TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Discussion Forum

Another air compressor question.

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

Kermit

09-28-2000 18:41:53

Report to Moderator

After further study on the purchase of an air compressor I'm now leaning toward buying a Campbell Hausfield 5hp 20 gallon model. I began to wonder if the Sears oil less models would stand up and would be too noisey. Sears also had two models whose compressors require oil. The drawback to these is that they have aluminum compressor housings with cast iron cylinder liners. The Campbell Hausfield has a cast iron compressor which is oil lube. It is about $100.00 higher, but to my way of thinking the cast iron compressor will be more solid and last longer. By it being oil lubed it should be quieter and last longer. Campbell Hausfield rates this model for "extreme duty." How about guys? I am correct with my thoughts on this? Is the Campbell Hausfield the better unit? Thanks in advance.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ray Peterson

10-02-2000 17:52:47

Report to Moderator

Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Kermit, 09-28-2000 18:41:53

Let me share my compressor woes with you. About fifteen years ago I got a 2hp, 2 cylinder Sanborn compressor. A real bad piece of work. The first time I turned it on, I blew every fuse in the barn! Well, I set up a separate circuit, fused at 30 amps slow blow, and it worked OK for a while. Then the switch died. I replaced it with a double pole, and rewired it for 240v. Shortly after I bought the unit the side of the crankcase worked loose, damaging the gasket, and spilling oil all over. Cleaned it all up, and sealed it with silicone automotive sealant. Virtually every plumbing jount on the thing was loose, and leaked air. Aluminum tubing between the cylinders broke from fatigue. One of the reed vaves failed, causing the head (aluminum)to melt around the port. Sanborn did supply a replacement (for a price). The unit pumped oil from the get-go - rings never sealed properly. While I had it down, for the head, I honed the cylinders (cast iron), replaced the rings, and now oil consumption is down. In short I had to rebuild it to make it a whole compressor. About everything that could go wrong could. I cannot recommend their brand!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Roger Prosper

09-30-2000 11:39:25

Report to Moderator

Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Kermit, 09-28-2000 18:41:53

Campbell Hausfeld makes a decent oil lube cast iron compressor. They are easy to rebuild and last a long time. Aluminum pumps are generally garbage. Aluminum is easy to cast, although I think the "aluminum" they use is probably more zinc than aluminum (Zamak, Mazak). Champion makes an excellent aluminum pump, but they are the exception. CH pumps, in my experience, (6 yrs compressor mechanic), last extremely well. They are sometimes running a lot faster nowadays than I would like though. I have seen them running after 30 years with no problems when properly taken care of. As for them having an interest in a cast iron foundry, why then would virtually all serious compressor manufacturers use cast iron in the manufacture of their heavy duty industrial units? Simple. It is cheap, stiff, easy to machine, and long lasting material. If your compressor is overheating, it is too small for the job, it is rotating backwards or you have valve problems. If you use a good quality oil (never engine oil)and change it regularly, you won't have a problem. Most Campbell Hausfeld pumps that I have seen fail have been run on the same oil so long it either turned to tar or it ran low and seized the rods. Keep it level too. More than one roofer came into the shop with a compressor seized on one rod after taking it onto the roof with him. Never changing the air filter or running without one is a good way to kill a pump too. I have seen reed valves fail, but only after a lot of use. This is a common problem with all reeds. They eventually fatigue and crack off. Hard to find an inexpensive compressor nowadays that doesn't use reeds though. Even the cheapest, nastiest oil lubed compressor is MILES ahead of an oilless. They are a throw away machine, some giving as little as a year's service before they are scrap. Basically, they are a one time sale, as anyone I have dealt with who purchased one will never again own one. Absolute rubbish. And they often mount to the tank in inventive ways which preclude simply bolting on a new pump and motor, so the tank is basically useless for anything other than storage. Avoid at all costs. I think the aluminum pump you are referring to is the cheap Coleman-Sanborn pump. They are the cheapest and simplest of the oil lubed compressors I have seen. Better than an oilless, but not as good as a Campbell Hausfeld by any means. I doubt it is a true 5hp, as it probably doesn't come near to delivering 20cfm at 100 psi. Don't worry. They all lie. I have seen some CH units branded as 7hp. Yeah, right. Many small businesses can barely run a true 5hp.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Kermit

09-30-2000 20:49:32

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Roger Prosper, 09-30-2000 11:39:25

I've noted that several people have recommended Ingersol Rand compressors as being among the best, but I've found that according to the catalog they also have a cast iron compressor. I still tend to believe that a cast iron unit will be built a lot more solid and last longer than an aluminum model. Also the CH model I'm looking at is a twin cylinder.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Andrew Kopel

09-29-2000 09:12:44

Report to Moderator

Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Kermit, 09-28-2000 18:41:53

Working in the air compressor industry I will try to steer you away from all CH units. Because of the cast iron they run hotter, this decreases the life of the units. The main reason why CH compressors are cast iron is because they used to have a business interest in a Cast Iron mill, they don't anymore and haven't had time to redesign all of there parts (although they have on some).

Also be carefull on there Oil-less units. Some of there 5hp models use a universal motor and have 1/2 the life of a induction motor. Also on those units they are misleading on their airflows on the universal motor product by 25-30%. (Industry average is around 10%).

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

David R

10-01-2000 07:11:55

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Andrew Kopel, 09-29-2000 09:12:44

Your aluminum/cast iron experience must be much diffent than mine. I am not familiar with the specific CH with the universal motor you mentioned. Sounds like that unit is a bad deal. I have to disagree with any blanket statement saying aluminum makes a better long lasting compressor. Cast iron is my material of choice for stationary and even vehicle mounted air compressors. If you carry one around (by hand) much, I think you have to go with aluminum. I've got three cast iron Quincy compressors running in very hot environment 110+ degrees for 2 to 4 months each summer. The oldest one around has been around for more than 40 years, another for more than 30 years and the other for 10, all are still running good except the oldest needs a rebuild because it's not pumping as much air as the newer ones. I beleve can still get parts for it too. All three are cast iron, with pressure lube.
I bought a IR aluminum for a little more than half the price of the Quincy I bought to replace it with, after the aluminum IR pump blew for good, lasted five years. The less expensive new aluminum IR was 3/5ths the price of the new cast iron Quincy was 5 years later. The "less expensive"? (short term)IR was a maintenance headache with bad motors (cheap) and oil leaks. By comparison the cast iron Quincy (all three) have run with only minor rebuilds evey 20+ years. I always have changed (in all of them) the oil twice a year because they run a lot, and I always use "compressor oil" in them. According to my experience if I kept buying the "cheaper" compressors I could, for EACH application, over 40 years time, If I went "cheap" I would buy 8 compressors, with sixteen motor problems thrown in at random for fun in my spare time. If I went "expensive" I would buy once and maybe rebuild a time or two, with maybe a motor. Not to mention the less problematic/better contactor etc on the "costlier" long-lasting machine.

I agree that according to all I've been told "cast iron doesn't dissapate heat as well as aluminum", I don't see any cast iron chain saws being sold, but for a stationary or vihicle mounted compressor I believe cast iron is money better spent. For a compressor that is used often and lasts a long long time my money is on the cast iron, because it has cost me less money and time in the long run, with no bad surprises. I don't know why those in the "air compressor trade" would want to use the superior cooling aluminum over cast iron but I sure doesn't make sense for me. Just my experience.
Best regards

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Scott Green

09-29-2000 17:39:46

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Andrew Kopel, 09-29-2000 09:12:44

I'm not a fan of Campbell Housefield(not sure of spelling)myself. There are other brands which are good without paying the high cost of the industrial ones.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Scott Green

09-29-2000 04:15:23

Report to Moderator

Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Kermit, 09-28-2000 18:41:53

Kirmit , I can see your listening and paying attention to what other people are saying. It looks to me like your on the right track. A friend of mine bought a well known air compressor with cast iron cylinder liners. I don't remember the name. He did not have it that long. The aluminum head warped and blew the head gasket. In the prossess , it also damaged a couple other parts up in the head area.(some kind of valve or something). He ended up buying a new compressor due to the long down time while waiting for parts and machining the head. One other thing. A two stage compressor is nice. A single stage is ok. Mine are single stage. But if I were to spend the dollar for a nice air compressor in my shop(which I will do someday) , it would be a two stage.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

J.D.

09-29-2000 06:55:41

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Scott Green, 09-29-2000 04:15:23

I agree. The 2 stage unit will allow you more tool options due to the higher sustained CFM rating. They do cost a few extra bucks but in the long run well worth it.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Stan Proffer

09-28-2000 20:16:29

Report to Moderator

Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Kermit, 09-28-2000 18:41:53

I sell Industrial Air of TX A/C units. The have good quality cast iron heavy duty compressors. I have never sold one under the 5 hp 80 gal one, but you can check with them for info on a 20 gal and for a dist near you. Email me if you want their 800 number.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

09-28-2000 19:25:40

Report to Moderator

Re: Another air compressor question. in reply to Kermit, 09-28-2000 18:41:53

I went through the same problems in trying to select a compressor and settled on the C/H with the cast iron compressor because it has a longer continous hour operation and I feel the iron will outlast the alum unit and for extended operation the oil unit will last a lot longer than the oil-less units. Consumer Report did a series on the various units and the C/H unit cast iron was one of the best overall ratings for life and operating reliability. Before you get one call C/H at their warehouse in KY. and see what they will send you one for. The one I wanted was not in stock by the local home center and I called the warehouse and they shipped me the one I wanted for about 150.00 less than the home center listed it at. The price they quoted me was freight paid to my shop. If you need more info send me an email and I will look up the phone number I called. AD

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy