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Roger Prosper
06-13-2000 20:49:32
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Re: Champion air compressor rebuild in reply to Mark B (PA), 06-12-2000 19:10:08
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Champions are excellent machines. I have never worked on one this old, but chances are someone makes parts for it, if it was a good selling pump. Two companies, Independents Components Corp and Parts Service International make aftermarket overhaul kits for air compressors, though they deal only with resellers, so you would have to order these kits through a compressor shop. If you don't have access to kits, you can often cross reference piston rings from other machines (not just air compressors) to fit. Get a Hastings catalog and do some measuring. Crank roller bearings should be an easy cross reference. Aluminum rods that run directly on the crankshaft can be shaved down (cap and rod ends) and returned to size to fit worn journals (you'll lose some stroke). .002" for oil clearance. I have seen worn bearing shells successfully plastic coated with a tough material and put back into use on machines where bearing shells were no longer available. You can sometimes re-babbitt them as well ( tin with solder, babbitt with linotype 038 knife babbitt). Tricky though with split shells. You'll have to turn them back to size. Wristpin bores are easily bushed with bronze inserts. Oil seals are a snap. I have never seen an oil seal that could not be replaced. Worn wrist pins can be replaced with heat treated and polished 4140 steel if originals are not available. You may even find precision ground shaft steel in the exact size you need. Hope your cylinder bores aren't oversize or way out of round. Gets expensive to rectify. Gaskets are easy to make, but time consuming. Make sure they are thick enough for the pistons to clear the head, but not too thick to reduce air delivery or cause heat to build up. Newer Champions have a one piece cylinder and head arrangement. If yours does too, you are ahead of the game (no pun intended). Valves are always the kicker when rebuilding an old machine. If they are available, fine. But trying to drill or grind a hardened and tempered valve disc or reed valve to fit is well nigh impossible. I have had drill bits turning red hot and still the blasted reed valve would not give. Tough stuff! Start here. If you have no valves, you have no compressor. Period.
Good luck. Sometimes used machines are not the bargain they seem to be. How is your check valve, pressure switch, unloader valve, motor, belts, air filters? It all adds up. Don't skrimp on the supporting hardware or your efforts will be for nought. Does the tank leak? Sometimes rust build up on the bottom of a tank can mask leaks so be sure to check it out thoroughly. And last but not least, put a working drain valve on the tank and use it. Remember, it is damp in there and you have about 8 times the amount of oxygen as you would normally have in the same space, at atmosphere. Prime scenario for rust. INSTALL A SAFETY VALVE. Single stage compressors are for 120 psi max. Two stage, 120 plus.Happy wrenching!
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