rick french
08-29-2010, 8:27 AM
I'm new to this forum so I hope I am posting this to the right place. I have a Porter Cable 6 gallon air compressor for the usual small air tools. I had it for about 3 years now. It developed a leak. I could hear air coming from under the plastic housing, so I took the housing off and found the leak coming from the compressor head. There is a depression cast into the head about 1 inch deep. At the bottom of that depression there is a metal bottom about 3/16 diameter. In that metal bottom, I found a small pinhole. I could cover the hole with the tip of a fine pencil lead (.5mm) and the leak stopped, so I'm sure I found the source of the leak.
What is that hole and metal bottom for? I assume it is the air intake for the compressor, or maybe it is a relief valve of some sort. Do I need to take this thing into a "certified repair center" or can I fix it myself? The head assembly doesn't look all that complicated to work on, but I don't know what will happen when I start removing screws...I hate when I hear "boing" and have to spend the rest of the day looking for springs and other parts. The compressor still works, for now, but I don't think it will fix itself and will only get worse over time. Eventually it won't hold air at all.
Any help from out there would be appreciated.
What is that hole and metal bottom for? I assume it is the air intake for the compressor, or maybe it is a relief valve of some sort. Do I need to take this thing into a "certified repair center" or can I fix it myself? The head assembly doesn't look all that complicated to work on, but I don't know what will happen when I start removing screws...I hate when I hear "boing" and have to spend the rest of the day looking for springs and other parts. The compressor still works, for now, but I don't think it will fix itself and will only get worse over time. Eventually it won't hold air at all.
Any help from out there would be appreciated.