Using mech fuel pump as an air compressor??

[SkylabTech86IDI]

tl;dr can you use a mechanical fuel pump to pressurize an air reserve tank - like for air horns, brakes, or reserve emergency air? The mech fuel pump would sit on the engine block actuated by the camshaft as OEM intended, just but not flowing any fuel.

(Side note, PFA, the same 6.9 I pulled last year that my buddy bought from me and made a lot of progress since then)

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I’ve posted in other threads about a bad oil leak that I have at the fuel block off plate. Got great suggestions that I’m going to try when I circle back to it.

I got this idea to put the mechanical fuel pump back on and use it as a fuel block off plate. But since it’ll still be actuated by the camshaft Im wondering could you use a mechanical fuel pump to pump air into an air reserve tank - like for emergency air, or air horns.

I know that the mech fuel pump only pumps @ about 4-7psi in liquid so I assume that it is far less if it’s compressing air pulled from an ambient air

Could be worth trying to see what happens

 

[DaveBen]

The fuel pump only makes about 10 psi MAX. You will need at least 90 psi for air horns and other compressed air tools. So the answer is NO!

 

[SkylabTech86IDI]

The fuel pump only makes about 10 psi MAX. You will need at least 90 psi for air horns and other compressed air tools. So the answer is NO!

That’s what I thought, thanks

 

[ROCK HARVEY]

I agree that the fuel pump probably wouldn’t work, but I have seen people use the A/C compressor for this purpose.

 

[danda]

nice fuel rail. you deleted those awful plastic caps that leak if you glance at them funny. nice.

 

[snicklas]

I agree that the fuel pump probably wouldn’t work, but I have seen people use the A/C compressor for this purpose.

They use a York A/C compressor, which is a piston type compressor, that has crankcase with oil in it. The Ford round A/C compressor won’t work, since it is lubricated by the oil in the refrigerant.

 

[ROCK HARVEY]

They use a York A/C compressor, which is a piston type compressor, that has crankcase with oil in it. The Ford round A/C compressor won’t work, since it is lubricated by the oil in the refrigerant.

I know it’s not designed for it, but there are people in the off-road community who convert their air conditioning compressor to provide compressed air instead. Here’s one example from YouTube:

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I’m sure someone could come up with a good way to keep it oiled, but if I remember right this guy just sprays WD-40 inside from time to time. I’ve thought about doing the same thing since my A/C is broken anyway.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I’ve thought about doing the same thing since my A/C is broken anyway.

I have to admit that I do too.
I have a friend who had a square body Chevy 30 years or so back. Someone had converted the A/C to an air compressor. The front bumper was a 4" round tube with both ends welded shut. That was made into an air bubble. My young self was completely amazed at that kind of thinking.

 

[ROCK HARVEY]

I think like sniklas said, oiling would be the main problem with the A/C compressor. You’d have to keep it lubed, but all the oil you add is going to end up wherever your compressed air is going unless you separate it down the line somehow.

 

[Bart F-350]

The Ford round A/C compressor won’t work, since it is lubricated by the oil in the refrigerant.

Hi Scott, Wrong! though you must adapt the principle a little bit...
It needs lubrication, how to do that: use airline oil misters at the air intake, and a oil separator at the exit, use aircompressor materials for that.
Good luck.