Viair 400c - check valve?

[Toeslider]

Finally got around to installing my compressor tonight. Should have bench tested it first but didn' t. After running it for a minute or two and not seeing the tank gauge move at all I figured something was up. (Tank was pre-filled via schraeder valve to 120 psi.)

Yanked the compressor out and tested it on the bench - no air. To make a long story short, the braided line was the problem, something was blocking it and it wouldn' t pass air in either direction. After fiddling around with it for a while I stuck a drill bit in the end that seemed to be blocked and extracted what looks like a spring loaded hard rubber plug? Looks like a check valve, but like I said it wouldn' t pass anything either way before I took it out.

So I hooked everything up again and of course it works fine, fills the tank right up. But now I' m wondering why it was there to begin with? Do I need this little device to keep air from leaking back through the compressor? If so, is there a part number for the braided line? What will happen if I leave it the way it is?

Also, my 150 psi cutoff switch seems to cut off at 160 psi. Anyone else experience that?

[HomegrownHalfTon]

From my experience, those braided leader lines are crappy. I have replaced them twice on two 400c' s because they leaked at the swivels. I never had the lines at more than a 90 degree angle, but even when brand new, the seals would eventually pop. I ended up swapping them out for hardline copper tubing.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Yea, that' s a check valve. It could have been faulty. I would replace it, instead of simply eliminating it.

[Toeslider]

So far it hasn' t seemed to cause any problems, but if it' s supposed to be there I would like it to be. What should I order to replace it?