acohen100
Silver Member
Can you use any straight 30 wt. oil for an air compressor? I have been buying "compressor oil" but wanted to switch to a synthetic and they do not list the weight on any of the bottles.
Compressor oil
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Bird
Rest in Peace
In my opinion, you could use almost any 30 weight synthetic oil. Many years ago, I simply used 30 weight motor oil, but at least the newer compressors (mine is just over 3 years old) have manuals that specify a 30 weight synthetic. Of course it costs a little more, but I use Coleman Powermate Compressor oil from Northern Tool, and it does not say on the container that it's 30 weight or synthetic.
I don't understand why they don't put that on the container. However, the container does have an "800" number on it, so I called that number some time ago and was told that it is 30 weight synthetic. I've changed the oil in my compressor once a year even though the old oil doesn't really appear to be dirty, and I've not needed to add any between changes, so it really isn't all that expensive for me.
I don't understand why they don't put that on the container. However, the container does have an "800" number on it, so I called that number some time ago and was told that it is 30 weight synthetic. I've changed the oil in my compressor once a year even though the old oil doesn't really appear to be dirty, and I've not needed to add any between changes, so it really isn't all that expensive for me.
DieselPower
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Probably the easiest synthetic compressor oil to find is sold by Ingersoll Rand. Stop by any local TSC (Tractor Supply) and many big box hardware stores. It's called All Season T30 Select. It's actually a multiviscosity Diester synthetic oil, ISO viscosity grade 68/150, SAE grade 20W/40. I have been running this oil in my compressors for years without failure. My Kohler powered IR compressor in my mobile service truck has over 4,000 hours on the compressor head and still pumps out as much air as it did when it was new 10 years ago.
All Season Select
All Season Select
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acohen100
Silver Member
Thanks guys. I am a little bummed because my compressor somehow ran out of oil and I killed it - seized up. I had changed the oil less than 6 months ago so I was thinking synthetic may hold up better...unless there was a leak. It was less than 2 years old and used very infrequently. Bummers. Last thing I wanted to do was buy a new compressor.
Bird
Rest in Peace
What kind of compressor was it, how often did you check the oil, and how did you check it? I ask for a simple reason. When I was working on air tools, my brother brought me a DeVibiss compressor that was beyond help. Many of the compressors, especially DeVilbiss aluminum ones, are pretty decent compressors if they're kept full of oil. Some have a very shallow crankcase and you can remove the fill plug and see oil that appears close enough to the top, and yet burn up the compressor. Those type need the oil filled right up to the point of overflowing.
Soundguy
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acohen100
Silver Member
It was a small Makita 4.5 gal. Nice compressor. Really quiet. It had a sight glass but I just never anticipated that it could consume that much oil. I never checked it regularly though. It had been about 6 months since I filled it with light use since then.
Bird
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That's suprising to me because I've been using air-compressors for many years and just very seldom add any oil to a crankcase.
Soundguy
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Same here.. I just scrapped our upright 60g CH compressor.. it was a 84 model and just now finally died...
soundguy
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You must have a leak in it for it to lose oil like that.
I'm ashamed to say I've had an Ingersoll Rand that I never changed the oil in for over 5 years, but it never was very low! I changed it out when I realized how long it was, but still, it never went down much at all.
I'm ashamed to say I've had an Ingersoll Rand that I never changed the oil in for over 5 years, but it never was very low! I changed it out when I realized how long it was, but still, it never went down much at all.
Soundguy
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Speaking of ashamed.. that CH upright from 1984 that dies -NEVER- had it's oil changed... the big electric motor went out on it, and the tanks was getting rust on it.. so i decided not to repair it.. sinc ethe cost of a new (real) 5hp motor is the same cost as a cheaper (peak) 5hp upright compressor.. with new tank.. etc.
soundguy
soundguy
RobJ
Elite Member
It's not going to hold up if it runs out of synthetic either.
A perfect case IMO that why spend more money on oil if it isn't used very much. Also would not put in the expensive oil until I found/fixed the leak! Rob
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acohen100
Silver Member
It's not going to hold up if it runs out of synthetic either.
Rob
Well the engine seized and it's at the dump, so no point looking for the leak now
. New compressor is already in the shop and purring like a kitten.
Bird
Rest in Peace
I just noticed that Northern Tool has the Ingersoll-Rand T-30 synthetic compressor oil (it says using that oil extends your one year warranty to two years on type 30 compressors) and it's $10.99. However, it's been a year since I bought my synthetic oil and it was $3.99 a quart.
) and it's $10.99. However, it's been a year since I bought my synthetic oil and it was $3.99 a quart.
Soundguy
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An observation... The last 3 compressors I've bought ( small pancake for the garage for tires, large upright for shop, and a medium upright for farm ).. all of them have what are probably chinese assembled.. mostly aluminum pumps. on each of them after 1-2 hours of use.. the oil was dark... a change of oil after that has stayed nice and golden. My guess is these machines are built. filled with oil.. turned on for 1 compressor cycle to see if they pump air and the pressure switch works, and then are drained and shipped.. That means no break in.. and your oil probably picks up break in metals pretty quick.. thus the rapid color change.
If i hade a new pump now that came with synthetic oil.. I think I'd run a few cycles on some good clean cheap compressor oil.. then drain and refill with the good high $$ stuff.
soundguy
If i hade a new pump now that came with synthetic oil.. I think I'd run a few cycles on some good clean cheap compressor oil.. then drain and refill with the good high $$ stuff.
soundguy
Bird
Rest in Peace
Chris, the manual for my 3 year old "Industrial Air" compressor by Coleman PowerMate says "Made in the USA with domestic and foreign components" so I don't know how much was which. The pump is black and I'm guessing the head is aluminum and the rest is steel based on the fact that a magnet will stick to anything except the head. It came with synthetic oil and I ran it a year before changing.
The pump is black and I'm guessing the head is aluminum and the rest is steel based on the fact that a magnet will stick to anything except the head. It came with synthetic oil and I ran it a year before changing.
Soundguy
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On my pumps.. the largest upright actually has a steel cyl but onthe other 2 they are some cast pot metal... same with the 'sumps'.. all aluminum.
Soundguy
Soundguy
Bird
Rest in Peace
Chris, those all aluminum and shallow crankcase or sump are the ones you have to be careful about keeping full of oil right up to overflowing. I haven't looked at the manuals the last few years, but the Craftsman compressors made by DeVilbiss, both oilless and oiled compressors, had a warning in the manual to not run them more than 10 minutes continuously.
Soundguy
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Mine have site glasses.. which i always eyeball before turning them on.
I must say.. the lil pancake compressor is about 13ys old now.. cost 89$, and has actually run continously somethimes for 20-30 minutes at a time. then a 10 minute cooldown.. then another 20-30 minute run.. did that for a couple years on and off before I got a real compessor to run my paint gun.
It did have a cap on the moter break a wire when 6 mos old.. a wire nut fixed that... and it did pop a gasket in the head earlier this year and i was gonna scrap it.. but tore it apart and cleane dup all the plates and reed valves with carb cleaner and put it back together with automotive gasket paper cut by hand with a knife. Been running fine since. tough little varmint!.. but then.. i always make sure it has oil too!
soundguy
I must say.. the lil pancake compressor is about 13ys old now.. cost 89$, and has actually run continously somethimes for 20-30 minutes at a time. then a 10 minute cooldown.. then another 20-30 minute run.. did that for a couple years on and off before I got a real compessor to run my paint gun.
It did have a cap on the moter break a wire when 6 mos old.. a wire nut fixed that... and it did pop a gasket in the head earlier this year and i was gonna scrap it.. but tore it apart and cleane dup all the plates and reed valves with carb cleaner and put it back together with automotive gasket paper cut by hand with a knife. Been running fine since. tough little varmint!.. but then.. i always make sure it has oil too!
soundguy
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acohen100
Silver Member
Yeah, I think that break-in was something I probably neglected on the broken one when it was new. This time I left the air release open and just ran it with no load for about an hour to let everything seat and then changed the oil. I agree with soundguy. Looks like they filled it, ran a cycle and drained it. There was a wisp of oil in the crankcase when it arrived. Hopefully this one lasts me for more than a few years.
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