Help with air compressor noise

[f575gtc]

Hey guys,

I uploaded a video of my air compressor, it is a Sanborn Industrial 5hp compressor, since I purchased it, it makes this almost metal on metal noise, like almost like a car with loud valves. I am a bit worried it might be the bearings inside the motor, but I am not sure.

I gets much louder when I listen to it from the belt guard side, so I know its coming from there, but it sounds just as loud from the pump side as it does the motor side.

I thought it was coming from the belts which seem to deflect quite a bit as you will see in the video, but I stuck a smooth screw driver through the mesh on the belt guard and used it to add a bit of tension to the belts, and the noise was still there.

sometimes it seems to get louder the longer the compressor is running.

Now the video also has a sorta of howling noise, that is not the noise I am refering to, nor the pumping "pop" from the pump, its almost like if you hit a thin piece of sheet metal with a light hammer noise, or if you stick a few metal bolts in a metal cylinder and shake it.

You will hear it more around the 10 second mark and again around the 32 second mark. I am bracing for the worse, that is is a bearing, I wish it was just the belts hitting each other.

Anyways I want to stop that noise, the air compressor is overall quiet but that noise echoes in the garage and when I close the door, I hear that noise over everything else.

 

[cattoon]

I may be mistaken, I have been before. I believe the "hammering" sound that I heard watching the video is coming from the check valve on the tank, my compressor sounds very similar to yours and as pressure builds the ringing/hammering tends to get more noticable. My compresser sits under a shed out back of my shop to decrease the noise. I have replaced my check valve and it helped briefly then started sounding the same way again. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in shortly.

 

[kiatech]

check the keys on both shafts, also check the oil.

 

[f575gtc]

I will check the flywheels tomorrow.

I tried removing the check valve off the tank, it feels like it was welded on there!

Thing won't budge, I left it soaking in Liquid Wrench and will try again int he morning.


Oil seems fine, there is definitely oil in it, but the oil sight is not one of those round glasses with a circle in the middle, it is just a glass window. The oil is all the way to the top when the pump is stopped, while it runs the oil "bubble" drops to the middle

 

[kams1973]

I may be mistaken, I have been before. I believe the "hammering" sound that I heard watching the video is coming from the check valve on the tank, my compressor sounds very similar to yours and as pressure builds the ringing/hammering tends to get more noticable. My compresser sits under a shed out back of my shop to decrease the noise. I have replaced my check valve and it helped briefly then started sounding the same way again. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in shortly.

Get a new check valve and report back.

 

[f575gtc]

makes sense, would a check valve work more or less as pressure builds?

 

[C96]

I’m going to go with the tank check valve as well. For some reason as they get old they will start making that hammering sound.

 

[b-body-bob]

I removed and cleaned the check valve on my Champ when I had it apart and it still clacks like a madman. If you think about it, it sort of has to because it's made from metal and if it doesn't pop open and slam shut, it won't work.

On mine, when I hold my ear to the tank it sounds like it's coming from inside the tank.

 

[sberry]

I spose I should have took pics of a motor bearing job on mine we did last week. It had at least 44 years of daily service.

 

[f575gtc]

wow "tanks" for the help guys!


it was the check valve on the tank, I took the copper inlet pipe off and sprayed some degreaser quick evaporating solvent into the valve, then left some penetrating fluid in it overnight.


ALL the pinging is gone, now the pumping noise sounds loud again...

 

[cattoon]

Good deal, glad that was all it was.

 

[kams1973]

Happy to hear you got it sorted.

 

[f575gtc]

BAH! After running a few cycles through it it is starting to do it again, not as consistent as before, but its still there.

Now that I focus on the check valve, I can clearly hear it coming from there, if only I could take the valve off, its still seized on the tank...

 

[kams1973]

Post a pic of the check valve.

 

[f575gtc]

I know its dirty...

I tried all day to take this off, and I can't.

 

[Steevo]

Did you try an impact gun with a 6-point impact socket?

 

[f575gtc]

how will I get a socket on there? the top portion fitting with the threads also isn't coming off.

 

[f575gtc]

This type of check valve doesn't have any locking mechanism on it does it?

 

[b-body-bob]

I removed the checkvalve from my Champion, it looked like yours and it was tight but it came out without problems using a wrench. Part of your problem may be that it's on the top. Mine is on the side making it easier to get to, and easier to put torque on. With it on the top I imagine the torque you're putting on it wants to turn the whole unit.

BTW you did disconnect that small tube (unloader?) coming in to the side of the checkvalve, right?

 

[f575gtc]

Whew got it off!

we had to use a metal pipe that was 5 feet long for extra leverage

 

[C96]

Keep us posted, curious to see / hear how much quieter the new one will be.

 

[f575gtc]

nope new check valve is producing the same noise, so the noise is coming from somewhere else...




Also question, can i run a 1 inch Solberg Filter into a Y and run it into 2 more filters one on each cylinder? Or will that cause too much of an restriction? I want to quiet down the pump more without routing the air outside.

 

[emanded]

Please check the air compressor bearings and crankshaft or increase the mute cover and oil change.

 

[f575gtc]

Restoration in progress!!!