Air compressor oil

Keith True

Well-known Member
I have a LeRoi-Dresser air compressor.I wanted to change the oil in the compressor,and have been trying to find a brand compatible with the LeRoi SSL38 spec.I know it did get hydraulic oil put in it years ago,but I would like to find out just what the specs need to be for it.It is a model,100R GLE.It is a screw,or rotor type compressor.It looks kind of tiny mounted on the back of that C-135 Farmall engine,but it makes serious air.I don't like to buy oil through the mail,and besides that,I have to sandblast Monday.I would rather change it before I use it again if I could.
 
I looked at a cross reference, showed it to be RO32 hyd oil. (Not to be confused with AW oil.)

If that's what's been running successfully in it, it will be OK.

If it shows signs of burning, clogging the separator, turning stinky black, then upgrading to synthetic would be a plus. Many of the older compressors were built before synthetic was available, so synthetic can be substituted as long as it meets the requirements.
 
Several years ago I changed the oil in my aluminum 2 cylinder compressor. Put in Mobil 1 10w-30 and didn't look back.
 
Thank you.The previous owner borrowed it from me about 15 years ago,and changed the oil while he used it.At the time he said he had always used hydraulic oil in it,and said just make sure it was thin.It holds about 7 gallons.I lied about it being a rotory,I just remembered it is a vane type.It is a 1973.I just got it out and changed the oil,and after I ran it some I checked the oil.It is real foamy after running it.The thing is,it may have always been foamy after running,but I never checked the oil after using it.Seeing it like that made me wonder if I needed something different.The oil does stay clean,but it has been in there for about 15 years.I haven't started it in three years now,I don't do the sandblasting I used to.
 
I think tractor supply sells Campbell hausfeld compressor oil. The main thing is you get a non-detergent oil. In a compressor the detergent oil tends to foam.
 
I remember being told that I was not to use oil for a piston type compressor.Those are to lube the bottom.On mine,with the vanes,both oil and air get squeezed through and then run through a separator.That must work pretty good,because I've painted a lot of equipment with it after sandblasting.More times than not without an air dryer.The air coming out of it is pretty hot too.
 
SSl 38 oil is made for Rotary Screw Compressors. It is a partial-synthetic blended oil. Talon AZ31341-5 LLL 4 46 made by Shell Oil will work.. Don't be surprised if you see it going for $25 or more for a gallon no matter what the brand.

Dump Hydraulic oil into a rotary screw compressor? Good luck with that.
 
It's actually a vane type,not a rotary.I had a Dresser rotary,that one had the oblong pump with the two rotors.This older one has the round pump with the vanes.I know the vane type one has had 20 WT hydraulic oil in it for years.The SSI 38 oil is shown as the replacement oil.It is a 1973 machine,so I would like to find what was used before the synthetic.It used to get a lot of use,but I doubt I'll sandblast another 50 pieces of equipment in my lifetime.Probably not even another 25.
 
I have both 60 and 80 gallon vertical piston type compressors. Both are Polar Air (Eaton).

I buy their own branded full synthetic compressor oil directly from them.

I just changed both of mine. The Polar Air synthetic oil is $8.00/qt. You can buy directly and they will ship it to you. Google Polar Air for their website to find the 800 number.

They also sell oil for rotary screw compressors.

Dean
 
(quoted from post at 18:29:36 09/08/18) It's actually a vane type,not a rotary.I had a Dresser rotary,that one had the oblong pump with the two rotors.

Vane types are a lot diffdrent than a rotary type. Redy Heater uses vane type air compressors in their high btu forced air heaters. Rotary or twin screws as we call them are basically the same as a super charger found on funny and top fuel drag cars. The one we had in a fab shop in NC ran 7 or 8 hours a day non stop. Once it built up 150 psi it did not matter how many tools you used . It maintained 150 psi throughout the shop the entire time it ran. We changed the oil in it every second Friday. The Syn-blend oil we used cost nearly $100 each time we changed it.

Your compressor could have used Synthetic oil. For synthetis has been around since WW2.
 
> I think tractor supply sells Campbell hausfeld compressor oil. The main thing is you get a non-detergent oil. In a compressor the detergent oil tends to foam.

The stores around here do but only in 1-gallon containers for $24.
 

We have a 69 model Worthington 20 hp vane compressor at the mill I drove for.
They use it as a backup compressor for the new screw compressors, they mainly use it for start up in cold weather.
The new screw compressors won't start until the compressor room temp is above 45 degrees.
Still have the paper work for it that calls for SAE20 motor oil.
 
Non detergent oil will foam less, won't hold contaminants in suspension. Syn oil will
be easier to start in the cold. Call AMSOIL for their recommendation. Oil costs less than
iron.
 
The screw type I had made good air,but it had things I didn't like about it.The rep back then harped on me about keeping it level.Not real hard to do,but it can be a pain unhooking it from the truck because it sat nose high.I wasn't too happy with $700.oil changes either.For some reason that machine made a lot of water,and would turn the compressor oil milky in a few months.This old vane type shows no sign of moisture in the oil after at least 15 years.My only real gripe with this old Dresser is that you have to start it with the air valve open,and it is instantly running at top operating RPM.I just don't like winding a cold engine up.It won't start under a load,that compressor starts making air at cranking speed.I have to let it run long enough to warm up enough to stay running under a load at idle.With two guys sandblasting off this machine it will use 30 gallons of gas in a day.That sounds worse than it really is,if two guys are blasting the money being made makes the fuel cost small.
 

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