Compressor refresh

[BelgiqueB]

Hello,

doing a compressor refresh and have a couple of questions.

First off can i get away with using liquid sealant on the cylinderhead? There is some kind of gasket in there, but it's all broken up. If necessary i could source new gasket material but liquid sealant would be a lot more convenient, any particular type of gasket material i should look for if liquid sealant is a bady idea?

The compressor also has an air dryer/water separator, it was full of rust and crud, will give it a good clean over. What would be the best way to clean the filter/separating element? I've soaked it in brake clean and attacked it with air, but it has little effect. Anyone know if these are still available new, couldn't find a brand on the air dryer.

On a side note, how do this type of dryer/separator work? Is it as simple as the filter element has holes that let air through but are too small for water or is there more to it? Do these dryer/separator work ok and is worth the time and money to refresh it?

'Filter' element

 

[fizzy]

I have never taken my compressor apart but a good discussion here.
Can you tell what the gasket was made from - some act as spacers.

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=78041

 

[Hopefuldave]

When I did mine, I forked out a couple of quid for gasket paper (more like card, really, local motor factors), and put a bit of Kawasaki San's best black silicone on each side.
If I understand 'em, the separator is in between the compressor pump and the tank and has a bit of a pressure drop through it and that does an immediate cooling of the air passing through which condenses out a fair bit of the water, which then needs draining or it ends up full of rust and crud - the finning probably helps keep it reasonably cool (so the air's not squeezed through an already-hot ?orifice? that would keep the water in vapour rather than condensing). What's the "filter" made of? Could be a sintered metal so it's porous? if so it might respond to some sort of acid or a caustic soda wash IF it's pretty blocked...

Edit: if the "filter" IS sintered metal, DON'T BE TEMPTED to wire brush, scrape or whatever, like Oilite bushes it'll close the pores and there'll be no flow through!

Dave H. (the other one)