quincy 325 compressor

[crann]

i am hoping someone can set me straight with advise on making the right choice.
i recently bought a quincy 325 air compressor. 1969 vintage. it had a short span of action(3-5 years of service) on a portable diesel crane operating its air brakes. it then was given to a weekend mechanic seeing occasional use till now.
it runs well with no unusual sounds/knocking.though the oil is dirty and needs changing
i read a post that compressors used on heavy trucks for air braking have a hard life.
that statement has me concerned on whether to rebuild the pump i own or should i presue a lead i have to buy a 1997 vintage quincy 325.
this newer compressor was used as a back up compressor in an industrial plant (in case the large screw compressors went down for repair or maintenance). i have not heard or seen the 1997 compressor run. the question is: am i being overly cautious on my older compressor? any advantages in having the newer vintage quincy. here are a few pictures of the older compressor. the tank is 60 gallon which i would change out to 80 gallon receiver i have .also , i would be looking to have a pressure switch controlling the motor. right now this older pump continues to idle after it reaches set tank pressure. any advise is helpful, as i am a novice at this. thanks in advance. thomas

 

[rustyjames]

I would try the one you bought, and if the price is right buy the other one. You could always resell for a profit. These pumps are bullit proof, and I consider them as good investments.

 

[pcmeiners]

1969 vintage...
To be on the safe side call Quincy and make sure they have parts available for this unit.
I would automatically go for the 1997 unit over this one, almost 30 year difference in age.

 

[crann]

thanks . i called quincy and parts are available for the 1969 model. true 30 years is a lot of time. then again , if i get 30 more years i don't think i will have much use for a compressor. i am in my 60's. by the way i grew up on staten island, st.george area.fond memories.

 

[pcmeiners]

"i grew up on staten island, st.george area.fond memories. "
Cool, I am Dongan Hills but went to Curtis. I would DIY hydrostat the tank.
Good luck

 

[md21722]

The constant run feature is nice if the motor is going to be cycling a lot. You can plumb it together so it operates as dual control, pressure switch or constant run with the pilot valve. Old tanks were very stout, often 3/16" or even 1/4" thick. You may want to hydrostatic test it and use it along with a secondary tank. Having the air pass from one tank to another to your distribution system helps cool the air if no after cooler is installed. Plus more air storage is nice.

 

[Geezershop]

I have a 50's Quincy out of an old service station. I've had it for 25 years, it's never been rebuilt, and it just keeps on chugging. So I say just use it until it needs work ( might be a long time).

 

[crann]

thanks fellas for your responses. i had been told that quincy's reputation is stellar when it came to manufacturing compressors.
once i get to pulling the head and doing an inspection my decision will be quick. whether the newer compressor will still be available is another matter.

 

[Trey T]

It's very simple to determine if the pump is in good working condition or not:

1. rock the flywheel back and forth to hear knock or not
2. turn the flywheel to hear the croggin sound and air comes out

you don't need to run it to determine if pump is good or not. At one point I had 5 quincy 210 (small pump) pumps in various working order but they're fairly easy to evaluate the condition.

 

[crann]

thanks trey. my compressor sounds good and is making air.
it seems the boat has sailed on the newer vintage compressor. that makes my choice easier going forward.
i think it is wise to give the compressor this old some attention before i put back into service. hoping next week to get into the compressor and evaluate what is needed.
thomas

 

[md21722]

You also want to pull off the discharge line and see if its wet with oil, and check the oil. I have seen discharge lines half full of wet carbon and pumps that turned OK by hand once but were later found have stuck rings, destroying the piston, cylinder walls. It did make its rated output. Go figure. I do not subscribe to the theory that just because it was made in 1969 it needs a rebuild. If the pump up time is within range and no other problems are found, run it. Unless you want to rebuild it???

 

[rustyjames]

Also agree, if it's not broke don't fix it. I've had Quincy pumps for many years that ran everyday, all day, and never saw the inside of one.

 

[crann]

i pulled the discharge line and found some oil . is this a sure sign the rings/pistons are bad ? this is a bit worrisome . i was hoping to not have to rebuild the bottom end of the pump.

 

[MEngineer]

I have the same compressor you have. Make sure to drain and replace the oil. Mine was all clogged up with carbonized oil.

 

[redmondjp]

I agree with the others above - don't fix what ain't broken. Put some fresh oil in it and see what happens. Any compressors with disc valves can have rust issues on the valve seats (just like car engines and small engines) if they have sat for awhile. That will become apparent when you get it running, if it is an issue. Then you deal with that, it's not a big deal and there is plenty of information on this site and on youtube as to how to repair.

 

[crann]

do others use quincy oil or is there an alternative that is of good quality? i will be setting the compressor up in an enclosed space which is not heated. recommendations on an oil for colder temperatures?

 

[Trey T]

quincy calls for SAE30 oil. I used 10w30 synthetic, which is not yet recommended, on the Quincy 210 and now on the Champion PL15a (pressured lube R15 w/ a spin on filter).

I tried the SAE30 awhile back when I first got the 210 pump but it made the pressure reading bounce like crazy. I used the SAE30 previously on other pumps that are splashed lube.

For home shop, I recommend using synthetic oil to minimize the oxidation ... .

 

[crann]

thanks trey.

 

[truckdriver]

This guy has a few videos showing complete teardown and rebuild of a 325.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oQ_h5sXt98Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[crann]

hi truckdriver, thanks. i had found some of his videos . they are very informative.he has lots of experience and it shows !

 

[pcmeiners]

Yes thanks Truckdriver, excellent videos. Rarely can I sit down and watch multiple videos with ease.

"do others use quincy oil or is there an alternative that is of good quality?"
Study on compressor oils below, Quincy's oil is compared.

http://www.thebestsyntheticoil.com/pdf/whitepaper7.pdf

Thought the salt water corrosion test was odd but due to hurricane Sandy I had a new Curtis ML compressor under salt water for about 15 day, (filled with salt water). After disassembly, there was NO rust in the interior of the pump, not a trace; most of the oil leaked out but the entire interior had an oil coating, so the original oil used in the pump had a corrosion inhibitor. With the condensation in compressor sumps, corrosion inhibitors are critical