Compressor oil questions!

[edcantu9]

Today I became the proud proud owner of a 29 gallon air compressor from harbor freight.

Reading the manual it states that I need to put SAE40 oil in it after a break it in and drain it.

I did a search on advanced auto parts, autozone and it does not seem to be a common item returning no results.

Is it okay to put other oil in it like 10w30 or 5w20 or 10w40?

Or does it have to be SAE40 oil?

Thank you all very much for sharing your knowledge with me!

 

[D.J.]

Compressor oil is generally a non detergent oil, but not always. SAE 40 is available see if it says detergent or non in the manual.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Try to find an actual compressor oil. Compressor oils dont have detergents in them like some other oils do.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2

 

[Grounded Ken]

30 wt. non-detergent oil. Don't use auto oil.

 

[malibu101]

Where I work we have many reciprocating compressors. They use, and therefore I use, Mobil Rarus 427 oil all recips.

I've never saw an oil related problem with anything that has run this.
But, I haven't seen everything either.

I don't see how synthetic could be bad in any way but I have no experience with it.

Link to 427- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6YB1YE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Grounded Ken]

Use synthetic when brand new and it will never "break in". Start with petroleum then switch to synthetic if you want to run the fancy stuff.

 

[Kevin C]

I would go with a 40 wt synthetic compressor oil. Especially if you are running for extended periods doing sand blasting. Amsoil is one source, Redline stops at 30wt.


The IR 24 CFM compressors at work started with synthetic from the initial turn on and broke in just fine.

http://www.mastertoolrepair.com/40w-synthetic-air-compressor-oil-p-59411.html

 

[fflintstone]

with no combustion blowby, compressors work best with common straight 30W non detergent motor oil. you can buy it at walmart or any auto parts store.

using synthetic is a total waste of money. it would do more good to give a few extra bucks to the local crack ***** than to buy synthetic for an air compressor.

 

[ladrones]

We use mystic SAE 30 non detergent in our recips.

We use the curtis branded synthetic oil in the 30hp rotary screws.

 

[Kevin C]

with no combustion blowby, compressors work best with common straight 30W non detergent motor oil. you can buy it at walmart or any auto parts store.

using synthetic is a total waste of money. it would do more good to give a few extra bucks to the local crack ***** than to buy synthetic for an air compressor.

Not sure what you do in your spare time to have that kind of knowledge (what benefit giving money to crack whores provides) But for my day job I help to make sure we have compressed air to run production.

If you buy an IR industrial grade compressor, IR will extend your warranty by a year if you run synthetic. I wonder why that is? Carbonizing is significantly reduced and that really helps with valve life.

This may not be a big issue for a guy filling tires in his home shop... If your sand blasting or running a high duty cycle it does matter. On some compressors, Harbor Freight says you only get 100% duty cycle if your running synthetic oil.

Yea I know... Its a conspiracy to sell expensive oil.

 

[edcantu9]

i found some online at kmart. craftsman for stage 1 and 2 stage air compressor oil.

doesnt list the weight??

would this be okay to use?

 

[jwith68]

I have a 60 gallon Husky Pro, with the US made pump. The owners manual specifies 10W-30 synthetic only for it, and strongly recommends Mobil1.

 

[JJThrasher]

Mine's used synthetic compressor oil since day one. Its a Kobalt compressor, so i use the stuff from Lowe's in it.

 

[TwoInch]

Use synthetic when brand new and it will never "break in".

no truth in that statement whatsoever.

synthetic oil doesnt cause break in issues, and it doesnt cause seals to leak.

dont use it in new engines or it wont break in, and dont use it in used engines because the seals will leak" well when the hell is it okay to use it??

true synthetic oil is worth the extra coin.

 

[Quickster]

Royal purple makes an compressor oil, should be available at autozone.

 

[Angelfire]

My 3hp IR compressor's warranty was doubled if I used synthetic. That must mean something regarding the synthetic vs Dino oil debate.

 

[Big-Foot]

I've used Mobil-1 10w30 in mine for years now.. Never any problems and I have run it very hard - 60 gallon Campbell Hausfeld 6 hp single stage made in USA iron pump.

 

[Ad13]

Been said already but
Sae 30 Non detergent pump oil

 

[Grounded Ken]

Did some checking, I/R All Season synthetic is a diester compressor oil. Expensive, yep,
overkill, somewhat. Most of the machines that are being talked about on this thread are made in countries where tolerances are really not that critical, why wouldn't you want things to break in? It is in the best interest of the mfg. for you to put in the synthetic from the start. By the machine never properly "seating in" you will never get the full potential of the machine. At the same time the mfg. has made at least $10 on the quart of oil and by the machine never working to its full potential, less warranty claims. Why wouldn't the mfg. want you to use synthetic?

As far as synthetic making seals leak, it will, if your machine has a 50 year old seal in it.
Most modern machinery has been built with seals and rubber components that are compatible with the synthetic oils. You should see what a diester oil does with a real rubber o-ring!

Back in the '70's when we would convert an I/R ESH 14 x 13 (for example) from petroleum to synthetic oil, the whole machine would be brought in to decarbonize, crankcase and cylinder, change out all the seals, new rings, packing and a valve job. Put back online with petroleum for a week then change out with the synthetic. The oldtimers will attest, this was not the easiest project.

Also, comparing compressors to engines, apples and oranges. Automotive stuff is held to a much higher standard compared to a disposable consumer product such as most of these small compressors. When you buy the small INDUSTRIAL compressor, different story. You also pay a lot more.

While I have more experience with the larger machines, all of that applies to the smaller machines.

 

[TwoInch]

Did some checking, I/R All Season synthetic is a diester compressor oil. Expensive, yep,
overkill, somewhat. Most of the machines that are being talked about on this thread are made in countries where tolerances are really not that critical, why wouldn't you want things to break in? It is in the best interest of the mfg. for you to put in the synthetic from the start. By the machine never properly "seating in" you will never get the full potential of the machine. At the same time the mfg. has made at least $10 on the quart of oil and by the machine never working to its full potential, less warranty claims. Why wouldn't the mfg. want you to use synthetic?

As far as synthetic making seals leak, it will, if your machine has a 50 year old seal in it.
Most modern machinery has been built with seals and rubber components that are compatible with the synthetic oils. You should see what a diester oil does with a real rubber o-ring!

Back in the '70's when we would convert an I/R ESH 14 x 13 (for example) from petroleum to synthetic oil, the whole machine would be brought in to decarbonize, crankcase and cylinder, change out all the seals, new rings, packing and a valve job. Put back online with petroleum for a week then change out with the synthetic. The oldtimers will attest, this was not the easiest project.

Also, comparing compressors to engines, apples and oranges. Automotive stuff is held to a much higher standard compared to a disposable consumer product such as most of these small compressors. When you buy the small INDUSTRIAL compressor, different story. You also pay a lot more.

While I have more experience with the larger machines, all of that applies to the smaller machines.

you said it yourself. "oldtimers" sounds like a lot of work....

there are many perpetuated myths about oil. it doesnt make them any more true. friction is friction, whether its in a combustion engine or air compressor. the only reason to break in on dino oil is because its cheap and because you are throwing it out after a very short time, cheap is better. diester oil is used in compressors for its superior solvency which helps with carbon buildup,reducing fire hazards. its not more slippery, and it doesnt drastically reduce friction. the advantages of synthetic oil are not that the base stocks are better at reducing friction, but a number of other reasons including how they react to heating and cooling cycles, and the lack of need for viscosity improvers, and add pack solvency.

synthetic oils will not stop piston rings from seating, or stop any other engine components from breaking in. sorry bud.

 

[Grounded Ken]

True, you're not going to stop friction, but it will take a lot longer for the rings and bearings to break in. Diesters and polyol esters have a higher lubricity than say a PAO oil or dino oil. I've seen a small compressor freshly built and run with diester from the start. Two weeks later the guy couldn't figure out why his machine still wasn't pumping like it should. Took out the syn. put in the dino, the machine "came in" in a couple days. They put the syn. back in two weeks later and never heard from them again.

You are really going to get a lot of synthetic users upset telling them their compressor oil doesn't reduce friction. Take a look at anyone selling synthetic oil, they all claim their oil reduces friction. Are they all lying?

Bottom line is, as long as you keep clean oil of the correct weight in the unit you're not going to have many problems. If you buy the expensive stuff for the warranty, that works too.

I guess oils are a lot like beer, guns and women, everyone has a certain one they like.

 

[Gary S]

I've had my small 120v compressor for about 20 years and my 240v compressor for about 5 years. Both got synthetic after the first oil change with about 1 hour on them. They both work great today, so I'm staying with it. Since synthetic doesn't break down, and compressors don't make the oil dirty with combustion, you seldom need to change the oil once you have the good stuff in them.

 

[nehog]

CarQuest CQ540 is 40 weight oil. It is detergent however.

 

[Kevin C]

And what are the odds that I just had a compressor problem? Sounded like the bottom end of my 3 hp sears compressor just got really tight, like belt slipping , motor slowing tight.

I was told that the iron sleeved aluminum compressors don't hold up... I may call Sears and let them know. It should have lasted longer than 33 years. Oh well... Live and learn

Looks like I'm in the market for a new compressor.

Update... Pump bottom end is fine. Losing a valve.

 

[TwoInch]

True, you're not going to stop friction, but it will take a lot longer for the rings and bearings to break in. Diesters and polyol esters have a higher lubricity than say a PAO oil or dino oil. I've seen a small compressor freshly built and run with diester from the start. Two weeks later the guy couldn't figure out why his machine still wasn't pumping like it should. Took out the syn. put in the dino, the machine "came in" in a couple days. They put the syn. back in two weeks later and never heard from them again.

You are really going to get a lot of synthetic users upset telling them their compressor oil doesn't reduce friction. Take a look at anyone selling synthetic oil, they all claim their oil reduces friction. Are they all lying?

Bottom line is, as long as you keep clean oil of the correct weight in the unit you're not going to have many problems. If you buy the expensive stuff for the warranty, that works too.

I guess oils are a lot like beer, guns and women, everyone has a certain one they like.

"doesnt drastically reduce friction" i believe i said...

like i said, the synthetic advantage is not superior friction reduction, its oil longevity, and flow at low temperature. with out the need for(or much less) viscosity improver to thin it down to its 'grade(30wt etc..), there is no viscosity improver breakdown, synth is actually 20wt, 30wt, etc... the oil doesnt thicken like dino oils do after repeated heating and cooling cycles. most believe oils thin out, but thats not true, they thicken as the VI break down. the actual oil base stocks do not break down, ever. they maintain their "lubricity", but the additives breakdown and burn off leaving an inferior product.

synthetic oil are the same thing as dino oil, the difference is that the molecule chains are all of the same dimension in a synthetic oil, where refined petroleum oil is a scattered mix of hydrocarbons of different dimensions, which is less stable and controllable.

synthetic is a better product. but its not slipperier, as in friction reduction compared apples to apples. in cold extremes, you will see less friction although, as it stays thinner than mineral oils.

oil isnt sorcery... all the info is out there. its up to you the consumer to use the info. choose to believe outdated myths if you will, many do.

 

[TwoInch]

as for the oil companies lying, hell yes they are lying.... considering every big name in oil is selling mineral oil as "full synthetic", id say yes they are lying crooks. almost all of them contain zero, or nearly zero synthetic base stock..

since when are companies totally truthful about their products??? dont be that naive...

im not worried about making people mad. im not saying they arent superior products. im just informing of the reasons they are superior, and dispelling myths about them.

 

[TwoInch]

show me where they claim that their oils reduce friction over mineral oils. the only thing i remember seeing the claim that they reduce wear from cold starts, which is true as long as they are using truly synthetic base stock. the vast majority of engine, and compressor wear comes from cold starts and the first few minutes of running molasses thick oil every time you start it.

 

[737mechanic]

I know this thread is over a year old but I have to post this just for education purposes.

I bought a craftsman 5hp compressor in 1985 and it had been used hard for the 29 years that it lasted. It was made by devilbiss and was 100 percent American made. It came with 30w non-detergent dino oil already in the pump and when it died 29 years later it was still the original oil in the pump. I would check it every now and then and it always looked clean so I never worried about it.

What killed it is the switch went out so I replaced it and adjusted it to a higher pressure where it used to kick off at 120psi and back on at 90psi I adjusted it to kick off at 135 and back on at 110. I think the pump was not made to operate at higher pressures so it met its demise.

I am sure if you keep the oil at the proper level a good pump will last for many years whether it is ran with synthetic or dino oil.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I know this thread is over a year old but I have to post this just for education purposes.

I bought a craftsman 5hp compressor in 1985 and it had been used hard for the 29 years that it lasted. It was made by devilbiss and was 100 percent American made. It came with 30w non-detergent dino oil already in the pump and when it died 29 years later it was still the original oil in the pump. I would check it every now and then and it always looked clean so I never worried about it.

What killed it is the switch went out so I replaced it and adjusted it to a higher pressure where it used to kick off at 120psi and back on at 90psi I adjusted it to kick off at 135 and back on at 110. I think the pump was not made to operate at higher pressures so it met its demise.

I am sure if you keep the oil at the proper level a good pump will last for many years whether it is ran with synthetic or dino oil.

Now it is over 6 year old thread but you make a good point. We just bought a shop with a 1956 Champion compressor on an 82 gallon tank. I am dialing it DOWN from 200 PSI max to 175 PSI to help with its life. The safety valve bleeds off at 180 PSI anyway.

The block had a lot of carbon build up in the V bottom of the crankcase. After over 5 back to back changes with 30-60 minutes run time I have it staying clean running 10W-40 high mileage motor WalMart motor oil with Archoil AR 9100 additive which I plan to change ever 30 days over the summer as I decide what to use longer term.

High Detergent oil keeps the carbon in suspension I read so if ran it needs to be changed more since it is not filtered because the carbon can not settle to the bottom like the old non detergent compressor oils.