Stupid Air Compressor Question

[Greenleaf]

Why does my shop's air compressor's crankcase fill up with water? I put in clean non-detergent #30w oil..... it drains out white! I have tried several times flushing it with the best stuff on Earth, #2 Diesel, to no avail. Still turns white.



I guess, as long as it's got oil in there, she'll be ok



Greenleaf

 

[B.G. Smith]

Probably either the check valve (if it has one) in the discharge line or the discharge valves in the compressor is allowing air to back up from the tank while the unit is offm carrying moisture with it. bg

 

[Little Bill]

During the compression stroke, water vapor in the air begins to coalesce into micro-droplets. As compression continues, the micro-droplets coalesce into larger droplets. Compressors have blowby like ICEs. In this case the blowby contains water droplets. If the compressor doesn't run long enough or frequently enough to heat the crankcase and oil then the water will accumulate.