diesel reefer unit converted to a air compressor?

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I have a chance to  buy a diesel refrigeration unit removed  from a semi trailer, I was thinking about converting it to a air compressor, utilizing the refrigeration pump. Does anybody know if this is possible?Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:some compressors rely on lubrication from the refrigerant, some don't. I think that's what you need to determine. weather it can be run dry without ruining the compressor. if it can then it should work I think. I know the old york style ac compressors made awesome compressors... you need t find out more about the pump itself I think...miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Originally Posted by turbocad6some compressors rely on lubrication from the refrigerant, some don't. I think that's what you need to determine. weather it can be run dry without ruining the compressor. if it can then it should work I think. I know the old york style ac compressors made awesome compressors... you need t find out more about the pump itself I think...
Reply:is it a TK or carrier?  If I remember my refer class in tec school 10 years ago, a carrier compressor will work as an air comp, because is has a large oil sump min the compressor.  A TK doesn't.  But just to take a running refer and convert it, I think there are more things to consider, like unloading the compressor when it is at pressure.Bruce DeLaetHeavy Equipment Mechanic and Welder1948 SA-200 short hood1949 LincWelder 1801963 SA-200 red faceMiller S-32-P
Reply:Demon, if it still runs and works I would opt for using it to heat and cool the shop.  We had an old TK we used to cool our shop on really hot days and it was a lifesaver.  They are a bit noisey but move a lot of cool or cold air in a pretty biig hurry.  They dont burn much diesel either.  Just a thought if you can get a working unit for cheap.I'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:I don't know anything about the Carrier compressors that they use on the diesel units. But the Thermo King compressors have the intake valves on the piston. Thus the intake on them goes through the crankcase. I believe they'd throw a lot of oil out with the air though I've never tried one that way.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Saw a rig yesterday with a PTO air compressor on the trailer.  The air compressor was a small block Chevy v8 with special heads.  No other changes...But, most refrigeration stuff breathes through the crankcase.  You would have to use an oil separator in conjunction with the compressor much like the portable rotary screw compressors.
Reply:76GMC....what was different about the heads on the 350??  Maybe I should just get the diesel engine from one of the units and use a regular air compressor. Those reefer unit engines produce about 40-50hp, what size air compressor would I be able to use with that hp range? My plan is to use this mainly for a sand blasting compressor.Rbeckett that would be an excellent idea, I will have to see what is wrong with the units( he has 4-5),  but they all have something wrong with the a/c side of the units.... I think he said it was something with the electronics......Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:usually the conversion is 2-3 hp for gas driven for every 1 hp electric depending on the pump is the way we used to figure it when we were converting. that's gas. may be different for diesel.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:you used to be able to buy a kit that you could take a v8 and convert up to 4 cylinders to pump air while the other 4 powered the engine but i can't remember the name of it. it worked on alternating cylinders so basically you had a v4 pump and a v4 engine driving the pump. it's hell getting old and forgetful.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:I'd think it would be more like a special cam and exhaust than a special head to make it a compressor.
Reply:I'm imagining some sort of reed valve setup that eliminates the whole original valve train, but just a guess really... that's probably how I'd try to build an engine into a compressor I think miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Reed valves or some other check valves would be my guess also.Maybe also a reduction in the chamber size so you squeeze all the air out of the cylinder.  A regular engine with 10:1 compression ratio probably doesn't make a good compressor.  When you get up to around 140psi (10x atmosphere) it'll quit outputting any air.  It'll just be compressing and expanding the same air over and over.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:yeah, I'd also think the heads dome would be reversed & go right to the face of the piston with minimal clearance...miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:On this setup the entire head was replaced by a new unit.  Everything was driven by a hydraulic vane motor that used a Chevy bellhousing as an adapter.  Surprisingly little was changed which was interesting.  I don't know what the pressure output would have been but a 350 cubic inch compressor would definitely move some air and definitely cost some money to buy as a standalone.
Reply:Originally Posted by AndyAReed valves or some other check valves would be my guess also.Maybe also a reduction in the chamber size so you squeeze all the air out of the cylinder.  A regular engine with 10:1 compression ratio probably doesn't make a good compressor.  When you get up to around 140psi (10x atmosphere) it'll quit outputting any air.  It'll just be compressing and expanding the same air over and over.
Reply:Smith compressors which are common in the tire service industry use a 351 Ford SB which replaces one cylinder head with a compressor head and the OE head is retained on the left bank.  The engine runs on 4 cylinders and pumps on 4.    Ford firing order allows you to use every other cylinder.  The compressor head utilizes a poppet valve design rather than a reed valve.  Older models used a 302 and even older models (1930s circa) used a flat head 60 and 80.RogerOld, Tired, and GRUMPYSalesman will call, Batteries not included, Assembly is required, and FREE ADVICE IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY FOR IT!Dial Arc 250HFThunderbolt 225 AC/DCAssorted A/O torches
Reply:I wonder if using a diesel engine would be more efficient for a compressor conversion over a gas engine conversion, much more compression than a gas engine.....I have heard of some guys using a small block gas engine,and using 4 operating cylinders and the other four were used as a supercharger for the four operational cylinders... but how would this or a compressor conversion be balanced and not viberate itself to catastrophe?  This reminds me of the 4 cylinders Pontiac made from the 389,which they could never get them balanced right.....Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:yeah, I've seen that 4 cylinder pontiac engine in nunzi's shop here in brooklyn. it's the stupidest looking thing,it looks like they just took a sawzall & cut one whole side of the v block off... he says it runs good & strong miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Originally Posted by DemonSpeederI wonder if using a diesel engine would be more efficient for a compressor conversion over a gas engine conversion, much more compression than a gas engine.....
Reply:The CNG compressor I used to deal with had the ford motor. The difference was that one cylinder was pumped into the next, then into the next, then into the next. Also, cylinder sizes were reduced om each cylinder. We were getting about 2800 psi out of them as I recall.
Reply:I have a v4 wesconson one side is air other is nornal to power it. Years age I got plans to build sand blaster and compresor Compresor was a 390 ford.Head is very easy to build.
Reply:''We were getting about 2800 psi out of them as I recall."    HOLY CRAPLincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st