Help with my air compressor oil!!

[Chris142]

I have a yr old Quicny 20 gallon compressor. It got down to +10F last night and I had a pipe freeze and burst. So I had to drain my 500gallon pressure tank then pump it back up with the air compressor.

The compressor says to use a SAE40 compressor oil and specifically says no automotive oils.

I have Amsoil compressor oil in it.

The oil was too thick! The belt was slipping and it blew the breaker several times until it got running and up to temp.


So I think I need to go with a lighter oil. But I'm limited to oil if I go with Quincy's recomendations.

 

[Clevy]

Too thick? What compressor oil are you using. I've got Amsoil compressor oil in all my compressors and they turn just fine in -40 weather.
open the petcock that drains the water from the tank. That will reduce the drag on the motor until the oil and pump are hot,then close the valve. We do this with all our compressors in winter. They are continuous duty though. They are always turning,never stopping,and a valve just opens to let the air pump into the atmosphere when pressure in the tanks hit 150

 

[tig1]

I use Lowes semi syn compressor oil and 2 Oz. Of Mobil 1 5w30 in mine. It sets in my unheated attached garage and has never failed to start.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Too thick? What compressor oil are you using.
This is whats in it.

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/co...-40/?GroupID=68

I'm serously considering going against there recomendations and using a 0wxx.

 

[Clevy]

That's what I'm using.
Just open your drain at the bottom of your tanks for a few minutes to let it warm up. Do not use an oil with a detergent. My employees tried that once in one of mine. It foamed up,eventually seizing the pump.
I have added MOS2 to my pumps though. That could be why I have no issues.

 

[JHZR2]

Why not just drop a grade or two? You can always go back at a later time.

Dropping one grade likely wont make a big difference.

The idea of running it open is smart. It lets everything flow and warm up nicely. If things get too hot, you can always stop it for a bit, then continue.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Why not just drop a grade or two? You can always go back at a later time.

Dropping one grade likely wont make a big difference.

The idea of running it open is smart. It lets everything flow and warm up nicely. If things get too hot, you can always stop it for a bit, then continue.
Mainly I was in a hurry. I had to come home on my lunch hr, fix the problem and get it pumped back up in an hr including drive time.

Didn't have time to goof with waiting for it to warm up.

Maybe I should go to the SAE20 compressor oil?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Dropping one grade likely wont make a big difference.


Agreed. Compressor oil grade recommendations are several decades behind automotive recommendations. Contractors up here use compressors outdoors in -40, all with the same recommendations that the indoor compressors at one of my businesses have, where the heads never drop below operating temperatures except at night. Go figure.