[Shop-talk] Testing a 75 year-old compressor

[old dirtbeard]

HI Scott,

I am no help to you on this particular compressor, but I wanted to
congratulate on such a great find.

One inherent risk on any old compressor is tank rust, but you stated that
it appears to be a very stout tank, and if it had been readily drained,
hopefully it will last a few more decades.

Given the age, it almost certainly has been using non-detergent oil, and I
would recommend continuing with ND oil as you will not want to start
disturbing any of the deposits that may be there.

The valves probably are removable (may need to be cleaned) and replaceable,
and aside from the rings and bearings, that is about all there is to them.

Again, congratulations on such a great find and I wish you many years of
usage.

best,

doug

On Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 6:00 PM Scott Hall <scott.hall.personal at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Fellas,
>
> My compressor search ended on a Westinghouse Air Brake Co (WABCO)
> compressor originally built in 1945. It's a 1AYC, two-stage v-twin. It's
> amazingly quiet and will make more pressure than the gauge, which only goes
> to 100 psi. It takes a while to get there, it seems, but that could just be
> because it's got a big tank.
>
> I'd like this thing to last the rest of my life, and if it made it this
> far there's no reason it shouldn't. Is there any way I can perform
> something like a leakdown test? Or any other diagnostics to see if a
> rebuild is in order? My plan now is to install another pressure gauge and
> see what it tops out at. I can unscrew the plugs in the tank side and shine
> a light in there, but the tank itself seems to be made of 3/8"-think steel.
> These guys were not fooling around.
>
> The electric motor also seems to be original. Any advice for caring for
> that? It looks like it has an oil port.
>
> Everything online points to where you can get parts. Nothing on how to
> actually maintain it. I think I can request its original service manual,
> but I won't know until they call me back tomorrow.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Scott
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