Valve going bad?
When I first got my gun (TSS) I’d fill it to about 2800 psi. The first few shots were always weak, but would catch up rather quickly. I filled it to 2900 once, and the valve had real problems so I never filled that high anymore.
Now when my scuba tank gets lower, and I can only fill my gun to around 2600-2700 psi it does the same thing, maybe worse. I’ll go thru many weak ‘pfft’ shots, POI all over the place, before it ‘levels out’, even when filled at these much lower levels. I’ve been turning the PW up to help open the valve in the begining, and then lower it when it levels out. But this doesn’t seem right, I would think the valve should open fine at least at these lower psi levels, but it doesn’t. Should it be acting like this? And what if anything can be done? My TH is set a tad over 80 thou.
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The valve stem probably has leaked from day one. The fix is to install an O-ring in the brass insert that seals the stem. Talontunes shows a pic of this mod for the valve. If you get serious about quieting the gun, you’ll want to do this mod as it wastes air and makes noise.
Hey thx a bunch sotxguy for all the info and tips. Guess what… I tried the lighter test… and my gun flunked. Blew the flame clean out everytime. I was kinda wishing it was something more easily fixed, like a sticky hammer for instance, but it surely looks like a have a leak. But at least I know what it is now.
I don’t even have a vise that big, much less the other custom type tools needed to make the job easier, I think I’ll just take the bottle to Mac1 Tim, and have him either fix the valve or just slap a new one in, and I’ll know it will be done right. Hopefully he will be able to do this while I’m there. This leak has probably hampered the health of my gun for who knows how long now. Even with the leak, my gun can kick ass, so with it fixed, I may see performance I never knew my gun had. Thanks again!
EDIT: Think I’ll replace the breech seals as well… 🙂
That’s why the diver’s silicone is 3 times the cost of plumbers. It’s used for the seals in the first and second stage SCUBA regulator O-rings and possibly ingested while breathing. But plumber’s grease is used in faucet and valve stem O-rings and comes into contact with the water you drink, so what’s the difference?
A common leak with air tanks is around the air stem when the gun is fired. A easy test that I’ve used for checking for leaking air stem or breech seal is to hold a kitchen match or butane lighter about 1” away from the gap between the breech and air tank. Dry fire the gun. If leaking the air pulse will blow out the frame. Second use soap bubble test on the stem or breech to find the offender
The air stem and brass insert is easy to access once the valve assembly is off the tank. Now removing the valve assembly is a SOB. Check out this tread: http://talonairgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2655
Good Luck
sotxguy quote: “Divers Silicone grease is food quality and you can consume it.”
Hope I never get that hungry lol. I have no idea if it’s leaking from valve stem around insert, I hope not. I did feel the breech end of new barrel when I first installed it, and believe it or not, it was quite smooth, but I’ll double check when I remove it to clean/inspect gun. I do have divers silcone, which I understand is ok to put on hammer to slide easier. I’ll do this 2moro, hopefully it will do the trick. Still not sure if valve stem is easily removable, and if it is, should I put silicone on that as well?
Before installing the barrel did you polish it where the breech slides? It’s machined rough and painted, very poor “feel” when cocking. The paint residue will foul the seal. Use Emery cloth starting with 400 and ending with 2000 grit. You’ll get a mirrored finish
Is the Air valve stem leaking around the brass insert? Got O-ring?
Divers Silicone grease $9. Plumber’s Silicone grease at Lowe’s $2.80. Difference? Divers Silicone grease is food quality and you can consume it.
Well, when putting the new barrel in, I lubed the barrel and breach good, so I doubt it’s that. But yeah I’ll tear it down and clean the rest out, clean ID of frame ect. Probably the hammer not sliding freely enough. Thx
If you have been using your SS for a while it may be a good idea to break it down and clean it up.
For just regular lube I like the silicone spray. The “gunk” stuff as an example just leaves a film of silicone behind after it dries.
I was told to use divers silicon. I picked some up at Sport Chalet.
Ok, whats the best lube to use? I figuring the hammer and stem takes different types? And does the stem come out, or just lube the base of it. Sorry never did this before.
Now when my scuba tank gets lower, and I can only fill my gun to around 2600-2700 psi it does the same thing, maybe worse. I’ll go thru many weak ‘pfft’ shots, POI all over the place, before it ‘levels out’, even when filled at these much lower levels. I’ve been turning the PW up to help open the valve in the begining, and then lower it when it levels out. But this doesn’t seem right, I would think the valve should open fine at least at these lower psi levels, but it doesn’t. Should it be acting like this? And what if anything can be done? My TH is set a tad over 80 thou.
Are ya lubed up? Hammer chatter and a dry breech can really slow down that hammer opening the valve. Maybe your valve stem could use a little lube as well.
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OK, I just looked up the mod on TalonTunes, I totally understand the deal now. If I ever did send my gun to Tony, it won’t be just for one thing like that, it will be for a few things if I’m gonna be without a gun for a few weeks. It’s not that my gun shoots bad, it doesn’t, so it’s not like it’s killing me everytime I shoot it.
I talked to Tim McMurray for a while on the phone about this today. He said it’s fairly common for these stock valves to flunk the flame test, apparently many of them leak. Thing is, he won’t touch them. He won’t remove them, or work on them at all, much less a O-ring mod, he just sends the bottle with valve to AF if any stock work needs to be done. If he used to work on them, he stays away from it now, because like you said, it can be a SOB to deal with, and he’s got plenty of other things to do for other customers. Oh well, at least he ordered a box of Kodiaks for me at the sale price. Looks like I’ll be living with the valve the way it is for a while.