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portable compressor?

Started by Hankk17, November 30, 2011, 11:35:48 AM

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Hankk17

I've managed to score some '73 eldorados locally in a barn and am going to pick them up Saturday with a friend.  The tires are all flat, but some look like they may hold air.  anyone have a recommendation for a decent portable compressor?  something battery operated as this barn has no power to it at all. 
Wherever you go... There you are

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

Hank,
Depending on how many tires you intend to fill it's going to have to be a big battery.  I personally use a regulated CO-2 tank for temporary tire inflation.  10 pounds of CO-2 fills a lot of tires and a battery driven compressor takes a lot longer to work.
Greg Surfas
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

Hankk17

that's an interesting idea.. but why C02 and not regular air?
Wherever you go... There you are

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

CO2 has been liquified and thereby condensed, so you get a greater weight of gas in the cylinder.  It is under extremely high pressure, so a regulator is needed to drop the pressure down to the 30+ psig you will need for the tires.
Greg Surfas
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

TJ Hopland

Those little battery and lighter powered compressors take forever to fill an empty car tire if you are lucky.  There is no chance of filling one with a loose or leaky bead.   If you do get a tire filled they wont likely last long enough to fill another one. 

Is there power anywhere near by?   I would bring a regular compressor, fill it, take it to the cars fill as many tires as you can, take the compressor back to where the power is, fill it again, and repeat till you are done.   If you dont own a mobile compressor get one of those portable tanks and fill it where ever the closest place is.   Those 10 gallon tanks will usually fill 2 car tires with enough air to roll the car (s).

Do any of these cars have decent interior stuff?  If so I call dibs on any red stuff you are selling. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Hankk17

hah TJ!  that's ultimately what I'm after too - a red interior.  Sadly, none are red but for now I've got enough bits that are blue to put together a decent blue interior to replace the horrible tan that's in my '72 now.   That plus I need convertible parts and one may actually have a '71 engine in it.  I've been looking into 10 gal portable tanks - I think I'll do that.  Its going to be an adventure, that's for sure.

Hank
Wherever you go... There you are

TJ Hopland

If this is truly out in the middle of nowhere and its just not going to be practical to go to power or another compressor it may be worth renting a gas powered compressor for the day.  While not ideal the ones rental places have for air nailers and such will do a better job than the battery ones.      Also dont get the idea of using a generator to try and run a decent size compressor, I found out that unless the generator is really big and the compressor is tiny you end up buying a new motor for your (or your friends) compressor after a few minutes of operation. 

Best thing tools I bought for this stupid habit of buying dead Eldorados is:
8000 lb capacity trailer with working brakes.  Next trailer will have that little bend at the end to aid in loading.
3/4 ton or larger truck
electric winch
10 gallon air tank
big hooks (these alone have saved me hours of laying in the mud trying to feed chains under a car)





StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Glen

#7
I inherited from my father an adapter to use a cylinder of the engine as an air compressor.  You remove a spark plug and screw in the adapter.  It has a check valve to allow air in without using air from the intake manifold.  It has a long hose to run to wheel on the car and then some. 

I’ve seen him use it several times.  The engine runs rough but it works well. 

I have not seen one of them for a long time. 

<ramble mode = off>
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

TJ Hopland

Interesting concept.   Wouldn't you end up with a nice explosive air fuel mix in your tire?
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Dan LeBlanc

Some of the offroad guys have the old York style a/c compressors mounted underhood on their off-road vehicles.  I guess they'll flow enough air to even operate an impact wrench.
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

Glen

Quote from: TJ Hopland on December 02, 2011, 08:56:19 AM
Interesting concept.   Wouldn't you end up with a nice explosive air fuel mix in your tire?

I asked the same question and my father gave me the answer:
No because of the check valve in the adapter.  It allows outside air into the cylinder vice air/fuel from the intake manifold.     It actually kills two cylinders because the outside air also flows into the intake killing the next cylinder. 

I’ll see if I can get a picture. 
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104