Ingersol Rand DR-150 Gyroflo Help Needed (NCWayne)

Moldbuster

New User
I've been searching everywhere on the net to try to find any source of information on this compressor. I ran across an old archived thread where somebody was discussing these and a user named NCWayne was posting. It is an old Ingersol Rand tow behind and from what I can tell from piecing together bits and scraps, it is a DR-150 Gyroflo compressor. Had my local heavy equipment shop change all the bad air lines and service it (though they and I still have have no firm idea what motor is in it). The problem I am having is with the engine governor. When I first got it, it was idling way too high and the overpressure valve would blow off every 15 seconds or so. The mechanics changed the air line to the governor which was split. Now it does not accelerate the engine when you open the air taps. They also changed the oil, replaced the oil separator, changed the engine oil, etc. If you disconnect the governor and manually accelerate the engine, it works fine. The regulator/governor says Airglide UR-88 on it. I am searching for a replacement, rebuilt unit, somebody who can rebuild it, or a rebuild kit for it and have had zero luck.

Also, I would like to know if anybody does rebuilds on the Air Ends. It currently puts out enough air to run our smaller media blaster and has already paid for itself in work so I'd like to keep it or put it in good condition to honestly sell.

Also, if anybody can help identify the engine, that would be greatly helpful. I'd like to service the injectors and glow plugs as currently it requires a shot of ether to start.
IMG_2168_zpsu1kg9k1m.jpg
 
Engine appears to be a Ford Dorset 2711 or Dover 2722. See if # is on valve cover. Dover had aluminum intake and timing cover, Dorset had steel timing cover. Try using the excess fuel button on the injection pump, set throttle at least 1/3, fuel stop on, then push the button in center of stop control, it should click and stay in. When engine starts it should pop back out after engine speeds up a bit. Injection pump needs oil changed as it is not lubed by the engine. Older Simms pumps were all that way, if oil is changed at least once a year they hold up well. If not governor parts will wear and fail, rust inside will cause hard starting as the rack becomes sticky. If engine runs well after starting I doubt you have injector trouble, they are fun to pull as they are under the valve cover.
 
Moldbuster

Have You contacted I/R to see if they can get You the info?

http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/index.aspx

Maybe XROGERX is still watching the forum. He used to have
most of the answers about air compressors.

Steve A W
Ingersal Rand
 
It's been awhile since I worked on any of them, and I'll have to do some digging, but I'll check tomorrow and see if I can find any books on your machine. I know I've got books on the larger CFM ones, but am not sure about the smaller machines. Thankfully IR seemed to scale their compressors, so the procedures, etc for the larger machines are pretty much the same for the smaller ones also.

Like I said, I'll see what I've got and post back as soon as I can.
 
I will swing by the equipment yard and check the valve covers tomorrow.. Is the fuel pump lube roller and drain obvious? What kind of oil should it have?
 
The drain and side level plugs take a 1/2 inch wrench, plugs are 5/16 inch fine thread and can strip easily in the aluminum housing. DON'T put in longer bolts either or the governor cage will catch the bolt end and break out the housing, seen that too many times. Use whatever oil that the engine uses is fine. Fill plug is at top front, most take 15/16 wrench.
 
Moldbuster,

I have a very good friend who is retired from Ingersoll Rand. He was formerly the regional sales manager for the Western part of the United States. I printed your post and took it with me to church this morning to show it to him. He was very familiar with your machine, but obviously, the age of the machine makes it hard to find parts or service for it. He said that he's quite sure that I/R eventually sold off their old compressor division to Volvo. They still make compressors, but they are very different today from the older models. He suggested that you might Google "Volvo Equipment Services" and see if you can find anything there that might be helpful.

Good luck with your project.

Tom in TN
 
Tom is right in that Volvo is now the distributor for IR compressors, but also right in that they haven't made the Gyroflow in ALOT of years. The Gyroflow was a vane pump, where everything now days is rotary screw. Given that there are still a lot of vacuum pumps out there that operate on the vane principle, parts should be available, but it would probably be a matter of matching up, rather than ordering straight from IR. I could be wrong on that as I have never had to order parts for the compressor itself, but as of 14 years or so ago, I do know there were parts available for the control valves to rebuild them.

I just shot you an email. I've got one book that covers a lot of models, but not yours specifically. I still think the control system is pretty much the same so it ought to help you out. Shoot me an email with what you need and I'll scan it in and send it your way.
 
I just Googled a new IR regulator.......$1200+, yikes!

Is there a small bleed valve anywhere on that regulator? Many old IR screws, and I assume vanes as well, had regulators that needed to bleed air off so that the regulator could return to full open position. I once made the mistake of closing off that little valve during a service call only to receive a rather terse call-back from the customer stating his compressor would not build any pressure. It's just a small hand valve like the ones you see on the bottom of air tanks to drain off water. If set up just right for the process it is supplying, you can get extremely fine pressure control if you play with it for awhile. Some regulators have a dedicated bleed orifice in them for just that purpose.

Other than that, I would suspect a bad diaphragm or crap in any of the small orifices inside.

If you are having no luck, you could install a simple spring return air cylinder on the throttle and run it with a negative pressure regulator. Negative regulators do not pass any air until they reach their pressure setpoint. Hoerbiger makes them. Cash Acme also make valves for this purpose, and they were commonly found on many different manufacturers units for pressure control.

As far as rebuilds go, finding new vanes should not be too hard. These older machines often used some sort of micarta like material, or micarta itself for the vanes and as they aged they would sometimes begin to delaminate. I believe there are better alternatives out there now, perhaps even aluminum blades to replace them with. Vanes are pretty simple. Usually, there is a stator everything spins inside, a rotor with slots for the blades, and some roller bearings on either end of the shaft (babbitt bearings for Hydrovanes and Fluid-Airs). The only really critical element is the end clearance between the rotor and case end covers. Too little means rotor growth will have them grinding into the covers, too much will lead to hot running and a lack of air output. Any decent established air compressor shop should be able to overhaul one easily.
 

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