Is there any way to turn a vacuum pump into an air compressor?

the vac pump wouldn't really make that much pressure if you could pull it off. I've heard bad thing about driving air compressors off of the engine, and that they tend to wear things out faster. i'd just opt for an electric one.

If you don't use the AC they make a good Air Compressor.
I know a guy that uses it on his S10 with air bags. Fills his tank on 7 seconds.

Is there any way to turn a vacuum pump into an air compressor?

Depends on the vac pump. If the diaphram or piston assy is strong enough, you can fab something that reverses the valves (If they are strong enough)

Biggest question is what pump, what pressure do you want, and why? It would be cheaper, alot easier, and failproof if you get a 12v compressor for an air brake system.

You could always add a York a/c compressor, but it would require building a bracket to support it. You can find used ones from either old Volvos or Fords. Kilby Enterprises sells them new, and you can buy either serpentine clutches, or new alternator pulleys that allow a v-belt to run it. I run a York on my Jeep and it works great for airing up tires, running impact guns, or short bursts with a die grinder (only got a 3 gal tank), plus it runs my air locker.

Don.

What about running a air compresure off a manuel trans from one of the not used PTO ports? If somebody could pull it off it would be sweet!

What do yall think?

You could always add a York a/c compressor, but it would require building a bracket to support it. You can find used ones from either old Volvos or Fords. Kilby Enterprises sells them new, and you can buy either serpentine clutches, or new alternator pulleys that allow a v-belt to run it. I run a York on my Jeep and it works great for airing up tires, running impact guns, or short bursts with a die grinder (only got a 3 gal tank), plus it runs my air locker.

Don.

Do you have any picures of that set up. I would be interested in checking them out!

google york ac compressor. came up witha few conversions. there also used on a lot of semi's. the advantage of using this compressor is that it has its own oil resevoir, like a home compressor, a gm style would burn out pumping air as its designed to have the oil in the freon. i've had one sitting in the shed for years, planning to make brackets for it. but the 12 volt one i have seems to work fine for airbags and the odd low tire, so i've never bothered

as stated before, 12v compressor would probably do what you need well. Plus you can mount it pretty much anywhere you want.

Do you have any picures of that set up. I would be interested in checking them out!

Pics of what - a Jeep setup or 6.5?



Andy

You can use the radial style compressors without the oil reservior, but you need to supply lube somehow. Some people just blast WD-40 into it on occasion (like oiling an air tool), other people install an inline oiler in the intake, and an oil separator in the outlet. I'll see if I've got a few pics of my setup tonight that I can post... might be some ideas of use for a 6.5 setup.

The GM a6 compressor works well though it doesn't have the oil reservoir like a York, but they're cheap and once you have the setup you can swap in a spare pretty easily. They're LONG but put out LOTS of air.

Yorks come in various outputs and also need to be modded to plug an oil galley that will allow some oil into the discharge air. This is good for tools and air tanks, but not necessarily good for tires or other inflatables.

I don't think a vacuum pump is worth the effort.

I've used the little 12v cadillac suspension leveling compressor before - very little output - a york and also have a large Thomas 12v continuous duty compressor.

Just depends on what you want the air supply for and if you can include a tank somewhere.

Chaser

Here's some pics of the York installed in my Jeep. Don't laugh at the bracket now... it may look junky, but that thing has held the york flawlessly for almost 6 years now. Don't have any pics of my air tank, but I have a 3 gal. tank in the back of the Jeep.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/568922311noSTIH?vhost=rides

Don.

Here's some pics of the York installed in my Jeep. Don't laugh at the bracket now... it may look junky, but that thing has held the york flawlessly for almost 6 years now. Don't have any pics of my air tank, but I have a 3 gal. tank in the back of the Jeep.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/568922311noSTIH?vhost=rides

Don.

Looks good to me Don. :D

Here's some pics of the York installed in my Jeep. Don't laugh at the bracket now... it may look junky, but that thing has held the york flawlessly for almost 6 years now. Don't have any pics of my air tank, but I have a 3 gal. tank in the back of the Jeep.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/568922311noSTIH?vhost=rides

Don.

Nice...

You should be the one laughing...I paid the $ for a Kilby bracket, at the time I didnt have the tools or the know how to make one.


Andy

man that looks great and i have been wanting to install on on my truck too i want it for out at the race track for some air tools but i havent been able to snatch some leaky air tanks off of a semi yet

Thanks! It definitely works great for airing up tires. I added an oil separater to mine, since I have not installed the plug that wagonwheeler talked about. So on long runs, I do get a bit of oil pushed out. But usually for the amount of time it takes to air up, or for some impact gun work... I don't get much oil pushed out.

Don.

Here's some pics of the York installed in my Jeep. Don't laugh at the bracket now... it may look junky, but that thing has held the york flawlessly for almost 6 years now. Don't have any pics of my air tank, but I have a 3 gal. tank in the back of the Jeep.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/568922311noSTIH?vhost=rides

Don.

Don, That looks good!

You can use the radial style compressors without
the oil reservior, but you need to supply lube somehow. Some people just blast
WD-40 into it on occasion (like oiling an air tool),

I did this on a pickup I had in the 80s, used a couple drops of light motor oil in
the suction before I'd air up a tire, (WD-40 not very good lube) and used it like
that for years. Had the hose directly connected to the compressor, and an on/off
switch under the hood - connect the hose to the tire with a clip on chuck, and flip
the switch! But one of those compressors can easily put out 300 PSI, so don't
get distracted! LOL
I have a compressor and bracket to install onto my Jeep, just waiting for free time.

You can use the radial style compressors without the oil reservior, but you need to supply lube somehow. Some people just blast WD-40 into it on occasion (like oiling an air tool), other people install an inline oiler in the intake, and an oil separator in the outlet. I'll see if I've got a few pics of my setup tonight that I can post... might be some ideas of use for a 6.5 setup.

which were the radial style? the short case or the long ones?

Actually I guess both radial and axial that GM used don't have oil reservoirs. I'm pretty sure the the shorter but fatter GM style is a radial, and the longer skinnier ones are axial.

True, WD-40 really isn't the best, although I have heard of some people using it... who knows how long their compressor lasted!

It has really been an indispensable tool on my Jeep. But since I've got a tank, I have a pressure switch all rigged to switch the compressor on and off as necessary. Cut in is 90, our is 110 psi. That's another plus to using an a/c compressor vs. something like the vacuum pump with no clutch.

Don.

It has really been an indispensable tool on my Jeep. But since I've got a tank, I have a pressure switch all rigged to switch the compressor on and off as necessary. Cut in is 90, our is 110 psi. That's another plus to using an a/c compressor vs. something like the vacuum pump with no clutch.

Don.


I don't even have a compressor in the garage, the only one I have is the one under the hood of the heep :D I think mine's set to cut in at 110 and out at 150.


Andy

hmmm....and i always wonder why i save everything. Well, i guess now i know what im doing with the spare a/c pump in the barn:D