Is your air compressor emitting a burning rubber odor? This is a common issue, and we have the solution. Follow our step-by-step guide to resolve this problem quickly and efficiently.
The air compressor smells like burning rubber; what to do:
If your air compressor smells like burning rubber, shut it off immediately. The smell likely indicates worn parts needing repair. Perform regular maintenance to prevent issues like inadequate lubrication or misaligned pulleys that can cause overheating and burning.
Step into the realm of air compressor maintenance. If a burning rubber smell is your issue, we have the solution. Our guide will walk you through identifying and repairing the problem. Don’t stop now; there’s more to uncover!
Contents
- 1 Troubleshooting your Air Compressor
- 1.1 You hear a knock while the compressor is loading
- 1.2 The compressor vibrates
- 1.3 Air is blowing out of the inlet
- 1.4 Too much noise when used
- 1.5 Oil in the released air
- 1.6 Not enough pressure
- 1.7 The receiver cannot keep the pressure when unloaded
- 1.8 More wear of the belt than normally
- 1.9 The air output is much higher than normal
- 1.10 The pressure builds quicker than usual.
- 1.11 The reset mechanism cuts out repeatedly.
- 1.12 The fuse blows repeatedly.
- 1.13 Air leaks when the compressor is pumping
- 1.14 The compressor suddenly stops.
- 1.15 The receiver pressure builds slowly.
- 2 Tips for Repairing Your Air Compressor
- 3 Maintaining an Air Compressor
- 4 Remarks
Troubleshooting your Air Compressor
The list below shows the everyday problems of an air compressor. It also gives a few tips on how to fix those issues.
You hear a knock while the compressor is loading
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Rod bearings not connecting | Change rod. |
Wrist pins, wrist pin bearings. | Change entire piston parts. |
Rod nuts are losing. | Make tighter. |
The compressor vibrates
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Lose mounting bolts. | Tighten bolts |
Uneven pulley and flywheel. | Before tightening, ensure the feet of the compressor are touching the floor. |
Uneven pulley and flywheel. | Rearrange. |
Belts loose and bent crankshaft | Tighten belts and replace the crankshaft. |
Air is blowing out of the inlet
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
The Inlet valve may be broken | Change the valve. |
Too much noise when used
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Check the bearings for possible damage and the piston oil level. | Ensure to tighten any loose ends. |
Lack of oil in the crankcase. | Check the bearings for possible damage and the piston oil level. |
Check the bearings for possible damage and the piston oil level. | The compressor cylinder head should be removed and inspected. Put a new gasket and put the head back together again. |
Loose compressor floor mounting. | Tighten the bolts on the air compressor. Consider replacing the vibration pads as well. |
The defective crankcase and excessive crank end play | Repair or replace. Properly adjust crank end play. |
Scored cylinder. | Replace cylinder. |
Oil in the released air
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
No free flow of compressor air intake. | Clean or replace air filters. |
Too much oil in the compressor. | Drain down to the set gauge mark. |
Make sure you use the correct oil. | The crankshaft should be changed. |
Wrong installation of Piston rings | Crankshaft should be changed. |
Not enough pressure
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Leaks or blockages. | Check for and repair leaks or blockage in the hose or pipes. |
No free flow of air intake. | I am using smaller tools to control air usage. |
Sliding belts. | Make tighter. |
Small Service hose | Get a larger hose and replace |
Excessive air. | Using smaller tools to control air usage. |
The receiver cannot keep the pressure when unloaded
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Faulty valve | Change the faulty part and ensure the valve assembly is clean. |
More wear of the belt than normally
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Misalignment of pulley. | Misalignment of pulley. |
Belts too tight or too loose | Ease the tension. |
Pulley or flywheel wobbles. | Look out for worn-out/bent crankshafts, keyways, or pulley bores. |
Misalignment of pulley. | File smooth. |
The air output is much higher than normal
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Dirty surfaces. | Clean all surfaces |
Poor ventilation. | Mend ventilation or change the location of the compressor |
Head gasket blowing up | Change the head gasket. |
No free flow of air intake and worn-out valves | Clean or replace parts. |
The pressure builds quicker than usual.
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Too much water in the receiver. | Drain out the water. |
Overspeed of the receiver | Monitor or regulate speed. |
The reset mechanism cuts out repeatedly.
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Motor overload. | To prevent damage, it must be shut down. |
Fault reset switch | Adjust or replace. |
High temperature. | Create airing. |
The fuse blows repeatedly.
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Incorrect size of fuse. | Ensure the correct size of fuses is used. |
Air leaks when the compressor is pumping
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
It means the safety relief valve has stopped working well | Change and put a new safety valve |
Gasket starts to leak. | Get a new gasket. |
The compressor suddenly stops.
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
Spoilt unloader valve. | Get a new unloader valve |
The receiver pressure builds slowly.
Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
The air filter is dirty. | Ensure the air filter is clean or changed. |
the cylinder head gasket is blown | Install a new one. |
Broken or worn intake or discharge valves. | Install new ones. |
Air leaks and loose belts | Change belts or make joints tighter |
Slow speed | Be sure to monitor the speed. |
From the above table, it can be seen that there are various reasons why your air compressor is burning. We have also provided the probable causes for these issues and possible solutions. Now, let’s look at some other essential tips.
Tips for Repairing Your Air Compressor
Once you notice or perceive a burning smell from your air compressor, it is best to contact a service professional immediately for most people. The longer you wait, the further the problem will spread throughout your compressor, leading to costly repairs.
- Find a helpful Service Provider: Get the best from your air compressor by finding the right service provider.
- Replace words and older parts: Your air compressor could quickly work far better and more efficiently when replacing some worn or older parts for new ones.
- Know what to repair and maintain yourself: When you own the machine, you might be tempted to do all the maintenance yourself. But an air compressor is a complicated machine; depending on your knowledge, it can be wise to go to a specialist for maintenance and repairs. That way, you are sure that your device is in good health.
Maintaining an Air Compressor
Like any other mechanical device, it is essential to perform routine maintenance:
● Pump oil level
If your compressor is oil-free, this part of the maintenance is unnecessary. But you must check the air compressor pump oil level for all other air compressors. When the level is low, it can destroy the pump.
- Step 1: Turn the machine off. Remove the mains cable if applicable.
- Step 2: Put the machine on a flat surface and leave it there for 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove the oil fill cap
- Step 4: Check the oil level and see how the oil looks. If it seems dirty, you should change the pump oil.
- Step 5: If needed, fill with oil. Make sure you do not overfill.
You can find Air Compressor Pump Oil here.
● Change the pump oil
If your pump’s oil looks nasty or dirty, it needs to be replaced.
- Step 1: Turn the machine off. Remove the mains cable if applicable.
- Step 2: Make sure the oil is cooled. If you just used your machine, you must give the oil some time to cool down.
- Step 3: Put the machine on a flat surface.
- Step 4: Remove the oil fill cap.
- Step 5: Put an oil container underneath the drain cap. You can also use an old bucket.
- Step 6: Remove the drain plug and let the oil fully drain.
- Step 7: Put the drain plug back. Make sure it is tightened sufficiently.
- Step 8: Fill with new oil. Wait a few minutes and recheck the level. If needed, add a little bit again.
You can find Air Compressor Pump Oil here.
● Clean or change the air filter
The air filter cleans the air that the engine uses. Over time, it can get dirty or even clog.
- Step 1: Turn the machine off. Remove the mains cable if applicable.
- Step 2: Make sure the air compressor is cooled down.
- Step 3: Remove the filter cover. Normally there are a few screws that need to be unscrewed.
- Step 4: Get the air filter out.
- Step 5: Clean the air filter. You can use a vacuum if needed.
- Step 6: If the air filter looks bad, you should replace it.
- Step 7: Put the air filter back and reattach the cover.
You can find Air Compressor Air filter here.
● Other maintenance
To further prolong the air compressor’s lifespan, you should also check:
- Fuel tank: Ensure the compressor fuel tank is clean
- Shutoff system: Check the correct working of the air compressor shutoff system
- Nuts: Check the different nuts and bolts and ensure they are all tight. The shaking of the air compressor may loosen some of them.
- Vibration: Check for more than usual vibrations or strange noises.
- Leaks: Check for oil and air leaks
- Safety release value: Check that the safety release valve is working correctly.
- Belts: Check the belts for wear and tear
- Pressure: Check the differential pressure in the compressed air filter
- Hose: Inspect the hose for damage and wear and tear.
- Temperature: Check and ensure that the operating temperature does not exceed a safe level
- Condensation: Drain the condensation from the air compressor tank
● How often should you check and maintain your Air Compressor
How often you should do maintenance on your air compressor differs significantly from your usage. If you use it daily, you have to check things more often than if you only use your machine sparsely.
– Before using your Air compressor:
- Drain the water from the air compressor tank
- Check for oil and air leaks
- Check for more than usual vibrations or strange noises
- Check the level of the Pump oil
– Monthly
- Check for loose bolts and nuts
- Check the safety release valve
- Check the air filter
- Belt check
- Check for air and oil leaks
– Yearly
- Change the oil in the pump
- If you have a gas air compressor, give the engine its yearly maintenance
Remarks
When there are performance issues with an oil-free air compressor, the problem can often be traced to many topics. A burning air compressor results from internal factors, external conditions, or sometimes both (as explained above).
While in use, at different points, the free air becomes hot due to the processes involved, but it swiftly cools down before it gets to the endpoint.
Note that something becomes wrong with the machine if the air gets too hot for the compressor to take. It is vital to regularly maintain your brand-new, oil-free air compressor by checking for leaks, cleaning the fuel tank, etc.
Having gone through this article, you know how your air compressor could burn out. More importantly, you have been equipped with possible solutions to carry out when such a situation occurs.
We hope you had a lovely read. Suppose you don’t remember to use a pancake compressor like an airbrush on a day when no rubber smell comes from oil-free components. This will ensure that your new oil-free equipment stays in top shape.
I had no idea there were so many reasons an air compressor could smoke.
Thank you, Aubrey! It’s essential to be aware of the potential issues with an air compressor. Hopefully, the information provided will help you troubleshoot any smoking problems in the future.
What is the best way to find a reliable service provider for air compressor repairs?
Thank you for reaching out, Denise. The best way to find a reliable service provider for air compressor repairs is to ask for recommendations from friends or read online reviews. Good luck!
How often should I change the oil in my air compressor?
Changing the oil in your air compressor should be done as per the manufacturer’s guidelines, usually every 3-6 months. Regular maintenance is crucial to prevent issues like smoking and burning rubber smell.
Can using the wrong oil lead to smoking in the air compressor?
Yes, using the wrong oil can lead to smoking in the air compressor. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s specifications for oil type and servicing frequency to prevent this issue.
Is it safe to troubleshoot the air compressor on my own?
It’s best to contact a service professional when dealing with an air compressor emitting a burning smell to avoid further damage. Regular maintenance and timely repairs are key to keeping your compressor in good health. Hope this helps!
I’ll make sure to check my air compressor if I notice any burning smells.
Thank you for being proactive, Ernest! If you ever notice any issues with your air compressor, feel free to refer back to our post for troubleshooting tips.
I appreciate the detailed list of common problems and solutions.
Thank you, Lonnie! I’m glad you found the common problems and solutions helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions or need more assistance.
I never knew about the importance of using the right oil in the compressor.
Thank you for reading! It’s crucial to use the right oil in your compressor to prevent smoking. Regular maintenance and troubleshooting are key to keeping your air compressor running smoothly.
This article helped me understand why my air compressor might be smoking.
Thank you, Martha! I’m glad the article helped you understand your air compressor issue. Remember to switch it off immediately if you notice smoke and refer to the troubleshooting tips provided.
Very informative article, thanks for sharing these tips.
Thank you, Nelson! If you ever notice your air compressor smoking or smelling like burning rubber, make sure to troubleshoot it promptly following the tips provided in the article. Stay safe!
Should I be concerned if my air compressor is making more noise than usual?
It’s important to address the issue right away to prevent further damage. Turn off your air compressor and troubleshoot immediately. It could be a sign of internal issues that need attention.
What are some signs that my air compressor needs maintenance?
Thank you for your question, Irene. Signs that your air compressor needs maintenance include a burning rubber smell, excessive smoking, and unusual noise. Switch it off immediately and troubleshoot to prevent further damage.
Thank you for the detailed explanations and tips on air compressor troubleshooting.
Thank you for your kind words, Madison! I’m glad you found the troubleshooting tips helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions. Happy compressing!
What should I do if I see oil in the released air?
If you see oil in the released air, make sure the oil level is correct and use the right type of oil. Check the air filter and piston rings for proper installation. Hope this helps!
I’ll definitely be more cautious with my air compressor after reading this.
Thank you for reading! We appreciate your caution with your air compressor. Remember, regular maintenance is key to preventing issues. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
Useful video links provided for each potential issue, very helpful.
Thank you, Jeffrey! I’m glad you found the video links helpful for troubleshooting air compressor issues. Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions.
Great tips for troubleshooting an air compressor!
Thank you for the positive feedback on troubleshooting air compressors! If you have any specific questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out.
How can I prevent air leaks in my compressor?
To prevent air leaks in your compressor, check for faulty safety relief valves and replace as needed. Leaking gaskets can also be a cause – make sure to replace those as well. Hope this helps!
Are there any warning signs before an air compressor starts smoking?
If your air compressor is smoking, immediately turn it off and troubleshoot. Possible causes include low oil levels and using the wrong oil. Refer to the user manual for proper maintenance.
Good to know about the different issues that can cause an air compressor to smoke.
Thank you for your comment, Kristina! I’m glad you found the information on air compressor smoking issues helpful. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.