...before I perform Last Rites upon my compressor...

[D Picasso]

...I thought maybe someone here might know what's wrong:

this is a DeVillbiss 5-horse, 20 gallon unit. its problem is it runs and runs but will only pump up to about 65 pounds, not 100 as it did a few months ago.

it doesn't shut off, but continues running even though the head and piping seem only warm to the touch, not HOT as it has been in the past.

what do you think? rings? can a fellow obtain parts like that? the compressor's only about 5 years old....dang.

[Tuck]

could it be a broken valve in the head?
is there air coming back out the intake?

tuck

[D Picasso]

I wonder...

I checked all the fittings, nothing's obviously blowing. it's sucking from the intake enough to hold a piece of paper but I haven't stuck my finger in there...!

you'd think if it was a broken valve it wouldn't pump up at all; it seems to go slowly but steadily to 65#. no weird noises.

I suppose I could take a crack at taking it apart...aaaAAAhh.

[Tuck]

if you take the inspection cover off the top you can make a new gasket out of a 12 pack cardboard case...

sometimes the valve will start to come loose from one side and slide over...
it wont make any noise and will only pump to a certian pressure... ive had it happen... sounds like a exhaust valve to me.

To check it without popping the top do this:

let it pump up to pressure 85psi and shut it off

take your pre filter off and take a screwdriver and push the inlet valve...
if pressure blows out its a valve
if theres no pressure its something else

there are two sets of valves
intake
exhaust

exhaust takes the brunt of the heat and force and wear out faster
if that valve is bad the air will fall back against the intake valve.

a good working compressor should have no pressure on the intake...

try it, it'll blow out hard if the 2nd valves are bad.

tuck

[CharlieLed]

Tuck's got it nailed...

[Tuck]

danny boy whats the word?

[D Picasso]

hey, thanks for the advice! I'm gonna tear into it this evening.

looks like you've been down this road before, huh?

[Tuck]

yeah!
id try the screwdriver test
that will tell all without having to open it up

i dig trying to fix shit on my own... thats how i learned this in the first place...

Tuck

[D Picasso]

ain't that the truth- one of my bench grinders quit on me last week and I managed to fix it last night... made me feel a little more in control of my life. lessons abound.