The day my shop's air compressor quit mid-job and I learned about unloader valves

Last Tuesday I was in the middle of pulling an injector on an old Cummins ISX when the air compressor just died. No buildup, no noisy bearings, just stopped kicking on. I spent a solid hour chasing electrical gremlins before I noticed the unloader valve was stuck open on the tank. Blew some junk out of it with a pick, cycled it a few times, and it's been fine since. Made me realize how much I take that little $15 part for granted when I'm working. Has anyone else had a simple part like that turn a whole day into a headache?

2 comments

2 Comments

simonw4128d ago

Yeah, that "holding up your whole morning" thing is real. It's funny how the smallest stuff that costs nothing always seems to be the thing that brings the big complicated machines to a stop.

wade76728d ago

Man that part about taking a $15 part for granted hits hard. I had a similar deal with a fuel shutoff solenoid on a 6.7 Powerstroke. Customer's truck wouldn't start, I'm chasing wiring diagrams for hours, checking fuses, the whole deal. Ended up being a $18 solenoid that just stuck closed from a little dirt. Now I keep a spare in my toolbox for both that and the unloader valves just because I know how fast they can kill your whole morning.