Charge Air IRFC5020 5 HP 20 Gallon Portable Compressor Will not Build Pressure

by Jordan
(Canada)

The model is a Charge Air IRFC5020 5 HP 20 Gallon Portable.

I picked up the compressor used - it would not build pressure and leaked a fair bit. I've taken apart the head and discovered a gap in the gasket below the valve plate where the cylinder meets the valve plate. I've replaced the gasket and cleaned and reassembled the head. I also looked over the reeds and both the intake and exhaust look good.

The leak was at the automatic cutoff switch (below the power switch) only 2 of the 4 screws were present so I disassembled, cleaned and reassembled. This solved the leaking problem.

I ran the compressor today and it still won't build much pressure. It builds only slightly more pressure than it used to. I ran it for 30 min and it was still under 10psi. When shutting off the compressor no leaks were apparent. While the compressor was running - it was drawing significant air through the intake (would suck on my hand like a vacuum and lug the motor if I even got close to covering the intake opening.)

If it is drawing a ton of air through the intake - it HAS to be losing the air somewhere between the exhaust reed and the tank. This leaves the head gasket around the exhaust port which was intact, the piping to the tank which could be replaced and the check valve. There are no leaks around the check valve so unless its spitting the air directly out the relief portion I imagine the air won't be going out there. If it did - wouldn't the compressor be shutting off? Is there anything I'm missing here?

Great site by the way, well used in my diagnosis and repair already.

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Bill says...

Hi Jordan... well posted. Thanks for the info.

Try this next, if you would. Unplug and dump all the air. Remove the check valve (in the fitting where the line from the pump enters the tank, typically). Inspect, clean, make sure it is working and reinstall.

If this does not make a change please post a comment here.

Thanks for your kind comments.

Cheers,

Bill