Compressor Woes, Any Advice

My compressor has gotten me thru most of this project. Now it will not develope more than 75 PSI. It is usable this way, but of course it doesn't shut off. Any ideas, it is a Campbell-Hausfield oilless, don't hear any leaks etc. Thanks in advance.

Does it run all the time when you leave it alone or just when you're using it? If it shuts off when you just leave it alone you have a bad pressure switch.

If it just runs all the time regardless you might have a clogged air filter. Has it been gradually getting worse and worse? It would eventually get up to full pressure probably but just take a long time.

Those are the two easiest things to check. My guess, though, is that the piston or the valve is just worn out. You can typically rebuild stuff like that...depending on the comrpessor it may not be worth the time and $$$. I personally don't like messing with my own compressor. I like leaving 100+ psi type stuff to the pros 'cause I'm chicken!

You can probably disassemble it and replace the piston / rings and/or whatever is bad. My buddy did the same for his craftsman oilless - now it works fine. It wasn't hard to do...

T.

I'm familiar with that problem - the aluminum piston uses teflon rings that quickly wear out. Get a new piston w/ rings (about $30 last time I did that) and you'll be fine for a few hundred more hours.

Thanks

Thanks for the tips, will check it out.

air compressor

If you think the compressor is dying or worn out. I once had a similar problem with a worn out compressor. I bought a cheap 100 psi 4 cfm with a 20 gallon tank. I hooked both compressor feed lines together in series so they both pumped into both tanks. I played around with the pressure switch on both units till they would cut on and off pretty much together. I had a bunch more CFM, and they maintained pressure pretty well.