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AAE

AAE

Learner
Saw this foam
PXL_20230812_212144682.jpg
in my oil sight. Any idea what it means?
 
Was curious and found this after a little googling. What oil are you using?

“ Compressors do need non-detergent or low-foaming oil. You don't want foaming in the oil because most lower-delivery piston compressors use splash lubrication. A conventional detergent oil could build up foam in the crank, which can cause the splash lubrication to be reduced (the liquid oil has to splash up through all the foam on top up into the cylinders, etc).

Some of the modern, high-end motor oils with detergent in them will also have anti-foaming agents.

Straight 30W non-detergent oil is fine for most piston compressors. Synthetics probably have anti-foaming packages in the oil and will probably work OK if they do. Just keep an eye on the oil level if you have a sight glass on the compressor and if you pull the dipstick and see foaming/bubbles on it, drop the oil and get some non-detergent or anti-foaming oil in there.”

Don
 
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dhutton01 said:
Was curious and found this after a little googling. What oil are you using?

“ Compressors do need non-detergent or low-foaming oil. You don't want foaming in the oil because most lower-delivery piston compressors use splash lubrication. A conventional detergent oil could build up foam in the crank, which can cause the splash lubrication to be reduced (the liquid oil has to splash up through all the foam on top up into the cylinders, etc).

Some of the modern, high-end motor oils with detergent in them will also have anti-foaming agents.

Straight 30W non-detergent oil is fine for most piston compressors. Synthetics probably have anti-foaming packages in the oil and will probably work OK if they do. Just keep an eye on the oil level if you have a sight glass on the compressor and if you pull the dipstick and see foaming/bubbles on it, drop the oil and get some non-detergent or anti-foaming oil in there.”

Don
Click to expand...
Great info. Thanks
 
Probably overkill but industrial pumps, gearboxes or anything that has a vented case can benefit from a desiccated breather to reduce moisture over time, but the oil change is probably cheaper.
IMG_7919.jpeg
Just a thought
 
It doesn't get a lot of use but, yeah, oil is cheaper by far. I'm embarrassed to say it's been a while since the last change.
 
I bought my compressor a little over 25 years ago when I built my garage.
I keep in stock moble1 -15w50,
5w30, euro 5w40, and (15w40 or T6-15w40), and I use whatever grade I have extra every year or two, depending on the use of the compressor.
This happened to me about six months ago
The first time, so added a quarter of the quart transmission fluid, got the compressor hot, and changed been fine since. I have had a lot of 6 hours days twice a week since, and fine never did figure out the cause.
In 24 years first time, it ever happened.
 
My best guess of what caused my problem was I got obsessed with a vehicle I bought. There was a six-month period where the compressor never got hot as I would use it for a minute or two 100s of times, and it built up water content and overrode the moisture dispersant in the oil.
Not a clue, but all is fine.
 
I'd change it more often but all you get is that drain that is tight against the frame. I've taken to using a siphon. What am I missing?
 
AAE said:
I'd change it more often but all you get is that drain that is tight against the frame. I've taken to using a siphon. What am I missing?
Click to expand...
Hold a small funnel up to it to drain into a small container, but make a seal out of a folded paper towel to go in between the funnel and compressor body. Hold it in place before the drain plug is completely removed and then finish unscrewing drain plug by finger and your mess will be minimal.
 
if mine has been running hard i will get the occasional little bubbles like that. always has no matter what oil. its just from the splash lubrication. it would be different if the oil itself was all foamy or milky but in your pic you can see its not. its just a few bubbles at the surface. i always use non detergent compressor oil. with the humidity here, if my compressor is doing just short runs and never really heats up, my brand new oil will turn white and creamy within a day from the moisture in it. as soon as i run it hard though the heat burns off the moisture and it becomes clear again. my compressor gets some serious daily use and is just over 16 years old now. imo what i see in your pic is totally normal and nothing to worry about
 
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