the minimum called our on the link which is 1 turn past finger tight for a 2”NPT. Then I tighten more for alignment or leaks.

It might be good to take a good look in the tank Since you have the inspection port off.

 

[Clik]

This is a brand-new tank. No concern about corrosion. I have piped 4000 PSI stuff and used Teflon pipe dope and, or, Teflon tape. Ingersol Rand uses something that gets hard and crispy otherwise I would have just tightened it back up.

 

[MFolks]

Wonder if heat,would have softened up the locking chemical? Some red loctites need 350F or more to soften up.

 

[Clik]

If I was sure it was just a 2" X 3/4" bushing I would just spray some PB Blast on it and use a cheater bar and pipe wrench but it's acting like it doesn't want to unscrew. I was wondering if Ingersol Rand did something other than screw the bushing in a bung.

 

[Shadowdog500]

If I was sure it was just a 2" X 3/4" bushing I would just spray some PB Blast on it and use a cheater bar and pipe wrench but it's acting like it doesn't want to unscrew. I was wondering if Ingersol Rand did something other than screw the bushing in a bung.

I don’t know what type of pipe dope IR uses but it becomes solid and is difficult to remove. I had to remove the check valve on an IR compressor which is 3/4” NPT and gave up on using wrenches immediately and went to a mid size dewalt 20v 1/2” drive impact and it still came out slowly. The other thing I noticed is that the stuff they use is a pain to get off of the threads. I had to buy a cheap NPT tap to clean it completely from the threads. Tape can rip easily on cast fittings. A good pipe dope like rectorseal #5 will seal it up no problem.

 

[OccupantRJ]

A cylindrical wire brush will clean out sealer from the internal threads. I would screw the adapter in and out with penetrant on it to help it work loose. I had to cable mine to a 1,000 lb table and use heat and a 4 foot cheater to remove it.

 

[sberry]

Put some spray on it, screw it back tight, see if it leaks, if not leave it alone. We can "research" so much anymore it leads to doing a lot of stuff that doesn't make any difference or help.

 

[ckucia]

Don't have anything to add other than I think I bought the same compressor earlier this week. Was wondering about those bungs and how difficult they might be to remove down the road for inspections. I'll be watching the thread to see how things turn out.

 

[Clik]

Update: I heated it up today (MAP GAS - Yellow bottle) and put a 24" pipe wrench on it and started beating the wrench with a sledge hammer. I got it to move out about a 1/4 ". Enough to get the O-ring out. I tried with and without heating and it didn't seem to make much difference. Neither did a four foot cheater bar. I think it's going to need impact. I'll see if I can borrow a big socket tomorrow. Maybe Advance Auto has an axle nut socket. I have an O-ring that size but I'll need to replace the bushing that is all chewed up from using a pipe wrench.

 

[Shadowdog500]

O-ring??? Are we talking about the same thing?? Can you post a photo.

[Update] i just found that it is a 2” straight pipe thread with an o ring. For some reason I was thinking taper pipe thread.

The manual says NTP but I guess it’s NPS.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/static/sites/TSC/downloads/ProdContentPDFs/3496129_Man1.pdf

 

[The Cobbler]

yeah, you should post a picture .

 

[sberry]

Don't have anything to add other than I think I bought the same compressor earlier this week. Was wondering about those bungs and how difficult they might be to remove down the road for inspections. I'll be watching the thread to see how things turn out.

Good lesson here, don't fugg with it. Ain't any reason to take it out, now the guy ruins his brand new unit before using it instead of hooking it up, turning it on yesterday.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Link to new bushing if you can’t get one from IR. First Link reduces to 1/2 NPt second link reduces to 3/4 NPT

https://tricitytoolparts.com/produc...ing-2-x-1-2-inspection-port-campbell-hausfeld

https://tricitytoolparts.com/produc...ing-2-x-3-4-inspection-port-campbell-hausfeld

 

[Shadowdog500]

Good lesson here, don't fugg with it. Ain't any reason to take it out, now the guy ruins his brand new unit before using it instead of hooking it up, turning it on yesterday.

How do you get that it is ruined? A new bushing costs $9.99 and the new O-ring is $1.79

People take the solid ones out the new ones on purpose to add an extra valve.

 

[The Cobbler]

How do you get that it is ruined? A new bushing costs $9

but if he's talking an oring. are we even on the same page ?

 

[Shadowdog500]

but if he's talking an oring. are we even on the same page ?

Yes, we are on the same page. When he said O-ring I looked and found the straight thread part he needs along with the O ring.

The part is called an air compressor tank bushing and costs $9.99 https://tricitytoolparts.com/produc...ing-2-x-1-2-inspection-port-campbell-hausfeld

The O-ring that goes with is $1.79. https://tricitytoolparts.com/products/st070190av-o-ring-tank-bushing-campbell-hausfeld-husky

The IR manual incorrectly lists 2”NTP on page 14 of the manual.

IR uses some hard to remove hardening pipe dope that really isn’t needed for an straight thread O-ring seal. Guess they put the dope or thread locker on it to keep it from vibrating out.

 

[The Cobbler]

ok,thnaks. just never saw a bushing with an o ring on a compressor.
I think SBerry was tongue & cheek, but what do I know?

 

[Shadowdog500]

ok,thnaks. just never saw a bushing with an o ring on a compressor.
I think SBerry was tongue & cheek, but what do I know?

I was also confused when he said O-ring. Normally they are NPT and the IR manual said NPT. NPT don’t normally seal well when they are loosened and tightened back up on hardened dope like IR uses, so the proper procedure would normally be to pull it off, clean, add pipe dope, and tighten back up. A lot of work without an impact but pretty straight foward.

O-ring fittings do seal back up just fine. So in the end Sberry’s advise was actually the correct advise.

But the compressor isn’t ruined.

 

[sberry]

Most of the stuff I talk about on here I have done. Most of it more than once. Some of it hundreds of hours, some thousands or dozens of times etc. I own 4 comps, have worked on another dozen, used another 50. None other than some baby junk did I ever need to change a valve or the factory pressure setting.
Not that I didn't mess with stuff I shouldn't have but I say what would I do today. Knowing what I do now I would do less, wouldn't mess with it unless I had to, would hook it up first instead of redesign my first compressor. I buy a grinder, don't take it apart and fool with the grease etc, just plug it in aND use it.
Lots of wonderful help on the Internet but there is so much that we have lost touch with the concept that one reason to buy new is it is ready to use, designed by engineers for decades that didn't paint the tank, that knew where to set the pressure and what size valve it needed.
That is the simple version, most of the time there are reasons they DIDN'T do things other ways, lots of these brain farts defeat carefully designed saftey, we'll proven systems been used for decades.

 

[sberry]

Not every idea I see in a gm plant or other factory is good in a 2 car garage. Not too long ago a guy asks where he can get a deal on 6 filters and regulators, got to wonder why. He is going to put 6 drops in a 14x20 garage, one in the weld area, one for mechanics etc. That is a bit extreme but it's a common theme, if we read farther we find some experience where guys put in 6 and end up using 2. Starting with 2 and adding is easier in the long run. I know this cause I done it the other way too, in last renovation actually removed more than added.

 

[Clik]

UPDATE: This all started because IR cheaped-out by using a 1/2" valve. Most shops are piped in 3/4" and with an 80 gal - 175 PSI compressor that rinky-dink valve is the weak link.

So today, way more heating and beating with no success. I then welded a 3/4" impact fitting to the 2"X3/4" bushing.

Now I have to upsize the fitting on my little 17 gallon compressor so it will drive my 3/4" impact gun.