We all want to torque bolts down so that they are tight and snug. But when dealing with standard NPT threads, too much torque can lead to big problems.
The oil pump housings on a majority of Hycomp compressors have, in the past, been made from cast aluminum. The crankcases used on Hycomp compressors are supplied by an OEM and then modified to fit our customer’s needs. When the NPT bolts are over torqued, they can cause the oil pump housing to crack and fail. To fix this problem we decided to further our modifications to this crankcase and manufacture our own oil pump housings from billet aluminum rather than cast aluminum, and we have completely redesigned them for dramatically increased strength and longevity.
As you can see from the 3D rendering of both oil pump housings version (past and current), the new design is far more robust than its predecessor. The revised design is also more intuitive for installation, as there is only one correct way to install it. You simply install the oil pump housing with the word “TOP” at… well, the top.
All new compressor orders, starting in June of this year, are being built with these new oil pump housings and these housings are also available for older models. The following Hycomp compressor blocks will utilize the new design: B, C, D, E, G, H and V. The A-Block is splash lubricated due to its small size and the F-Block compressors already have been utilizing the billet aluminum oil pump housings since the early 1970’s.
The redesigned oil pump housing bolts directly to the same location as the old design and only require longer bolts, a different oil filter and a properly sized o-ring; all of which are offered as a kit for retrofitting older model compressors. Please contact Hycomp for more information and/or to order the new oil pump housing kit.