Deuce won't build air pressure when cold...

Just drove the truck last weekend and the air pressure was fine. Got off work at 11 pm tonight and when I got home figured I would start up the deuce and let the batteries charge a bit (I like to do this every couple of days when it's below freezing). Truck started fine but would not build up air pressure. None of the valves are leaking. I popped the hood and the compressor belt is fine and tensioned properly. Compressor pulley is turning just fine. When I used it a few days ago it was warm and raining. Is it possible that the governor is frozen or something, now that it's 12 degrees? It's 2am and dark and cold so didn't troubleshoot further. No computer right now just the phone so can't really go through my tech manuals like I would like. Any ideas?

Yup something is froze up. Do you drain your air tanks much?

Yeah. Drain the tanks every time I shut the engine off. I close the valves on the tanks right before startup.....kind of part of my prestart and shutdown routines.

Could be your governor or unloader is stuck.

I have sprayed WD-40 in some of the air lines if I have them apart. It cant hurt anything and keeps seals happy.

I would like to see some troubleshooting of these air compressors. They are fairly simple and sometimes may only have a small problem that can be fixed so you don't need to buy a whole new unit. I have not found much information on them of people taking them apart and doing any PM to the valves or anything. Not that they need a lot of attention, but still. wish I had an extra that was junk where I could mess around with one. Mine is the single cylinder Midland model.

I haven't come across any mention of Menthol or Methylated Spirits in the TM's; it was quite common before air driers to have a bottle of meths with a small bleed pipe feeding the suction side of an air compressor. Works very well, fitted to MCW Gardner engined and Leyland Atlantean/National buses, and many other air braked vehicles. It kept one of our units going in the worst of our -5C freeze a few years ago when all around us gear was locking up. Anyone tried a whiff of meths into the air compressor ?

Dieselnatalie said:

I haven't come across any mention of Menthol or Methylated Spirits in the TM's; it was quite common before air driers to have a bottle of meths with a small bleed pipe feeding the suction side of an air compressor. Works very well, fitted to MCW Gardner engined and Leyland Atlantean/National buses, and many other air braked vehicles. It kept one of our units going in the worst of our -5C freeze a few years ago when all around us gear was locking up. Anyone tried a whiff of meths into the air compressor ?

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Alcohol evaporators were part of the artic kits . A bit of information on putting alcohol in the system in this thread;
[h=1]Frozen air tank drain[/h]

Thanks,
Went out to see about thawing it this afternoon. It's actually colder now than it was last night. Found out the Deuce and I have something in common. We both hate cold weather.
Truck wouldn't start. No block heater installed (my first winter with it...THAT won't happen again). I'll bring in the batteries tonight and charge them up where it's warm. Once I get it started, I can see about alchohol. Thanks, Porky...good info there.

Use a small propane torch and heat the cylinder head of the compressor carefully. Do the same with the governor. You should have the truck running for this. You'll know as soon as whatever is stuck pops loose. Just be extra careful on the governor as it has rubber o-rings in it.

Let it run for half an hour, it will warm up.

Yeah -13F with the wind chill.....something tells me it isn't going to start tonight. I'll get the batteries charged up though.

dslucas said:

Yeah -13F with the wind chill.....something tells me it isn't going to start tonight. I'll get the batteries charged up though.

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We got the same here, mine started right up but stalled a few times but my advice to you is watch your oil filters. My canister seals started puking oil.

As far as the air pressure problem, being the former owner of a trucking company my best fix for freeze ups when possible was put a space heater pointing under the truck for a little while. Usually will defrost any frozen air lines etc without damage.

You can get by quite nicely with just one of the old alchaoal snifters. The more modern air driers are over-rated, especally with little or no maintenance. In the mean time, take the discharge line loose from the compressor & pour a little air line antifreeze down it. Gas line antifreeze works too. There really is not much to go wrong, or trouble shoot with the compressor, but you have to keep the fluids in the air system, FLUID. Those valves and such, just don't like solids.

Im having the same problem. My air pressure will not build up. I bought a new governor-d2 and that didn't fix the problem. I live in California so freezing is not a problem. can anyone help

boatyboat51 said:

Im having the same problem. My air pressure will not build up. I bought a new governor-d2 and that didn't fix the problem. I live in California so freezing is not a problem. can anyone help

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First thing I would do is to make sure my compressor can breathe - take off the air intake from the compressor and clean it.

Thanks to DieselBob there is a sequence to make sure the governor is adjusted properly:

TM 9-2320-361-20
8-29. AIR COMPRESSOR GOVERNOR MAINTENANCE (Contd)
c. Check and Adjustment
1. Start engine and buildup air pressure (TM 9-2320-361-10) until gage (4) reading is steady.
2. Check air pressure. Gage (4) should read 85-120 psi.
3. If air pressure gage (4) reading is correct, stop engine. End of tas
4. If air pressure gage (4) reading is too low:
a. Stop engine.
b. Remove cap (3), loosen jamnut (1), and turn screw (2) 1/4 turn clockwise.
c. Start engine and buildup air pressure (TM 9-2320-361-10). Check air pressure gage (4) reading.
If still low, check for air leaks and repeat step b. until air pressure is correct.
d. Stop engine, tighten jamnut (1) on screw (2), and install cap (3).
5. If air pressure gage (4) reading is too high:
a. Stop engine.
b. Remove cap (6) from air valve (5).
c. Turn air valve (5) left and bleed air until gage (4) reads below 100 psi.
d. Close air valve (5) and replace cap (6).
e. Remove cap (3), loosen jamnut ( 1), and turn screw (2) 1/4 turn counterclockwise.
f. Start engine and buildup air pressure. Check air pressure gage (4) reading. If still high, repeat
steps a. through e. until air pressure is correct.
g. Stop engine, tighten jamnut (1) on screw (2) and install cap (3).

If the above does not fix the problem, then my next step would be to swap out the compressor for a known good one and see if that fixes it. Compressors do go bad, they wear out their piston rings and eventually need an overhaul.


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