Help with some air compressor restoration issues?

[Jon_E]

Hey all,

I'm semi-restoring a 1940-vintage Kellogg-American K-32D air compressor that I bought a few years ago in anticipation of getting it running again. It did work when I bought it, but there's been some issues and a bit of damage from moving it and I am replacing a bunch of parts. Couple questions:

1. The pressure switch was piped into the tank via a brass ****** screwed into a 1/4" NPT female port on the tank. The ****** broke right at the tank and the brass threads are still in the port. There's no way to grab them. I have tried an ez-out (failed, it seemed to make it tighter), heat/cold (no effect), PB Blaster & Kroil (no effect) and a combination of all of them, also to no effect. I thought about simply getting a 1/4" NPT tap and re-tapping the port right through the brass ****** remains, but I am worried that I will wind up cross-threading the port and ruining it permanently. How do I get the brass threads out of the port?

2. The motor is a Delco/GM 1-1/2 hp repulsion-induction motor that will run on 110 or 220 according to the plate. Right now I have no idea how it's actually wired, there are just two wires that come from the pressure switch and are wire-nutted to two wires coming from the motor. There are two other wires coming out of the motor that are wire nutted together and connect to nothing else. The wires are in poor shape so I may bring it to a motor repair shop and have it rewired anyway, but I'd still like to be able to tell how this works. Also, all four wires are gray - no color markings or any other indicator of hot, neutral or ground (I'm guessing no ground anyway).

 

[FredWanaker]

I'd try a different style easy out. Maybe these? https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Rem...AYaM94oP2pQGGpv-wOYaArIXEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[wrenchguy]

Use a sharp carbide pick and start at the closest thread and pick/break small pieces off whole 1/2 way thru. Then carefully start the tap to push the remaining part in to tank. Good chance the remaining threads will grab onto the tap.

With 2 conductors from the motor wired together I understand the wiring setup as 220 voltage. Try it for a instant to see if it starts.

 

[ldl]

Use a sharp carbide pick and start at the closest thread and pick/break small pieces off whole 1/2 way thru. Then carefully start the tap to push the remaining part in to tank. Good chance the remaining threads will grab onto the tap.

With 2 conductors from the motor wired together I understand the wiring setup as 220 voltage. Try it for a instant to see if it starts.

 

[ldl]

It does seem to be set up for 220V. Be carefull the metal sheilded cable may be the ground leg and if it is not touching the metal frame of compressor you could become the path to grnd.

 

[PoorUB]

Sharpen a small round punch to a one sided "V", just grind one angled fat on it, and carefully pick away with the brass with the punch and small hammer. Be wary of the threads. You probably will ding up the threads a bit, then chase the threads with a tap.

I argee the motor looks like it is wired for 240 volt. If it were 120 volt you would have two motor leads going to each incoming power wire.

 

[fitter30]

Can get custom made brushes here for that motor

Ohio Carbon Industries

Ohio Carbon Industries manufactures carbon brushes and related components for OEM, municipal transit authorities, and other industries.

www.ohiocarbon.com

 

[mitusa]

You might use a small saber saw and cut the brass in two spots opposite each other....then use a screwdriver and turn the brass out??

 

[nadogail]

Broken ****** removal is an art, not a science. The most important thing to remember is that your job is to make the situation better; not worse.

 

[The Cobbler]

I've found brass can get really sticky in steel , but I would try to file 2 slots opposing each other so you can fit a screwdriver , file or something into the slots to turn it out. when you're ready to try to get it out, heat up the bung fast & hot .

 

[walta]

For the brass I would get a set of machinist drill bits and drill out the brass going up one size at a time until I could see the steel points of the tank threads, then pick out the rest of the brass.

My guess is the motor is wired for 220 buy that is just a guess.

Does the motor have an overload reset button? If not you need an external over load to protect the motor.

Walta

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Heat and wax then use an easyout, broken pipe extractor or internal pipe wrench.