Hi
My air compressor started kicking in every 35 minutes or so, ran for the usual 30 seconds then stopped. It used to do this about once a day unless it was in use but I noticed it was getting more frequent. I checked all the airline fittings and all tight, so I started with a spanner on the tank fittings. Oh dear, one after the other they started to crumble and what I thought were brass fittings turned out to be brass plated diecast that had over the years work hardened and become brittle.
Fortunatly the threads in the two cylinder heads were metric and I had some fittings, I had enough that with a bit of drilling out to take 10mm copper pipe a few plumbing fittings, all copper or brass, and it was back up and running.
What posessed a manufacturer to use diecast fittings that are going to be subjected to vibration and constant heating and cooling and plate them to look like brass. The rest of the compressor is fine cast iron cylinders, wet crankcase, 3 HP motor etc.
Or do they want it to fail after about 5 years hoping you will buy another one.
Brian