OP
tmassey
Contributor
The fear of compressor repair is *very* real, and very paralyzing... But I've overcome inertia, and continued progress on my compressor.
After reviewing the Lawrence Factor repair videos a couple dozen times, and reviewing a half-dozen Bauer documents, I have finally started to reassemble things. In putting the second stage back together, I found that the spring washer was nowhere to be found. I have no idea how that happened -- I thought I was *so* careful to manage all the parts... So had to get that ordered and delivered.
Once I had the parts... second and third stage valves went in without an issue -- or really anything of note. I used the Bauer Workshop Manual reference for torque values, and an automatic center punch to peen the valve as instructed. It took a few punches to give me a mark comparable to the ones already on the head, but it was simple and safe.
One of the excuses that has been keeping me from moving forward with reassembly was that I don't have a great way of cleaning up the surface on the compressor that the heads mount to: I don't want greasy cleaning water on the floor, and with 5 inches of snow on the ground and 20 degree or so highs, washing anything outside does not really appeal... but I did what I could. Fortunately, the actual mating surfaces were pretty clean, so I just did what I could and moved forward.
Mounting the heads was also straightforward: once again, torque values from the Bauer Workshop Manual. A gentle rotation of the flywheel gave me a happy-sounding wheeze from both stages, which I'm taking as a good sign. Two down, one to go.
I then turned to the first stage. Unfortunately, when I picked it up, I was reminded that I hadn't cleaned it yet... I *had* worked quite hard on the reed valve, but not the rather large valve head. Also, I was reminded that I had cut the hose to the first stage gauge (it was easier than taking the panel off to get to the fitting behind the head), and had to get that replaced. So off to the Parker Store... (Should have worked a little harder to get it off: $42 for a 14" hose...
) And spent the afternoon cleaning up the head. The inside of the head was reasonably clean, and the sealing surface wasn't bad, but the outside... It was caked in greasy oil. I have no idea why, but it was. Mostly on the underside. So I spent the afternoon to get it clean -- clean enough, anyway. Dawn, hot water and nylon brushes/pipe brushes.
Assembly is straightforward. Put the "paper" gasket on the head and put the reed valve on next: side marked TOP toward the head (which will be TOP when mounted to the compressor ), with the four large reed holes in the intake side of the head (as opposed to the long reed outlets with the row of holes on either side, which go into the output side); then the other gasket, and put it on the compressor.
Now, what about gasket sealant? Both the Lawrence Factor video *and* the Bauer Workshop Manual specify gasket sealant. The video just says 'gasket sealer or silicone sealant, making sure to use the high-temperature version'; the Bauer Workshop Manual (Compressor Blocks K100 to K28, January, 2003, page 19) states paper gaskets should use Loctite FAG2 (now Loctite 5922). Despite that, there was a great deal of pearl-clutching here on SB when I suggested using gasket sealant (based on a poster's recommendation, before I found the reference material). So, I'm going to move forward without it. The video implies that the main purpose is to hold the gaskets in place as they're put onto the compressor, so I just had to be careful when I assemble everything. I used the bolts as pilots to make sure everything was lined up, and carefully assembled the stack on the compressor. Once again, torqued the bolts to spec.
So, now I've got everything bolted together. A few turns of the flywheel and I've got louder wheezing from the first stage as well. One point I'm nervous about: I put my palm over the intake and turned the flywheel and don't feel any suction. I don't know how valid that test is: there's a decent suction when the compressor is running, of course, but that's also turning at many hundreds o RPM, so not feeling any suction with a single rotation may not be that unusual. I'm hoping, anyway.
I'm out of time for today. I've got a couple of detail things to follow up on (I need to reconnect the electrical wires for the high pressure shutoff, for example), and then I want to go back over all of the fittings and connections and make sure they're OK. Then hopefully I can press the big green button and see what happens.
So, progress. I've got plans for tomorrow that will chew up much of my time, and then it's gonna be in the 20's again for a while. So not sure when I'm going to take that next step. Which means if there's something I've missed, you've got time to tell me before I blow things up!
After reviewing the Lawrence Factor repair videos a couple dozen times, and reviewing a half-dozen Bauer documents, I have finally started to reassemble things. In putting the second stage back together, I found that the spring washer was nowhere to be found. I have no idea how that happened -- I thought I was *so* careful to manage all the parts... So had to get that ordered and delivered.
Once I had the parts... second and third stage valves went in without an issue -- or really anything of note. I used the Bauer Workshop Manual reference for torque values, and an automatic center punch to peen the valve as instructed. It took a few punches to give me a mark comparable to the ones already on the head, but it was simple and safe.
One of the excuses that has been keeping me from moving forward with reassembly was that I don't have a great way of cleaning up the surface on the compressor that the heads mount to: I don't want greasy cleaning water on the floor, and with 5 inches of snow on the ground and 20 degree or so highs, washing anything outside does not really appeal... but I did what I could. Fortunately, the actual mating surfaces were pretty clean, so I just did what I could and moved forward.
Mounting the heads was also straightforward: once again, torque values from the Bauer Workshop Manual. A gentle rotation of the flywheel gave me a happy-sounding wheeze from both stages, which I'm taking as a good sign. Two down, one to go.
I then turned to the first stage. Unfortunately, when I picked it up, I was reminded that I hadn't cleaned it yet... I *had* worked quite hard on the reed valve, but not the rather large valve head. Also, I was reminded that I had cut the hose to the first stage gauge (it was easier than taking the panel off to get to the fitting behind the head), and had to get that replaced. So off to the Parker Store... (Should have worked a little harder to get it off: $42 for a 14" hose...
) And spent the afternoon cleaning up the head. The inside of the head was reasonably clean, and the sealing surface wasn't bad, but the outside... It was caked in greasy oil. I have no idea why, but it was. Mostly on the underside. So I spent the afternoon to get it clean -- clean enough, anyway. Dawn, hot water and nylon brushes/pipe brushes.Assembly is straightforward. Put the "paper" gasket on the head and put the reed valve on next: side marked TOP toward the head (which will be TOP when mounted to the compressor
), with the four large reed holes in the intake side of the head (as opposed to the long reed outlets with the row of holes on either side, which go into the output side); then the other gasket, and put it on the compressor.Now, what about gasket sealant? Both the Lawrence Factor video *and* the Bauer Workshop Manual specify gasket sealant. The video just says 'gasket sealer or silicone sealant, making sure to use the high-temperature version'; the Bauer Workshop Manual (Compressor Blocks K100 to K28, January, 2003, page 19) states paper gaskets should use Loctite FAG2 (now Loctite 5922). Despite that, there was a great deal of pearl-clutching here on SB when I suggested using gasket sealant (based on a poster's recommendation, before I found the reference material). So, I'm going to move forward without it. The video implies that the main purpose is to hold the gaskets in place as they're put onto the compressor, so I just had to be careful when I assemble everything. I used the bolts as pilots to make sure everything was lined up, and carefully assembled the stack on the compressor. Once again, torqued the bolts to spec.
So, now I've got everything bolted together. A few turns of the flywheel and I've got louder wheezing from the first stage as well. One point I'm nervous about: I put my palm over the intake and turned the flywheel and don't feel any suction. I don't know how valid that test is: there's a decent suction when the compressor is running, of course, but that's also turning at many hundreds o RPM, so not feeling any suction with a single rotation may not be that unusual. I'm hoping, anyway.
I'm out of time for today. I've got a couple of detail things to follow up on (I need to reconnect the electrical wires for the high pressure shutoff, for example), and then I want to go back over all of the fittings and connections and make sure they're OK. Then hopefully I can press the big green button and see what happens.
So, progress. I've got plans for tomorrow that will chew up much of my time, and then it's gonna be in the 20's again for a while. So not sure when I'm going to take that next step. Which means if there's something I've missed, you've got time to tell me before I blow things up!
