Question Help identifying older Mako 3 stage

[Tracy]

It is a k14-85. They came in 4cfm and 8 cfm variants. 900 RPM pump. Probably one of the most reliable long running machines made. It was low speed, low pressure, and pressure lubricated. If you can't source the fourth stage valves, a capitano third stage head will fit. I own a few of them. If you don't mind the 3200 psi limit, it is a great compressor. That one has a nice upgrade with the separate coalescor, the original one was relatively thin walled, they had a tendency to rust through and fail. Especially when people tried to run them at higher than designed pressures.
If you have a 5 hp motor, it is most likely an 8cfm. The 4 cfm came with a 3 hp motor.

 

[CraigAClark]

I'm not sure, but I think that machine was designed for 3600 psi max. The worst thing I've heard about that compressor block was the failure of the cooling tubes. If there are any leaks when under pressure, replacements are almost impossible to find. Like the K-15 there are quite a few folks looking for cooling tubes and not finding any.

 

[Neuport]

It is a k14-85. They came in 4cfm and 8 cfm variants. 900 RPM pump. Probably one of the most reliable long running machines made. It was low speed, low pressure, and pressure lubricated. If you can't source the fourth stage valves, a capitano third stage head will fit. I own a few of them. If you don't mind the 3200 psi limit, it is a great compressor. That one has a nice upgrade with the separate coalescor, the original one was relatively thin walled, they had a tendency to rust through and fail. Especially when people tried to run them at higher than designed pressures.
If you have a 5 hp motor, it is most likely an 8cfm. The 4 cfm came with a 3 hp motor.

Is the coalesced you are referring to the first of the gold final filters or is it one of the intermediate separators bolted to the head?

 

[Neuport]

Speaking of the two final filters, any suggestions where to find manuals for them? The first is a “Type M298 Condensate Separator” and the second is “Air Purification System Model MK 1C, Cartridge PC 1801”. The PC 1801 cartridges appear to be readily available but I would like to review the manuals before working on them.

 

[Neuport]

Second photo didn’t post for some reason

 

[Tracy]

The coalescor is the first gold housing before the 1801. It is a moisture separator that you drain every 15 minutes same as your two on board separators.
They both have two 3/8 bolt holes in the top. With the system depressurized, you thread a couple of bolts into them and stick a wrench in between and unscrew the entire top of the canister. The bolts don't hold anything, they are just there for leverage to unthread it. The 1801 takes a prepack cartidge. The colescor doesn't need much. If it is rusty and full of nasty oil, you can replace the sintered element, otherwise just inspect and re-assemble.

I recommend cleaning the outside of the machine and testing it to see what is needed. Don't take it apart for no reason. The cooling coils don't exist, if you break one, you will be adapting to JIC and rolling stainless tube to make new ones. Don't remove the flywheel from the pump, you will never get it balanced as well as it came from the factory. If the day comes you need to access the crank, it is time to buy a newer machine. External oil leaks can be wiped up, it is a fifty year old machine, they leaked some when they were new.

Get it up and running with clean oil. See if it builds pressure. Send out an air sample without a filter cartridge installed. That machine should have adequate separators to make dry air without a filter, see what the test tells you and report back. If it is excessively wet, the separators and coalescor need serviced. If all is well, drop in a filter and make some air.

Here is your filter.

Mako Breathing Air Filter PC-1801, X65240

The X65240 filter cartridge is guaranteed to match the fit and performance of the PC-1801 OEM cartridge.

filtertechs.com

 

[Neuport]

Too late on not taking off the cooling coils and flywheel, that happened last week. See post #10. I think it was necessary as one of the coils wouldn’t even pass shop air. I eventually got them flushed out. I’ll get it put back together this week and follow the rest of your advice. Very helpful.

Do you have a recommendation for oil and an air testing lab?

 

[Neuport]

I forgot to ask, in addition to an oil and a lab recommendation, what do you recommend for a final CO/moisture monitor as an early warning for filter replacement? Do you recommend something like this?

Visual Indicator Housing with CO & Moisture Elements

 

[Tracy]

I forgot to ask, in addition to an oil and a lab recommendation, what do you recommend for a final CO/moisture monitor as an early warning for filter replacement? Do you recommend something like this?

Visual Indicator Housing with CO & Moisture Elements

There is nothing wrong with adding one of those, but I would guess there is one built into the top of your 1801 stack cap. If you remove the stamped steel cap under the two 3/8 bolts, there is probably a sightglass under there that uses those same discs.

Oil is personal preference, everybody has their own ideas about what is best. I use A-3000 synthetic compressor oil in all of my compressors. If you switch to synthetic, you will need to change it a few times as it will start cleaning everything inside. With the age, and coming from fire department breathing air, it most likely has ran mineral oil for its entire life. If you are planning to blend nitrox through the machine, which it is wonderful for due to the low speed and head temperatures, I would recommend switching to synthetic. It has a much higher flash temperature and will help prevent the carbon buildup you are seeing in the cooling tubes. If you are staying with air, run whatever you want.

An air sample is essentially an air sample. I use Lawrence Factor through filter techs primarily, but I have used safety lab plus, and Trace Analytics a few times in the past as well. They are all giving you the same information.

 

[CraigAClark]

The filter 1801 matches a Lawrence Factor X65240. I would replace the the bottom and Top oring and wiper ring.