Ingersoll Rand MC-2A Compressor oil

1800 Diesel · Aug 28, 2013

Looking for others that own/operate/maintain this machine. The TM says compressor oil should be MIL-L-2104 10W. Years ago this spec was for diesel engines (usually 15/40W). Can someone cross this over to a locally available oil? I can get "compressor oil" anywhere but generally no one can address the mil-spec requirements. Also since this is a rotary compressor, I don't want to damage the compressor end with the wrong type of oil.

Not sure if either compressor end or engine is any good on this unit, but need to put oil in the compressor before I can attempt a start-up.

Thanks,

Kevin

Jimc · Aug 28, 2013

generally compressor oil is 30w non detergent. since most piston compressors are splash lubricated detergent type are not recommended because the detergent keeps particles suspended for a filter to pick it up. it also keep moisture in suspension. i would imagine with a diesel rotary the compressor end would have some type of filter and pump system so a correct weight quality engine oil should be fine but dont quote me. both my ir and eaton pistons on the other hand i can get non-detergent compressor oil for them right from napa. they carry a few different lines. they may have one specific for rotary. i am not sure. never looked. i will tell you this....as soon as a company puts the word compressor on the side of the bottle you might as well just bend over. its about 3 times the cost of regular oil.

just to get her goin though i would just pickup some cheap stuff and dump it in. it wont hurt it to run for a couple few hrs. then do a change on it.

1800 Diesel · Aug 28, 2013

Jimc said:
generally compressor oil is 30w non detergent. since most piston compressors are splash lubricated detergent type are not recommended because the detergent keeps particles suspended for a filter to pick it up. it also keep moisture in suspension. i would imagine with a diesel rotary the compressor end would have some type of filter and pump system so a correct weight quality engine oil should be fine but dont quote me. both my ir and eaton pistons on the other hand i can get non-detergent compressor oil for them right from napa. they carry a few different lines. they may have one specific for rotary. i am not sure. never looked. i will tell you this....as soon as a company puts the word compressor on the side of the bottle you might as well just bend over. its about 3 times the cost of regular oil.

just to get her goin though i would just pickup some cheap stuff and dump it in. it wont hurt it to run for a couple few hrs. then do a change on it.

I was figuring on getting some 20W non-detergent oil just like you said and then get the right stuff if the unit actually runs. TM definitely specifies 10W, but I'd have to buy synthetic engine oil to get 10W. At that price, might as well get the expensive compressor oil.

Thanks for checking in.

Triple Jim · Aug 28, 2013

I'll never get synthetic oil for my compressor again. You can't use a lot of accessories like water separators with sight gauges, because the oil wrecks the plastic. I had one sight gauge blow off and start hissing loudly one day. When I called Gilkerson I got the news about synthetic oil.

Munchies · Aug 28, 2013

I agree with jim on the synthetic, but I have had to switch to it down here on the coast. The 90%+ humidity foams up virtually every oil I have tried. My buddy is an Amsoil rep and I have liked their 30w and Quincy's Quincip.

Jimc · Aug 28, 2013

if i watch the sight glass on my eaton, with our humidity like munchies, my oil turns milk white with alot of start and stops through the day. it just collects moisture like crazy. if i do something like blasting though where its running and getting hot for an extended period the oil goes right back to a nice amber. the heat just flashes the moisture right out of the oil. i havent tried it but i am told with detergent oil, synthetic or regular, that doesnt really happen. the oil will hold in the moisture. the amsol and quincy stuff im sure is synthetic non-detergent compressor oil and good stuff.

1800 Diesel · Aug 28, 2013

Munchies said:
I agree with jim on the synthetic, but I have had to switch to it down here on the coast. The 90%+ humidity foams up virtually every oil I have tried. My buddy is an Amsoil rep and I have liked their 30w and Quincy's Quincip.

Sounds good...I'll check around to see if Amsoil has the 10W available. The TM doesn't mention synthetic though....Thanks.

TXFirefighter · Sep 13, 2013

I'm reaching out on a limb here because I have not worked on one of these yet but, If the compressor systems carried on fire trucks we use an ISO 32 hyd oil for lubricating and cooling the screw compressors. These system also use an Air/ oil separator filter and a hyd oil filter. What fire departments were finding was if they just engaged the compressor and ran it for a short time while checking the trucks out, the oil would fill with condensate (Hello Gulf Coast). As I performed maintenance on the systems, I instructed the operators to RUN the unit. When departments started running the systems and getting oil temps to 180 degrees or better, the condensate and associated issues went away. So I am not surprised to see the comment Jimc made. Its a use it or loose it thing.

JIMINITWIN · May 19, 2014

1800 Diesel said:
Looking for others that own/operate/maintain this machine. The TM says compressor oil should be MIL-L-2104 10W. Years ago this spec was for diesel engines (usually 15/40W). Can someone cross this over to a locally available oil? I can get "compressor oil" anywhere but generally no one can address the mil-spec requirements. Also since this is a rotary compressor, I don't want to damage the compressor end with the wrong type of oil.

Not sure if either compressor end or engine is any good on this unit, but need to put oil in the compressor before I can attempt a start-up.

Thanks,

Kevin

You refer to the TM for the MC-2A, Is there a pdf of this TM that I can get my hands on.

goldneagle · May 19, 2014

Here is the TMView attachment Compressor MC-2A.pdf

PeterD · May 20, 2014

on http://www.hfifluidpowerproducts.com/Pages/Hydraulic-Fluid.html, about half/two thirds down is a chart... Might this be helpful in selecting oil? I think the only thing that might be a problem is that hydraulic oil is usually only sold in 5 gallon buckets, but an option might be to get snow plow fluid which you can get in quarts (IIRC, snow plow fluid is about 10 WT.)

jimbo913 · Apr 28, 2015

So is the towing speed on these really 20mph max or can I tow it on the highway?

Ingersoll Rand MC-2A Compressor oil

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