Can a car ac compressor be used as a Hydraulic pump ? Does it require some modifications to do so or is it impossible to begin with and the compressor can't handle the oil?
3 Answers
No, the clearances, compression ratio and valves are not designed for that use.
If you want a hydraulic pump then use a power steering pump, now available in two flavours mechanical ie engine or belt driven and electric.
I would say definitely not. Pumps like that are designed specifically for their application, and changing the working fluid is not what I would call a minor change. It's possible you could hook it up and get it to run poorly in a fashion, but be prepared for it to break at any moment, so whatever you need the hydraulic pressure for would be at risk. It would be much easier to buy a small hydraulic pump, or better yet a hydraulic jack unless you need a lot of fluid displacement.
- Air compressors work by compressing air, a gas.
- Hydraulic pumps work by pumping hydraulic fluid, a liquid, which is not compressible.
Attempting to run hydraulic fluid through an air compressor will most likely burst the compressor.