Compressor Maintenance?

[Rstark18]

I've been really bad about doing maintenance on my compressor. It was given to me 5 years ago and I've only changed the oil once. It gets cycled a few times a week on average.
It's a Husky VT6315. It has an automatic drain valve on it but even with that I still get a build up of milky sludge when I manually drain it.
I want to start doing regular maintenance on it so I'll do an oil change to start. The air filter always looks very clean so I don't think I need to change that. What else should I do and will an oil change help with the sludge? If not what do I need to do to eliminate the sludge?

 

[sberry]

Don't panic,,,, if the oil isn't full of water you will be ok and some leakage may put oil in the tank, if the level remained the same or near it prolly is fine. I had my comp out for something and gave it a 10 yr change. It runs several passes a day every day. You may need it more with less use if it doesn't get hot but I put Amsoil or Royal Purple in and forget it.

This kind of crank case can have 500 or 1000 hr service life on oil, guys that put hr meters on comps that are not in the auto body biz can see how long it takes to add up 10 hrs of run time.

 

[EOC_Jason]

If you don't run your compressor that much, sometimes even a yearly change is overkill... I have a friend that bought a quincy and changes his yearly for the warranty, but the oil looks just as new coming out as it did going in. Just look at it through the sight-glass and if it starts to get dark and nasty then you know it's time.

I put synthetic in mine the last oil change (Amsoil)... Probably won't mess with it for at least 5 years... lol...

Draining your tank is the biggest thing, you don't want the bottom of your tank to rust out.

I would also check the belt tension every now and then, especially if it was a "new" compressor. I've seen loose belts that can start to slip and makes things act up...

Other than that, checking the air filter (I usually just blow mine off every now and then) and making sure that your pump doesn't start to get dust buildup is about the only other things I can think of.

 

[22george]

l have a Eaton compressor. Eaton said to replace the break-in oil at 30 hours and change the oil every 300 hours after that.

 

[basspro]

We change oil on our quincys at work every 8000 hrs, a little different situation though. I wouldnt worry too much.

 

[theknurl]

you folks change the oil in your compressors?

mine is dated '46

I changed the motor once.......I've owned it, and had power to it since '78

never changed the oil......still at the middle of the sight glass

OK, its down 3/32"

 

[Rstark18]

I just picked up a new regulator, filter and water dryer. What order should they be in from incoming to outgoing?

 

[Sureshot]

I did mine this year and it is never shut off and was used hard for the first 6 yrs. Only time I hit the breaker is if we are going on a longer vacation and I kill all the breakers but the essential ones and a few lights.

 

[jontar]

Just treat it like a women treats a vehicle and you'll be fine, add oil, change the washer fluid, rotate the wipers, check the gas think about filling it up, but "forget", take air out of the tires, ignore the brake pad squeal, and wonder why your husband's lazy hasn't gotten around to doing any of these things for you. Should last you a life time.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I just picked up a new regulator, filter and water dryer. What order should they be in from incoming to outgoing?

I usually put the regulator first so you are dropping the pressure for everything else down the line. Then I would do the filter and finally the dryer.

 

[Rstark18]

I usually put the regulator first so you are dropping the pressure for everything else down the line. Then I would do the filter and finally the dryer.

Thanks. That's what I thought but I've seen setups withe the regulator in the middle.