Excessively low air pressure occurring in the intercooler of a reciprocating air compressor is caused by __________.

Correct Answer: Option B — leaky discharge valves on the LP cylinder

Low intercooler pressure indicates that air is leaking back from the intercooler into the low-pressure (LP) cylinder during the compression stroke. This is typically caused by faulty LP discharge valves failing to seat properly, allowing high-pressure air to return to the LP cylinder rather than passing into the intercooler.