30 wt motor oil in air compressor

admin

Folks , I have been running 30 wt motor oil in my 5 hp air compressor since 1979 .  It has a lot of hours on it but I was in a store the other day and they were pushing  special air compressor for the crank case of air compressor .   I know this sounds kinda dumb but what do you guys use in the crank case of your compressors ?   Do you use the special oil or just motor oil.   I had never given the type of oil any thought.  Maybe I have been doing it wrong the last 36 years.  Thanks for all your input.  Richey
Reply:A buddy of mine that runs an engine machine shop says to use nondetergent 30wt. He says it allows any foreign material to drop out of the oil and settle in the pan as opposed to stay suspended in the oil like conventional motor oil does so it can be removed by the oil filter. I have a place that I can buy Royal Purple full synthetic recip compressor oil very reasonably. Since canging compressor oil is low on my priority list I prefer to use a very good oil because I know it won't get done when it should be.-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:Always went with 30 wt non-detergent oil. Non-detergent so any garbage will drop to the bottom of the sump instead of floating through the system again and again.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:That's good to  know.  I am not sure which oil I used/use.    My oil is still very clean looking in the sight glass.  Sure as I brag on it the joker will lock up in the morning........
Reply:Thanks for reminding me though! I bought a new compressor head last year and the shop recommended running conventional oil for a couple changes before swithing to synthetic...and I haven't changed it yet. Maybe I'll get a few minutes to do that in the next week or two...hopefully....-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:Compressor oil.
Reply:Compressor oil only!HF 90 Amp Flux Core Customized.
Reply:I've run Synthetic 30 wt., Detergent 30 wt., non detergent 30 wt. and Campbell-Hausfield Compressor oil in my 80 gallon 5 hp vertical compressor and it doesn't seem to make any difference. The compressor is only 25 years old, though so you never know when it will quit on me. Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:I've always run Quincy "Quincip" oil in all of mine. My compressors do have oil pumps and spin on oil filters.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Shell Rotella 30w. Change early, change often. Usually change 3-4 times a year, oil is cheapMiller Big 40GMiller HF-251 D High FreqVictor OA Lincoln 135 MigMK 3A CobramaticBridgeport J HeadCronatron OxylanceRadnor ACAG TorchWeldcraft TIG Torches1 blown knee and two 5 Gallon pails away from being a hero.
Reply:ISO 100 is equivalent in viscosity to 30wt but yeah compressor oil should not have an emulsifier due to water leaking by rings but if you change the oil regularly there will never be enough water to cause problems.
Reply:i agree w/ non detergent is worth extra effort, Cape Cod Gary, every time i see your pic, it makes me think of the movie JAWS
Reply:My Quincy 325 is in an un-heated building so I run 30 weight synthetic.  Not saying its right but so far so good.  Change it once a year.  The compressor is only ran about once a week for a bead blaster cabinet.I do try to get the compressor hot when I do run it to keep crosion in the heads down.Dan D.Manipulator Of Metal
Reply:I use compressor oil too."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:What you use is what the pump maker says to use....That said, you don't have to buy his overpriced oil, just the equivalent if available. Oils are classed by first type, then viscosity, then additional properties applicable to the application and actual materials and design clearances the pump is constructed of/to.....I've maintained many compressors that required 10 weight mineral oils. Some that required multi viscosity fossil based or syn oils, some fixed weight syns or organics, and each with or without detergents, and some no oil at all.For over 50 years, the most popular consumer grade single phase AC compressors that delivers 100 PSI at 20 CFM or less, tends to require 30 Weight ND fossil oil or equivalent syn after breakin.But if you decide you want an industrial grade 100 PSI 20 CFM 3 phase unit in your plant, then expect it may require a more exotic oil because the materials used in the bearings and the designed clearances are usually much different than consumer grade pumps of same ratings, but even then the more exotic oil is usually available from several sources.I used 100 PSI 20 CFM only because that capacity compressor is most popular with both industry and consumers, just to point out that each in that class will often require very different oils, and both are usually available from many different suppliers at bargain prices.One you move beyond that 100PSI 20 CFM range, you can get into very specialized equipment where they don't build their compressors to accept popular oils, instead they build their compressors to do a particular job, and then formulate a very specific oil to keep it going where you better fersure buy that exact oil at their price.
Reply:Originally Posted by 123weldi agree w/ non detergent is worth extra effort, Cape Cod Gary, every time i see your pic, it makes me think of the movie JAWS
Reply:O, ok, i thought the shark was back, and you were coning off the beach
Reply:I always used compressor oil, but this is good info to know!
Reply:Years ago at the air compressor manufacturing company where I worked, for a time, they simply mounted on the tanks the cast iron compressors as they came from China and shipped them. After several dealers started calling with repair complaints, they changed a few things. The first thing they started to do when a compressor was lifted from the China crate was had the oil drained from it. As it turned out, the oil was very, very poor quality.After the oil was drained, a small pipe about seven inches long or so was threaded into the drain hole and then capped. This would entice people to change their oil more often because now it didn't drip and run all over the tank when it was changed. They could at least get a bottle or funnel on it. Mobil oil was used in the crankcases. I don't remember what type. They then unbolted the heads and changed some reed valve springs, re-bolted the heads, then sent them down the line to be bolted onto the tanks.KevCentury 100 | Miller 250 | ESAB 353Who is Dan Well? Everyone always says to me, "You know Dan Well!"
Reply:Folks thanks for all your helpful information.  I have learned a lot from you.   As always I am proud to be associated with folks on a forum that have knowledge and experience from just about any subject that could be thought of in a welding shop application.
Reply:"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"