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Air compressor gaskets are a crucial part of a compressor pump as they separate the intake and pump pressure sides.
This page will serve as a guide to provide you with more information on them, their failure and repair kits readily available online!
Table of Contents
- What is an Air Compressor Gasket
- Air Compressor Gasket Failure
- Can You Make Your Own Compressor Gaskets?
- Where to Get Air Compressor Gasket Material?
- Air Compressor Gaskets Available on Amazon
- Air Compressor Gasket Youtube Demonstrations
What is an Air Compressor Gasket
Air compressor pump gaskets separate elements in the pump to allow it to function effectively and efficiently. Any typical reciprocating compressor pump, has a pump air intake side and a pump pressure side. The intake side allows air into the cylinder on the pistons retracting motion.
When the piston cycles into its compression stroke the pressure side allows the pump to drive the air into the tank to increase the tank pressure. The gasket that separates these two halves on the pump head can be very robust in large industrial compressors, or in the case of smaller compressors it could be no more than just a paper gasket.
Air Compressor Gasket Failure
As noted on many other pages on this site, a frequent reason for an air compressor running, but not building any air pressure, is that an internal gasket has blown.
The gasket may look OK, but once the pressure in the tank reaches a certain point, the back pressure against which the pump has to work increases to the point that the compressor gaskets let go.
If that happens, the air that is supposed to be pumped down into the tank, simply flows back and forth inside the pump, and the air pressure in the tank stalls.
I get more and more questions from owners of DIY type air compressors about getting gaskets to repair their compressors. This fellow has an air compressor that is only 8 months old, yet he is told by the manufacturer that no spare parts are available any more. I suspect in that case there were never any spare parts for this compressor from the get go!
What is to be done, then, when you need to replace a gasket in your air compressor pump but that gasket is no longer available?
Can You Make Your Own Compressor Gaskets?
What some visitors to this website say is that they make their own compressor gaskets. They acquired suitable gasket material after thorough research, often from an auto parts supply shop.
A compressor pump head gets very, very hot in operation. When sourcing replacement gasket material, recognize that. Yes, you can burn skin with the heat generated on a compressor pump, so any gasket material has to be heat resistant.
Here is an example of a typical pump head, separated into parts, and you can see where the gasket on this pump goes.
After disassembling the pump head locate all the gaskets. Then either remove them to use as a template to make new ones, or use the surface where the original gaskets were installed as a template, if the gasket is beyond removal in one piece.
With the old gasket template as a guide, mark the new gasket material appropriately, and cut the material to suit.
If your air compressor won’t build pressure past a certain point, the most frequent causes seem to be either the intake or high pressure reed / flapper valve is failing, or a gasket is letting go.
For information on Reed Valve Failure visit our troubleshooting page!
You may, nor may not, be able to see the failure point if it is the gasket. Yet, once you have the pump apart, you might as well eliminate that as the potential problem, by installing new gaskets.
If your compressor supplier tells you that gaskets for that compressor are no longer available, then making your own is the logical choice.
Where to Get Air Compressor Gasket Material?
If you Google “high heat gasket material” you will find many reputable sources. There does not appear to any difficulty in procuring gasket material almost anywhere online.
One quick and usually good source is an automotive parts store. Ensure you research thoroughly and good luck with building your own compressor gaskets.
One of our readers, Joe Taylor provided some very useful advice:
“I found the best material for making head gaskets for air compressors is copper, soft copper you can get it from most of your roofing company stores that sell copper flashing they have it in 22 gauge and also 24 gauge are use the 22 gauge stuff I buy it from the store in a sheet and then cut and make my own gaskets.
Seems to be more reliable than the paper products you get at the automotive store. I hope this helps everyone! Look for the roofing companies that handle metal roofs and copper flashing. Have a good time making them.”
Air Compressor Gaskets Available on Amazon
There are a number of air compressor pump gasket replacements and kits available on Amazon, I will provide you with some examples but please find one specific to your brand of compressor!
The first is a head cover gasket suitable for Sanborn 130/165 compressors.
- Replaces sanborn 130 / 165
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The second is a Craftsman D30139 air compressor gasket seal kit which boasts terrific reviews.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
A third option is an air compressor pump gasket set suitable for Sears and Craftsman compressors, again boasting great reviews.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Air Compressor Gasket Youtube Demonstrations
I have picked out a couple youtube demonstrations that may be of great help to you!
The first is a guide on how to replace a head gasket on your air compressor.
The next is a head gasket repair and rebuild tutorial!
If you have any questions regarding air compressor gaskets then please leave a comment below with a photo if applicable so that someone can help you!
I have a 1978 MB with a York 210 Compressor. Still running R12. I replaced the seals and gaskets about 5 years ago. All worked, and still does, well. Good and cold. The problem is, the bottom gasket is seeping oil. (The factory service manual even says this is normal! Obviously, that was before Freon prices skyrocketed.) Is there an R12 compatible material I can use to make my own gasket, that WON’T eventually start to leak? All I see for sale is fiber. Appreciate your help.
I do not know. You could google, or ask your friendly neighborhood A/C specialist.
It’s not exactly a compressor, but I’ve got an old (apparently pre-internet) and frozen-up Kinney KC-2 vacuum pump that I’m looking at trying to rebuild. It’s old enough that I don’t expect the assorted seals and gaskets to survive the dis/re-assembly process, but I haven’t been able to get any response from the mfg about replacement parts (or any other information, for that matter – although they happily dropped me on a spam list or two). Would the lessons here hold true for for a vacuum pump as well, or at there other issues at play?
Yeah, similar. Rings and such oriented for the the direction of pressure, or lack thereof.
I need help ordering a replacement rubber piston ring for a toolshop model AT01108V-20-06
As you know, there are no parts listed for the pump, just the pump assembly.
You can try looking for the part on the online parts seller by part description.
Failing that, if there’s enough left of it to measure, you may be able to find it by the measurements.
If you can post some pix of it, along with measurements, I (or someone else) may have some ideas.
Hello i’m making they gaskets for my compressor out of a fan Blades. (is ir Wirth domingo ir? Ir Will ir Mely??)
… The section in brackets very difficult to understand. Please add a comment to clarify, Bruce. Thank you. Moderator …
I’m interpreting this
“(is ir Wirth domingo ir? Ir Will ir Mely??)” as
Is it worth doing? Or will they melt?
Sure, making your own is worth it if you can’t buy them pre-made.
If the blades are plastic, they likely will melt. Does the material melt or catch fire over a lit lighter? If not, it’s probably OK.
Please help. I need a valve and gasket kit for a Westward 13 gallon compressor 3jr84. Or a used pump that doesnt leak. I cant find them anywhere at all. If you can help, I’d truly appreciate it! Thank you. Nick
Not likely to have ever been available. You can look through gaskets on ebay or whatever for some that looks good and ask if it’ll fit, or just make your own as described above.
Good luck. You’re gonna need it…
Hello . Would anyone know where I can buy a gasket/o-ting, in red, in the photo. It is from an older 11 gal. Mastercraft Compressor from Canadian Tire .
Without a model number, no.
However, you might try making one with high temperature RTV in a caulk-type tube.
Or maybe just plug the break in the existing one.
Good luck – and please let us know if you have any success.
If all else fails, I would try making it out of a bead of high temp RTV.
Need a gasket set for a 3 cylinder sanborn compresser
If you don’t know the model number, maybe you should consider this:
https://about-air-compressors.com/compressor-gaskets/
(This site doesn’t sell compressor parts, though some of the advertisers certainly do.)