Paintball

[short304]

Originally Posted by ironchef97

#1 rule: Don't clean your gun if it doesn't need it!

Do you have debris in your valve like dirt or polishing compound in there? That could cause the leak after a few shots, since the dirt would move around and eventually get on the cupseal's seal.

Maybe you need to back your TPC all the way out and start over, it's possible the TPC is too far in to the point the threads are not engaged, and that could put pressure on the powertube's shoulder.

I'll see about cleaning out the valve...

I actually did exactly this - backing the TPC out and starting over - and I had interesting results today... I'll get to the results below

Originally Posted by PB Weasel

Broken Powertube from what I have read . . . Mine did the same thing, what probably happened is that one of the three pieces of metal that are in-between the powertube inlet ports has a hairline crack in it. When this happened to R018 she would shoot great for like 4 or so shots then vent down the barrel, then seal up and shoot for a couple more, then vent totally. What you should do is take it apart again and look at the base of the powertube where the cupseal screws onto it and look very discerningly at the inlet ports, and if there is any cracks you should find them. They catch and hang up inside the valve nut causing the venting you have mentioned. Good luck short and let us know what you find.

Does you gun still have the original mongo PT in it? Mine did and the reason they break is just simply because of how mongo drills the #4 tube out to #6 specs, it is basically unavoidable. Not saying anything about the way mongo chooses to build his guns, so please don't get me wrong. If the PT is original and broken as I described you can order a Lapco #6 PT from ASP and cut that down to the required length. In-fact buy a few so you can fart around with them and do what you will, and be sure to get the #6, not the #6P.

I'll take a closer look at the power tube ...

As 'chef says below, I BELIEVE it's still the #4 bored to #6 when comparing it to my phantom PTs

Originally Posted by ironchef97

that should be a #4 bored to #6 ID if none of the owners after me () changed the pt out.

Originally Posted by DSA

Don't forget to check the 12gm seal inside the grip frame. They routinely pop out if your short swapping cartridge.

I definately did this, cuz I had one blow out the other day... but its still there and still looks healthy

SO - UPDATE: Strangely enough, this morning (after setting it down last night before posting this thread) I decided to see what I could do w/ it... I broke her back down all the way, made sure everything looked clean and lubed, tightened everything back up, put in a med. main spring, double fluted hammer, and a light(er) ACE hardware special valve spring.... AND SHE AIRED RIGHT UP - NO LEAKS! I took it down to the garage, and after screwing in the TPC a bit, I decided to swap in the heavy main spring. I swapped it in, and got it shooting beautifully at 285fps+/- 5fps... and then after about 40shots (I've been doing all this w/ the new CA adaptor w/ a 12oz CO2 tank - not 12gs), it started to gradually leak more and more out of the valve (which to me indicated the cup seal some how got something wedged on it's back side, or it was freezing up). So I broke her back down to take a look at the cup seal and it looked fine. When I gassed it back up, it shot air out the valve again... and I decided that it was time to put her up to foregoe any unnecessary frustration again...

Anyways, I'll take a look at all the suggestions, thanks again guys...

[short304]

Originally Posted by WickedKlown2

Short if you are coming down for the Mid-Tenn Outlaw game on the 21st of May I can cut down a Lapco #6P and Lapco Delrin Cupseal for you...

WK2

Hey, thanks bro... sorry I didn't see this earlier... I was just going back through the thread to see if I missed anything before breaking her back down.

Anyways, I appreciate the invite, but I'm back home in CO on block leave and I'll actually be headed to Kauai for a much needed vacation (w/o the kid!) w/ the wife on the 20th. I'll definately head down for a game w/ you guys after D-day tho.

[CJOttawa]

If the TPC is loose it will tend to back out and hold the powertube open when at rest. How tightly is it being held by the nylon grub screw? (the grub screw gets tightened BEFORE putting the TPC in and the TPC bites into it)

[shadawg]

short i replaced the cup seal shortly before I sold the gun to you. The one that was in the gun was very worn. I replaced it with a brand new blackmagic self tapping cupseal . It had very little paint put through it after that was replaced. Maybe 100 balls. I also sent you a #6 spare powertube. Sorry to hear you are having issues with your baby.

also Swaim is stationed in Hawaii, maybe you guys can hook up while your over there.

[DSA]

We'll get you fixed up at D-Day

[mOngo]

I will bring my box of spare Redux expendables and such- we'll have you up and running quickly- Mongo

[short304]

Thanks guys... I ended up not being able to spend any more time on her before heading to Kauai, but the night I get back I'll be back on here trying to figure it out... I know it's not a "Redux" problem, but a "Nelson" problem, and I just couldn't figure out what it was doing... no problem is unsolvable - a moto I learned quickly as an Engineer student I'll figure it out... and if I don't I'll see you guys at D-day!

And Dawg, thanks for the info, I actually ended up putting the cup seal that was in the gun when you sent it to me BACK in, and it sealed right up... but I ended up having velocity issues after that, and then I had to put it down due to vacation-related time constrainst... but yeah, thanks fot the info, it definately looked new so I was surprised when that was my initial diagnosis