Yong Heng owners - Are you SHURE you have the correct amount of oil in it? Is a level YH really level? Let's talk.

[Member 32425]

Hello Yong Heng owners. When you check the oil level through the transparent window, of course you make sure your YH is level first. BUT, how do you know your YH is level? Maybe you grab a carpenter's bubble level and check the surface the YH is setting on to make sure it's level. Maybe the surface is not level (almost certainly it is not), so you put things under the feet and keep re-measuring the top of the compressor case until that is level. So far it all makes sense. The top of the YH case is level so maybe you assume that the motor and crankshaft are level and the pistons and piston heads are vertical (plumb in carpenter's terms). The assumption that the motor and crankshaft are level at this point is incorrect. They are not level at this point. And the assumption that the pistons and piston heads are vertical (plumb) at this point is also incorrect. If you have a small carpenter's level (maybe a 10 or 12 inch level) that can measure plumb and you place it against the back side of the piston head, then you will see that the piston head is actually tilted about 1.8 degrees forward. This, of course, means that the motor and crankshaft are not level at this point. What does this mean for the validity of checking the oil level in your YH through the transparent window? Placing more things under the front feet until the piston head is actually plumb and re-checking the oil level (that previously looked to be correct) now shows that there is NOT enough oil. Currently I am assuming that the piston head should be plumb. I had to add about 200ml (200cc) of oil to make up the difference between the top of the case being level vs the piston head being plumb. 200ml of oil in a Yong Heng is a significant amount of oil.

The point of this thread is that I don't know for sure when my Yong Heng is level as the engineer(s) intended when reading the oil level through the transparent window. Let's talk.

EDIT: My bad on the amount of oil difference. I said I had to add about 200ml with the piston head plumb vs the top of the case being level. That was a typo. I meant 20ml (20cc), not 200ml.

 

[Pistonjohn]

Maybe you are way overthinking this? I filled a tank with my YH sitting on my car hood once, and another time I topped up my avenger without oil in the compressor and it took it like a champ. My point being the little machine is pretty robust (except the thermometer).

 

[Sqwirl57]

Don't over think it. Put it on a level-ish floor and give it the old eyeball treatment. Most cars call for 4-6qts of oil. Care to guess how many come into the shop with 1.5qts in them? A lot and they're still running strong to this day. Get it close, but don't overfill it and you'll be fine.

 

[Airgunmann]

I agree and think it is being over thought

 

[badger5th]

FYI any poured concrete floor will be level by gravity and physics.

 

[Yandeltx]

How many ounces does a YH hold?

 

[smith007]

My old super bike eats oil... so when the red gauge comes on, I top it off. I am in the "you're overthinking it" camp.

 

[Gerry52]

Mine's level enough. Maybe not perfectly level but IMHO the YH isn't going to suffer much if it's 1.8 degrees "off". I get your concern but you MIGHT be over thinking it. Good luck, be level-headed

 

[WorriedMan]

My Yong Heng takes 10 ounces of oil. Agree with others, the compressors aren't that fussy. WM

 

[Member 32425]

Thanks for the feedback guys. It's good to know that the YH is not that fussy about precise oil level. I will continue to make sure my crankshaft is level (piston head plumb) when checking the oil level. If anyone comes up with a reason that the crankshaft should NOT be level, please let me know.
grungy

 

[dizzums]

lol, the 'engineers' of a yong heng likely freehand most of the machine work, its not a precision instrument .. focusing on the oil or water will pretty much guarantee youll have it burned out pronto if you dont realize its a light duty mechanism and treat ut as such .. put a fan on it, be conservative on run times and maybe just take a bottle over 4k a bit and dont push it ... yes it needs oil, yes it needs water circulating but keep things in perspective ...

 

[scoutscope]

FYI any poured concrete floor will be level by gravity and physics.

I beg to differ. Concrete is not self-leveling. Water may find level, but concrete is definitely not as fluid as water. It is often formed out of level to create drainage, and once worked to meet the forms it stays where you put it. It is also commonly sloped into a floor drain. It does not find level after it is sloped. Concrete slabs often shift with the earth also. Checking your floor before assuming it level is the safe way to go. Happy Shooting.

 

[Cajunchuck]

Geez. I suppose some of us (myself included) geek out on the support equipment more than the guns and shooting lol. I was also one that preferred to BUILD RC airplane kits rather than fly them back before the hobby went to poop.

 

[thane]

The type of oil is far more critical.

 

[hawkeye69]

The dipstick on automobiles shows an acceptable range. I would assume the same holds true here regarding the amount of oil necessary for adequate lubrication, so a slight out of level sight-glass visual error would not be critical.

 

[badger5th]

I beg to differ. Concrete is not self-leveling. Water may find level, but concrete is definitely not as fluid as water. It is often formed out of level to create drainage, and once worked to meet the forms it stays where you put it. It is also commonly sloped into a floor drain. It does not find level after it is sloped. Concrete slabs often shift with the earth also. Checking your floor before assuming it level is the safe way to go. Happy Shooting.

I agree to stand corrected on one point. It is true that concrete by virtue of its viscosity will not reach a perfect level, like water will, before it begins to cure and won't settle further.

With that said I am a building systems engineer by profession (specialize in plumbing and HVAC system design). In the case of a floor drain (restaurant kitchen, industrial facility, shower/locker room) the overall floor is still poured and finished flat BUT the contractor will (or certainly should) form/pitch the concrete out to a point about 24" from the drain at about a 2% pitch to assist water going into the drain.

In the context of the OP question and how leveling came into the discussion, any proper concrete slab should be level.

 

[scoutscope]

I stand with my point. Concrete doesn't level itself. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for finishers to pitch the floor around a drain much more than two foot. It makes it easier to get a nice finish on it. I have pulled on my rubber boots, formed, dragged, struck off, and finished concrete in residential construction. I would not blindly trust a floor because I have experienced what can happen with a pour, and what can happen after. As for the compressor, it would stand to reason that it read true when set to operate on a level surface. That being said, I'm not sure engineering can be counted on to coincide with reason. I'm curious as to whether 1.8* would make the difference between low or not on the dipstick. Hawkeye makes a good point.

 

[Member 32425]

Hi guys. It appears that I should clarify the point of my original post of this thread. If you put a carpenter's level on the top of the blue YH case and shim the feet to make it level, then the case is level. If you then put a carpenter's level behind the piston head to see if it is plumb, you will see that it is NOT plumb -- not even close. Extrapolate from that fact. Over-thinking can be rewarding. I think Sir Issac Newton would agree.
grungy

 

[airgunner1042]

Been using the old eye ball for three yrs. no with no issues. " if it ain't broke, don't fix it"!

 

[scoutscope]

I think that if a competent person designed your compressor that it should be placed on a level surface for running, and for checking oil. Does the manual suggest you place the unit 1.8* out of level to run it?