Speedaire Air Compressors – Information, Manuals, Service Locations

Speedaire air compressors offer dependable reliability under demanding conditions. This page will provide you with as much relevant information as possible, where you can seek help, download manuals and navigate existing problems and solutions available on this site.

Table of Contents

• Speedaire Information
• Looking for Official Speedaire Compressor Help?
• How to Get Help From Speedaire Compressor’s Tech Support
• Speedaire Models
• Complimentary Speedaire Manuals To Download
• Speedaire Compressor Troubleshooting, Problems & Fixes
• FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Reader Questions & Responses

Speedaire Information

Speedaire is the house brand of a company known as Grainger (www.grainger.com). Under their Speedaire brand, Grainger offers a variety of products including a wide range of Speedaire Air Compressors. Grainger also sells other brands of air compressors as well as an extensive variety of industrial-type equipment.

Grainger does not make their air compressors. Since they have been around a long time, over the years Grainger has had several manufacturers making Speedaire compressors and branding them for Grainger.

Some lower end and lower-priced units are likely made offshore. Other, more industrial type Speedaire air compressors are reputedly North American made.

Looking for Official Speedaire Compressor Help?

You can get help with your Speedaire air compressor if you contact Grainger directly.

You’ll need your air compressor information to get help from Grainger. You will need to locate the stock number of your air compressor.

Somewhere on your Speedaire air compressor, there will be a nameplate with a Grainger stock number on it. It will typically be a five-digit sequence, similar to this: 8X123.

According to Grainger technical support, this compressor stock number will always have a number, a letter, and then three more numbers. When you have located your Speedaire compressor Grainger stock number, your first step for help would be to contact your local Grainger outlet for assistance.

For U.S.A. Speedaire Compressor Clients

If you are in the United States, the Grainger branch locations web page can be found here.

For Canadian Speedaire Compressor Clients

In Canada, you will need to contact your local Acklands/Grainger outlet – here’s a list of Canadian Branch locations for Grainger compressors.

For Speedaire Compressor Clients Outside N.A.

For Grainger outlets outside of North America visit this page and navigate to your country.

How to Get Help From Speedaire Compressor’s Tech Support

When you contact your local Grainger branch, tell them that you are calling about parts for Speedaire compressors. They will either help you themselves if that local branch has the skills, or they will patch you through to the same technical service people at Grainger that I talked to.

Please note that Grainger’s will NOT help you to change a Speedaire compressor part! If you are seeking help as to how to change a part or fix your Speedaire compressor yourself, they will not help. You are pretty much on your own unless you post a question on this forum to get some help from other Speedaire owners.

Speedaire compressor help can, and will, help you find parts for Speedaire compressors, even some that are decades old, as long as you have located the compressor stock number and can provide it to their support people when you call.

Speedaire Models

Further information on specific Speedaire Models can be found on the following pages:

• Speedaire 3Z406 Compressors
• Speedaire 3Z180 Compressors

Complimentary Speedaire Manuals To Download

The following Speedaire manuals are available for download:

• Speedaire model 1WD21 owners manual
• Speedaire models 35WC69, 35WC70, 35WC71, 35WC72, 35WC73 compressor manual
• Speedaire-2Z499-2Z499C- Compressor head tech sheet
• Speedaire 3Z172 owners manual
• Speedaire 3Z495 and 3Z492a compressor manuals
• Speedaire 3Z174 and 3Z176 compressor manuals

Speedaire Compressor Troubleshooting, Problems & Fixes

Below are more pages with questions, answers and information about specific Speedaire air compressors problems:

Speedaire Oil Problems

• Speedaire Compressor Oil – Changing It, Which To Use & How Much To Use

Speedaire Pump Problems

• Speedaire 4B247 pump swapped out
• Building a compressor using this Speedaire pump
• Had unidentified part on Speedaire compressor
• Dayton 3Z960 inter-cooler lines
• Air escaping from Speedaire 3Z180 air compressor pump

Speedaire Pressure Problems

• Speedaire has worn out PRV bypass
• Replace bad pressure switch on Speedaire compressor
• Blow of pressure for a Speedaire 3Z405
• 3z180 – Speedaire – 3hp 60 gal model 1Z721 – flow questions

Speedaire Old Compressor Problems

• Identifying Speedaire Compressor Models
• Old Dayton Speedaire Air Compressor
• Speedaire 3Z323 bogging down

Other Speedaire Related Problems

• Fix Common Issues with Speedaire Air Compressors – Troubleshooting

Below is a useful YouTube Speedaire compressor test demonstration!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Reader Questions & Responses

Do I need a service/owners manual for Speedaire 3Z323C?

Question

I inherited a nice 1 HP Speedair compressor, 1 Hp. It has an oil tube on the compressor at the driven pulley side of the crankshaft/crankcase.

I need to service this lube point. How to clean the sponge and what, 30wt. non-detergent oil I presume?
Where can I find a service/owner’s manual? Not available on Grainger’s web page.

Dave Wardall

Response

… Rare thing, if not absolutely “unobtainium”.

Your guess sounds about right, but I’m confused about the “sponge”.

Is it a wick of some kind under a cover? If so, I don’t think you need or want to clean it, just add oil if it appears dry.

Otherwise, can you post a pic or two of it?

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I can’t get hold of a new belt for an old Speedaire compressor?

Question

Hello there, I have an old Speedaire compressor and I can’t get hold of a new belt can u guys help me in any way. I am not in the U.S I’m in the Caribbean in curacao please let me know how u can help a.s.a.p thank u in advance. O’Neil.

Response

Hi O’Neil,

Lots of interest in getting Speedaire Compressor Parts in the last few weeks. Must be a lot of folks getting theirs out of storage? 🙂

In any case, I have no connection with Speedaire except that their tech support people were very helpful when I contacted them…they seem like nice folks.

In terms of getting your Speedaire parts, visit the main Speedaire page on this site and follow the guides to getting parts, even if not in the U.S. or Canada.

If that doesn’t help, visit Speedaire online and talk to them directly.

Response

I have belts just a few I need to know which one you need the model of the compressor?

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How do I identify a Dayton Speedaire compressor?

Question

I’ve got a v-twin Dayton made air pump all numbers are worn off. the tank looks like a 20 gal, the tank was made in 1969 by the kargard co it has a 1 1/2 hp 1725rpm type k Dayton capacitor ac motor #67893 awf3 driving it. It is wired 110.

It has only a black and white wire for both the motor to regulator switch and from switch to power. I would say it has 4-inch bores and two filters the size of a spray can cap. That’s all the info I have. I thank you for your time

Response

Most Daytons are actually Champion pumps. A few are Campbell Hausfeld’s. A photo or three of your compressor would certainly help.

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Do I need a replacement Squirrel cage for Speedaire model 5Z0344?

Question

I have a Speedair model 5Z0344 2hp, direct-drive compressor and I need a replacement squirrel cage (5 5/8″ diameter). I’ve tried Grainger and Master Parts to no avail. Any suggestions?

Ken

Response

If by the squirrel cage you mean the fan for cooling the motor, you might try automotive parts stores, air conditioning parts supply, or, if there is an oil burner dealer nearby, the blower on the oil burner is often the squirrel cage type.

Anyone else?

Response

Not sure what happened to the old one. I took the cowling off to inspect, and replaced it and when I turned the compressor back the cage literally disintegrated.

Good news – I found a replacement part at Campbell Hausfeld. The part # is HL001500AV.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Ken

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Speedaire 4B247 swapped with 2Z499 and its effect on CFM?

Question

Hi all … I swapped out a 4B247 with a 2Z499 – what effect on CFM? I’m somewhat new to the world of air compressors so I did what research I could and selected a compressor off of Craigslist that had a reasonable CFM rating.

Only when I got home, did I realise that it looks like both the motor and the compressor had been replaced at some point in their lives.

The compressor is marked up as a Speedaire 4B228B.

It’s listed as having a Speedaire 4B247 compressor head but the reality is that it has a Speedaire 2Z499 compressor.

The motor is 240v 15amp listed at 2.96kw (4hp).

The original specs for this compressor were 10.8 SCFM @ 90PSI – I’m trying to figure out the effect of this having had the compressor head changed.

Any information greatly appreciated.

Response

First, your true running horsepower on that motor is just barely over 3 horsepower. I will see if this link will paste on how to calculate TRUE HORSEPOWER: www.onlineconversion.com/motor_horsepower.htm . On this calculator keep the efficiency rating at 65% for this is about the most that air compressors run at full load.

Next, I will post an article about SCFM which is an imaginary scenario compressor manufacturers use nowadays which is basically an imaginary calculation to use. SCFM has nothing to do with true CFM, and can only calculate at certain altitudes, certain ambient temperatures, certain regular temperatures and many other factors. No One can calculate SCFM vs CFM for Air Tools & Air Compressors Guide to Compressor Ratings by using these factors in different regions, so SCFM is totally useless and means nothing. Let me look for the proper article on this…

First here is a very important article, again on true horsepower. Please read this to understand true horsepower better. www.kevinsbrady.net/motors.pdf

Here is a quick explanation of SCFM.

About the 6th paragraph on the following link tells you more about SCFM being calculated, and that it means totally different calculations depending on the certain conditions, temps etcetera in the area the compressor is operating from. personalpages.tds.net/~thompson_wp/misc/cfm%20mystery.htm

Now I have shown you how to get true horsepower, but the SCFM thing is about as real as Rumpelstiltskin and is something that cannot be truthfully answered. For this, I cannot answer, but this will at least explain the truth about SCFM.

Basically, you can search the net and come up with many many descriptions of how SCFM came about or figures out. CFM can be figured a lot closer to true regardless of altitude, temperature, ambient temperature, humidity etc. SCFM is closer to just simply conning the purchaser to believe they have something they don’t.

Response

I could not find the actual CFM info you asked for the motor that is supposed to be sized up with the pump model you have should only have a max of a 1 1/2 horsepower motor on it.

The motor you have is rated at 3.1 horsepower and will literally burn that pump up after a little use.

All pumps have a minimum and maximum speed at which they should turn, and they pair them up with a motor and/or the proper pulley size*m(which is very important) for the speed of the pump. On reciprocating compressors, the lower speed you can run the pump the better and longer wear you will get from it, but it cannot be run lower or higher than recommended. SPEED KILLS…

Take an automobile, for example, it can go 120 plus miles per hour, but if you keep it at that speed constantly it will wear out or blow up a lot quicker than if you slow the car down and run it at 55 miles per hours during its life span… You get a lot more life and better performance on the car .

My 2 stage pump is rated at 1150 RPMs, but I got the pump set (by putting the right side of the pulley on the motor) to running 850 RPMs, which is its suggested minimum, and a good pump runs low RPMs, you can get 30 years usage out of if maintained properly…

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP ON MY FIRST REPLY TO THIS POSTING BY THE WAY…

If you need help with this I would be happy to help, but you’re going to have to get a different motor or pump to make that compressor last long..as far as the CFM… Yours with that 1.5 horsepower motor on it will be very low, probably around 3 to 5 [email protected] 90 psi, I would think.

That rating is not a known fact just the estimate that came into my head. I do build compressors and sandblasters as well as repair them here… My Email is [email protected] if you need some additional info, will be glad to help out…Your motor is too big for that pump so something needs changing…

HERE’S A HINT… I have had no luck with the Tractor Supply century motors… I have had 4 fry and one within 6 hours of work on it…I go with Grainger and AO smith motors now…

Response

I don’t see that having more HP on the motor should be an issue. It’s rated at the same RPM as the stock motor it just produces more torque at that same RPM.

I’m now not so sure that this has been modified from its original specifications. Both motor and pump are Drayco units and I believe they are the original manufacturers.

I did a simple test of filling 50 gallons from 90-125psi and recording the amount of time it took. From that test, I got an average of 8.2CFM at 107.5psi.

I’ve only had time to quickly scan your posts so far but I’ll make sure I’ll check it over again later if I get time.

Many Thanks 🙂

Dan

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If you have any questions about Speedaire compressors, please leave a comment below, with photos if applicable, so that others can help you!