Thread: air comp 2 hp v twin what oil to use?

ordinary engine oil

Well thats easy then isnt it!
Thanks
Rileyp

Originally Posted by rileyp

Hi all
I have a 2 hp belt drive macmillan compressor with a fusheng v twin pump.
What type of oil should I put in it?
I bought it s/hand with a burnt out motor which I replaced 5 years ago.I dont use it all that much but wish to keep it in tip top condition and am thinking an oil change wont hurt!
Any help much appreciated!
cheers rileyp

Hi you can buy compressor oil at most hardware and tool supplyers and it is not a multigrade and is much clearer and lighter than automotive . it is preferable not to use oil with additives as there is no combustion gasses and acids to deal with so you do not need any extra crap in the
oil Cheers W.W.Wally

name of compressor then model or go the the makers web page

What sort of help is Just type into google?
Ive been looking for ages with no conclusions...
I just found this:
For Reciprocating Compressors

Lubrication is required for the bearings, pistons, rings, cylinders and valves.
The pistons and valves reach temperatures of 220⁰C to 300⁰C and the oil film on the surfaces of these components must not form carbon. Hard carbon can jack open valves, which can cause a rapid increase in air delivery temperature. This can lead to glowing carbon particles in the delivery pipework and valve chamber and ultimately lead to an explosion.
Soft, oil carbon is less of a problem but can also eventually dry out if it is in the delivery pipework and cause the same problem. It can also build up in the pipework causing restrictions and reductions in efficiency.
As such, a lubricant with exceptionally low carbon forming properties is required.
Antiwear additives are required for the bearings, pistons, rings and cylinders.
Good demulsibility properties are also necessary to aide water/oil separation as the oil containing air is cooled and the water vapour condenses.
Viscosity selection is also important to maintain adequate oil film thickness and minimise friction losses as well as minimising oil consumption.
One of the main degradation of the oil is by oxidation, which can be detected by an increase in viscosity, acidity and acrid smell.
Allowing an oil to stay in use above its recommended operational time would result in thermal breakdown of the oil and possible breakdown of the compressor as a result of deposits forming on the valves.

Air compressor oil.

Bunnings or Supercheap sell it.

Originally Posted by Dean

Air compressor oil.

Bunnings or Supercheap sell it.

Thanks Deano!
Is it expensive?
Nevermind Ill ring them right now!
$10 for 1 litre or $6 for 250ml.
supercheap.

Originally Posted by rileyp

Thanks Deano!
Is it expensive?
Nevermind Ill ring them right now!
$10 for 1 litre or $6 for 250ml.
supercheap.

yep sounds about right

Originally Posted by rileyp

Thanks Deano!
Is it expensive?
Nevermind Ill ring them right now!
$10 for 1 litre or $6 for 250ml.
supercheap.

Also, be sure not to confuse the "Air Tool Oil" for "Air Compressor Oil". You want the stuff that goes in the compressor, not in the Air Tools

RileyP

I bought a second hand air compressor with a 3 cylinder Fusheng compressor unit. I had the same issue regarding oil and tracked down a company that used these compressor units in their systems - National Air. The gent from there sent me the following response on my question about the oil and servicing them: “…don’t pull it apart, they go forever! Change oil when it starts to go grey colour, ISO 100 grade like SAE 50, keep air filters real clean. Graeme [email protected].”

Kirk

I apoligise to Ashore .
I failed to disclose whether

It was an oil free compressor a splash or pressure lub system a screw or pump type compressor, as different oils are used with different types of compressors and lub systems and bearing types and clearances.The best response is to check with the maker perhaps the compressor is designed to use synthetic oil not the mineral oil sold at supercheap , is the oil you intend to get a non detergant ,does it have an anti foaming agent will that particular anti foaming agent react with any of the material in shell bearings if fitted.
which would mean a decent answer could not be provided by someone with knowledge on these compressors.

The compressor air pump itself is a fusheng va65. Which i believe to be a v twin recipricating splash type lub air compressor with the features below:
http://www.glencomfg.com.au/images/L...re/Fusheng.pdf

Standard Features:

	Heavy Duty, low rotational speed, industrial design.
	Precision machined cast iron crankcase, cylinders and heads.
	Forged alloy steel, crankshaft with rolling element main bearings.
	Oversized crankcase oil reservoir with oil sight glass.
	Long life compression and oil control piston rings.
	Deep directional cooling fins with streamlined air passage.
	High volumetric efficiency poppet-type inlet and exhaust valves.
	Built-in head unloaders with interconnecting copper tubing.
	Noise suppressed air intake with replaceable filter elements.
	V-belt drive compatible with electric, petrol and diesel motors.
	Manufactured to srtingent ISO 9001quality standards.

And so someone with knowledge on compressors may just know the correct type of oil to use as there are a myriad of oils out there that will do the job but probably only one or two that will be of best performance.
Im probably best of to contact a fusheng dealer in australia.
Thanks to everyone for their input.
Rileyp

Originally Posted by rileyp

I apoligise to Ashore .
I failed to disclose whether The compressor air pump itself is a fusheng va65. Which i believe to be a v twin recipricating splash type lub air compressor with the features below:
http://www.glencomfg.com.au/images/L...re/Fusheng.pdf

Standard Features:

	Heavy Duty, low rotational speed, industrial design.
	Precision machined cast iron crankcase, cylinders and heads.
	Forged alloy steel, crankshaft with rolling element main bearings.
	Oversized crankcase oil reservoir with oil sight glass.
	Long life compression and oil control piston rings.
	Deep directional cooling fins with streamlined air passage.
	High volumetric efficiency poppet-type inlet and exhaust valves.
	Built-in head unloaders with interconnecting copper tubing.
	Noise suppressed air intake with replaceable filter elements.
	V-belt drive compatible with electric, petrol and diesel motors.
	Manufactured to srtingent ISO 9001quality standards.

And so someone with knowledge on compressors may just know the correct type of oil to use as there are a myriad of oils out there that will do the job but probably only one or two that will be of best performance.
Im probably best of to contact a fusheng dealer in australia.
Thanks to everyone for their input.
Rileyp

Another option is to get onto one of the major oil manufacturers (Shell , Mobil etc) web pages and do a search for industrial oils and applications .
They usually have online recommendations .
Because compressors run at higher temps than normal car engines its not wise to use engine oils as they burn and create a lot of carbon ,this becomes deposited around valves and on piston tops .Eventually these carbon pieces break off and can cause damage to your compressor.

Kev

Hi Riley,

most brands will have a compressor range, like Shell has "Tellus" oil especially suited for compressors. These oils have slightly other additives than engine oils have, but if availability sould be a problem, a 10W30 motor oil will do. It can be both organic or synthetic.

Be sure to drain off every last bit of the previous fill, because some oils are known not to mix too happily with other products. Though the chance is slim that this will happen, this could in the worst case result in poor lubrication and quicker wear.

In compressors there is no pressure system with capilary channels running inside crankshafts to supply inner bearing surfaces, it's just a simplistic "splatter" system (the crankshaft splashes around in the oil, splattering it across the entire unit's inner casing, lubricating moving parts and the cylinder walls from underneath). So there are few components that can really clog up, therefore the exact oil composition is less critical than with an engine. In compressor cylinders, a lot of heat can be generated, but not as much as in combustion cylinders. The oil will not scorch or burn so soon and will not be polluted with carbonbased residu from the burned fuel. Pollution, valve leakage, reduction in compression and wall damage -abrasive scratching- will rather be caused by poorly filtered intake air (e.g. in case of a missing or very dirty air filter cartridge).

The oil level, however, is very important in both engines and compressors. Please follow the manufacturer's guidelines.

There is also a recommended amount of time for every oil fill to last, like 5000 hours of running the compressor, after which the oil must be changed. The manufacturer also provides guidelines for this. When not, copy the guidelines from a make and type of compressor (rpm, cylinder volume, working pressure, cylinder made of cast iron or steel lining inside aluminium, etc) resembling yours as closely as possible, for which instructions are still available.

The reasons for "oil wear" over time are several. Oil can slightly alter chemically over time. Is can oxidise or gain some soap-like or resin-like features, meaning it chemically desintegrates a bit and gets thicker or sticky or flaky (the organic ones, that is, the synthetic ones nowadays hardly suffer from this). Pollutants, of course, do change lubricating characteristics as well. When the mechanical use is very severe, there is also "oil fatigue", the oil becomes thinner and its lubrication becomes weaker. Fatigue is scarcely a problem in compressors, however, but much more in brutal applications like very high pressure hydrostatic motors, where oil molecules are under enormous mechanical strains.

When the compressor has be standing around without use for some time, the oil just behind the gauge glass can become darker in colour. After having run the machine for a bit, the oil has been splashed around and oil that was visible behind the glass for a long time, should now have been mixed with the rest. Should the oil colour still be noticeably darker than that of "fresh oil" in a closed tin, than an oil change would probably be a good advice, even when the "hours of use limit" has not yet been reached at all, for colour change is a sure sign of chemical alteration of the oil's properties.

Hope to have been of some help.

Regards

gerhard