Air Compressor Oil Leak Problems! – Explained & Solved

The leak of oil in the air compressor has troubled me for a long time. Every time when I checked the oil level in my compressor, I found a significant lowering of oil level.

But then I decided to stop this problem once and for all. So I started looking for solutions wherever I can.

After weeks of searching for solutions, I finally gathered some information that helped me find out why it happened and how I can stop it.

If you are also having air compressor oil leak problems then I am more than happy to help you get rid of the problem. In this guide, I have shared everything regarding an air compressor oil leak repair that I know of.

Why Oil Leaking is Deadly for a Compressor

If your compressor leaks oil, it is not only harmful to the compressor but also harmful to the surrounding environment.

Let me explain this to you in two parts. First I am going to talk about how oil leakage can damage or reduce the efficiency of the compressor. Then I will explain how it will affect the surrounding.

When your compressor leaks oil, it will reduce the smoothness of the piston of the compressor. Because of the leaking, there will not be sufficient oil around the piston to make it smooth. When it happens, the compressor will get jammed and will not run smoothly. Moreover, if the leaked oil comes in contact with the air of the compressor, it will make the compressor explode dangerously.

And for the surrounding, oil leakage can be very dangerous. Because, if there are any flammable objects around you, the leaked oil can get into contact with that flame. If that happens there will be a big fire hazard.

Possible Ways Oil can Leak from Air Compressors and Causes

There are some common areas where oil usually leaks from an air compressor. There are –

From Air Filter

Air filters are basically used to purify the air before they run into the compressor. There are several connections in the filter by means of some pipes. If you keep the pipes of the filter loose, then oil will leak from the air filter.

Excessive Oil in the Chamber

If there is more oil in the chamber than necessary, the excess oil will obviously leak from the chamber. Also, excess oil in the air compressor oil filter will cause the oil to leak as well.

From the Head

Another place from where the oil can leak is from the head of the compressor. Oil will leak from there if the oil cannot properly flow through the filter or the oil chamber.

From Piston Chamber

Most of the oil you apply goes to the piston as the piston needs to be as lubricated as possible to make the air compressor run smoothly. But sometimes if there is a hole at any point in the piston chamber, then the oil gets leaked from there as well.

Air Compressor Oil Leak Repair – How to Solve

I have said enough about the dangers and causes of oil leaks in an air compressor. Now it’s time for you to know how you can solve such problems.

Identify the Cause

At first, you have to identify where the oil is actually leaking from your compressor. It can be from the piston chamber or from the oil chamber. It is very easy to identify as you will see the oil leak with your naked eye as soon as it starts to leak.

When you identify the leakage, you have to find out why it is leaking from there. Is it because you added too much oil? Or is it the assembling? You can tell by just looking at the leakage area.

Disassemble the Compressor

After identifying the cause and the leakage point, you have to disassemble the compressor. You don’t have to disassemble the whole compressor. Just the area where the leakage has occurred.

You have to do it so that you can clean the leakage and fix it. If the assembling wasn’t good enough and caused the leakage, you can now reassemble strongly. And if there was excess oil provided, you have to stop giving too much oil.

Cleaning and Repairing

The cleaning part involves cleaning of the oil that leaked out of the compressor. It also involves cleaning of the parts of the compressor you disassembled. After you have cleaned the oil and the parts, you have to repair the parts that caused the leakage.

If any parts have any holes or if the parts are damaged you can either repair them or you can change them. You can use an air compressor oil seal to stop the leakage from the parts. It is better to change a damaged part and replace it with a new one.

Are you thinking about changing your air compressor oil? Then our review on air compressor oils can help you find the best one.

Final Tips to Deal with Oil Leak Issue

Oil can leak from an air compressor all of a sudden. There is no particular time or rule for oil leakage. So you have to maintain the compressor properly and be ready for such an event.

Check your compressor on a regular basis and whenever you see leakage of oil, just do as I have instructed above and you will be fine. If you check your compressor once a week, you will be free of any risk that is likely to occur due to oil leakage.

FAQ

Do all air compressors leak oil all over the floor?

Not all air compressors leak oil. Only the ones that require oils will leak. They leak all over the floor if there is a big leakage or if you use excess oil in the compressor. But it will not leak all over the floor if the leakage is small or there is no excess oil used.

What causes air compressor oil system failure?

An excess leak of the oil from the compressor will cause an air compressor oil system failure. Because of the leak of oil, the compressor will lack the oil it needed to perform. Thus the system will fail.

Can excessive oil in the compressor discharge Air?

Excess oil will simply leak out of the compressor. It is not of any help in discharging air or so. So I recommend you do not use excess oil in the compressor.

I would like to give some final opinion about the air compressor oil leak problems. First of all, no matter how well you maintain the compressor, in the end, some oil will leak. This is a machine and it is not always a hundred percent efficient.

So, my advice for you would be to maintain the compressor as much as you can. It will reduce the percentage of oil leaks. And more importantly, it will save you from any kind of mishap.

3 thoughts on “Air Compressor Oil Leak Problems! – Explained & Solved”

  1. Thank you for the heads up that no matter how well-kept your air compressor is, it would always leak oil in one form or another. This is why my dad would have to regularly bring his show cars to the auto repair shop to have them thoroughly checked and tuned up before planning on bringing them to any race or exhibit. This way, he could get his compressors cleaned, fixed, or replaced before a worn out one gets him into further trouble while on the road.

    Reply
  2. New compressor just set it up….but oil is leaking from fan cover should i return it or is their a simple solution.
    Tony

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