Well, today while doing some general checking, I notice that the sir system was taking an abnormally long time to build air. As some of you might remember I had similar trouble right after I bought the Barth and found the main air line from the compressor to the dryer to have a hole worn thru it.

I had been noticing that it seemed to be taking longer then normal to build air for the last several starts during my trip thru Nevada last month. Today it would not build pressure over 90 lbs, even with the engine at 1800 RPM, it would not go more then 90 lbs. Letting it idle for a couple of minutes and opening the bed to get ready for inspection, I shut the engine off and heard air escaping from somewhere near the compressor, I reached down and gave the output line a tug and it broke off the nipple that goes into the compressor!!, Hmmmm no wonder I could not build pressure!

Notice that the bottom part of the nipple is shiny.


This has been broken for awhile as you can see the discoloration where air has been escaping for awhile and the shiny part is what broke today.

I was able to get the broken part of the nipple out of the compressor with an easy-out and replace that goofy three part brass fitting with just a simple DOT brass 1/2-5/8 fitting. This will eliminate all that over hung load and mass that could be influenced by engine vibration and avoid a future failure.


It is possible that I may have damaged or stressed the nipple when I replaced the hose awhile back, but I was careful at that time to use a backing wrench.

This does point out the need to pay attention to indications that don't seem to normal or those that have changed, this could have very easily broken on the road and it could have been a costly repair, I don't carry easy-outs with me. I do carry a small 110 VAC compressor and can connect to my air system so I could have limped to help but it still would not have been fun!!

Looks like we will be at the beach next week after all!!!