My compressor is acting weird - sparking and making a grinding noise. Is it toast?

Hey guys, my 20-gallon Craftsman compressor is acting up. It's about 5 years old. Started making a weird grinding noise when it kicks on, and I saw some sparks near the motor yesterday. It also seems to be struggling to hold pressure - drops faster than usual. Tried cleaning the air filter but no luck. Is this something I can fix or should I start shopping for a new one? Thanks!

Sounds like your motor bearings might be shot, OP. The grinding noise + sparks usually means the armature is hitting something it shouldn't. Could be worn brushes too if it's a brushed motor. First thing - UNPLUG IT before you poke around. Check if the flywheel or fan is hitting the housing. If it's the bearings, you might be able to replace them if you're handy, but honestly at 5 years on a Craftsman, might be cheaper to replace the whole unit unless you're attached to it.

Hank's right about unplugging it first. I've seen a few of these go out around that age. The pressure drop could be unrelated - check your drain valve and all connections for leaks with some soapy water. But the grinding and sparks... that's usually a death rattle. If it were mine, I'd start looking at new ones. The HF Fortress compressors are surprisingly decent for the money if you're on a budget.

Before you trash it, try pulling the motor cover and checking the brushes if it has them. Sometimes they wear unevenly and cause arcing. Also make sure nothing got lodged in the cooling fins - I once had a mouse nest cause similar symptoms! If you do replace it, consider going oil-lubed next time - they last way longer than the oilless ones.

Sparky compressors are no joke - could start a fire in your shop. If you're seeing actual sparks (not just electrical arcing inside), that's a big red flag. The grinding noise is probably the piston or connecting rod bearings. At minimum you'd need to tear down the pump, which isn't worth it on a 5-year-old oilless unit. Time for an upgrade. Check out the California Air Tools ones - super quiet and reliable for the price.