Air dryer and dirty air tanks

I hope you gonna show us this fine FLD when you get done. By now she auwta be in tip top.........LOL.....


Get the air system completely cleaned out and drained. Make sure you compressor is broken in or atleast not contaminating the system anymore. Then just replace the whole dryer with a reman unit.

To answer your question I would not be afraid of using aftermarket filters on a air dryer. They are usually half the cost of Bendix or less.

 

Before you spend much time on cleaning out the tanks, make sure the source has been repaired. Usually slim in air tanks is a mix of water and engine oil. The oil comes from the compressor. Although many of the air dryers out there can remove alittle oil, it doesn’t take a lot to render the desiccant in them useless.

I think I’m one of your posts you’ve mentioned this is a older project truck that you’ve done a motor swap. If your compressor is good (there’s a oil spatter test in shop manuals) then you should start there and work back. Don’t run the solvent through any valves, but rinse your lines and air tanks. And let the clean shop air blow through then till your confident it’s gone. I wouldn’t go too far into the smaller lines as the remainder will work it’s way out. A new air dryer cartridge (I only use new manufacturer branded) and you should be good enough.

Reman valves are fine, but really no better than a currently working valve. So if your “PMing” buy new. I would test the compressor, get the funk out, and see what works. If it works leave it alone. Air systems can be reliable if don’t dump any crap in them, keep the oil out and make sure the system can keep the water out.

 

I pull the line on my wet tank every stop I make. At times pull more than 10 to 20 times a day. It’s a habit just like I thumb my tires and look underneath my truck as I get out and in.

 

Any solvent that evaporates quickly. Pour some on the ground, if it’s gone in 5 minutes, it’s good enough. Take the line off the compressor, air dryer (both sides) and the take drains (maybe not the wet tank right away. Then poor and blow through each segment till it come out clean. As long as there are no other major leaks you should be fine.

 

Good answers here. My 1976 fleetstar didn't have such a thing called a airdrier. The drain on the tank ( just remember the 1) was on the forward part of the tank. So if i was on a downhill slope, i would drain out the slop. Sometimes quite a puddle. Never any ill effects on air valves and so on. First airdrier i had was on my 1982 cabinover.

 

I’ve poured rubbing alcohol into line off compressor, They make an air drier conditioner fluid. Supposed to not dry out seals. Maybe a gimmick? I usually buy that junk, along with PS 911 in springtime, clearance priced.

 

Yup, remember when we ( my dad) used to mix brake fluid and dry gas to put in our air systems. Never had any issues with this mixture. Not sure of ratio of mix. Think it was on macks, they had a alcohol sniffer thing. 70's era.