Piston rings leaking on air compressor

[Black Forest]

Hey Black Forest, since someone dredged up this seven year old zombie thread, how about an update on the new compressor. 😀

The compressor that I bought has been running perfectly with no trouble at all. No repairs of any kind. It runs most days and makes good clean air.

[kendall]

Sometimes archaic is okay, I don't want or need 5 valves per cylinder, double overhead cams, and all that goes with it in a disposable MC. I enjoy stepping back and living in a simpler time for my ride, after almost 45 years of owning the same archaic MC I don't think I missed too much by doing so.
Yes I've owned others but I won't give up my old HD. It's never left me stranded, leaks no oil and while not quite as she left the factory it will still pull a high 11 sec.quarter with only a single side draft carb, points ignition and kick only starting






Nothing wrong with archaic, not everyone needs or wants cutting edge technology.

Agreed.
I bought my old 77 sporty in early 79, NOS at a dealer in SF. Rebuilt and updated it a few times, but only sold it 9 years ago because my leg got so bad I was always afraid of dropping it at lights. Wife wants a trike, I want a side car, so haven't replaced it yet.

[Willy]

Harley davidson used this method on the assembly line up until the 80's. If they had a smoky one they'd rev it up and shoot a glob of Bon Ami down the carb followed with a squirt of kerosene.
I didn't believe it until I saw it. Archaic fix for archaic engines.

Sometimes archaic is okay, I don't want or need 5 valves per cylinder, double overhead cams, and all that goes with it in a disposable MC. I enjoy stepping back and living in a simpler time for my ride, after almost 45 years of owning the same archaic MC I don't think I missed too much by doing so.
Yes I've owned others but I won't give up my old HD. It's never left me stranded, leaks no oil and while not quite as she left the factory it will still pull a high 11 sec.quarter with only a single side draft carb, points ignition and kick only starting






Nothing wrong with archaic, not everyone needs or wants cutting edge technology.

[Michael Edwards]

Hey Black Forest, since someone dredged up this seven year old zombie thread, how about an update on the new compressor. 😀

[I make chips]

Show me Caterpiller's or any other power train component OEM's current and more enlightened stance on this archaic technique.

Harley davidson used this method on the assembly line up until the 80's. If they had a smoky one they'd rev it up and shoot a glob of Bon Ami down the carb followed with a squirt of kerosene.
I didn't believe it until I saw it. Archaic fix for archaic engines.

[Doozer]

.... Not a gloat as I paid full retail.

Maybe I will try to fix the old one just to try my hand at making pistons and rings.

Why are all you guys in competition to be the cheapest bastards on the planet.
Blows my mind.

-D

[JoeLee]

I don't know what you're running for oil but I would suggest trying straight 30 or 40 wt.

My compressor was blowing oil out of the cc vent. I also thought the rings were bad. I went to the straight 30 non-detergent and it hasn't spit a drop of oil out of there yet.
Strange because the mfg. recommends 10w 40.

JL......

[EJ's Shop]

Oh sure I've heard of the Bon Ami magic pixy dust treatments for deglazing cylinder walls. But Like AK said this is hillbilly tech at it's finest. Rather than properly addressing a mechanical deficiency properly, we'll just take a short cut and dust the engine a bit, what could go wrong.


Not abrasive? The abrasive properties is what deglazes the cylinder liner, cleans the sink and the pots and pans.
What process removes these abrasives from the ring pac and piston surface? A quick oli and filter change, dream on, most of it will linger on for many hours of fun.


Show me Caterpiller's or any other power train component OEM's current and more enlightened stance on this archaic technique.

http://www.gasenginemagazine.com/Gas-Engines/Smokstak-January-2003.aspx

My Dad called this "Tetra-Feelis" (bon-ami), he said too little, the rings wouldn't seat, too much and you would have an oil burner! I couldn't imagine doing that today! I cannot recall if he every had done this process, or, it was just known, at the time.

[oldtiffie]

Every body seems to be avoiding or ignoring BF's wife's very good advice - which gave BF the OK to go ahead and buy a good new compressor which he did and which worked a treat.

Her advice as I recall had a caveat that he (more or less) "pull his finger out" and get on with fixing stuff (some of it hers?) around the house and property - or else?.

If it were here I don't think I'd want to ignore my wife's generosity (with an "or else" threat).

Perhaps BF - with some encouragement from here - likes to live dangerously.

Me?

If it were me I'd put a Big "effing" ball hammer ball end straight through the compressor crank case and oxy cut a big hole in the air receiver, leave it to the "Scrapper" and buy a new compressor as well.

Like this?

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/C332

(Pretty close to US$ 1,800 in OZ)

[Arcane]

According to an NTSB post aircraft accident investigation published in 2003, a Marvel Mystery Oil sample tested was composed of 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard.

[boslab]

Did I ever tell yu guys how much I like Marvel Mystery Oll & how many drums of it the arms forces used in WWII? Great stuff!

i
Managed to uncease an old engine by pouring some into each plug hole, left it a week, turned the engine over by hand, good stuff as the engine is still in use ten years later without a rebuild.
Mark

[ahidley]

Anyway back to the task of making piston rings.
Jerryhowels website use to have directions to make rings. Also how to make a mandrel to hold them compressed so the od could be turned.
Also centrifically cast cast iron is required. Thing of rings inside a tree. Spinning it while its cooling creates the grain running in circles vs straight. Thus they won't break as easy

[ahidley]

For thoes who use bon-ami for engine maintenance I bet you could use a 5gallon bucket of elbow grease also!!!

[tlfamm]

Isn't it Bon Ami that used to have a picture of a new hatched chick on the can, with the words "Hasn't scratched yet"?

That was their deal, not really abrasive enough to hurt anything.

In my (35mm) projectionist days, Bon Ami was used to clean the parabolic mirrors on the back of the carbon-arc lamp housings. None ever suffered scratching.

[jamescallowa]

New gloat category? "the wife gloat"

I agree this is engine builder's job so he can repair it professionally.