This report covers:
- How do you know?
- I called AirForce
- It’s funny
- Not foolproof
- BB makes mistakes, too
- What about other powerplants?
- Summary
Today will be a strange report. I received this question/comment to an older report:
“Hi. I wonder if you can help-I have an original Gunpower Stealth from the initial 250 batch and the bottle leaks slowly from the centre of the top hat. I put 100 bar in and put it in a glass of water and saw the bubbles. It is the early valve as you have pictured here. Do you know how to disassemble so I can inspect the valve-with help from a friend? We got the valve out of the bottle — after 23 years of being undisturbed! There is the white nylon Allen hex bolt which, once unscrewed, allows the spring to come out and then the internal white nylon portion has the top hat stem coming through. I presume into it and it does not unscrew so how do I get them apart? Is it simply pull apart-fearing damaging the internal portion! If I cannot disassemble, can I safely use silicone spray to lubricate as I am only hand pumping?
If I need to replace the valve there are Condor Talon valves for sale on ebay from China and all appears to be the correct size but the aperture at the centre of the top hat is 5.5mm or larger whereas mine is just under 2mm what will this mean-will I turn my legal under 12ft lb into a firearm with the larger aperture? Appreciate any advice, many thanks Peter
Peter — there is a lot wrong with your question. I’m not blaming you, but you have gotten ahold of some VERY BAD information.
First — you don’t disassemble a GunPower Stealth or AirForce valve when it leaks slowly. You pressurize the tank and then hit the top hat with a rubber mallet. The force of the rapidly exhausting air will blow out any dirt that may have gotten on the soft surfaces of the valve. I have built thousands of these valves for AirForce and that was how I both tested them and set the valve to seal. I also repaired the leaking guns that were returned and my method fixed about half of them.
But take one apart and you are in trouble. What is the torque spec for a GunPower Stealth valve return spring? You don’t know? Neither do I anymore. But get it wrong by an inch-pound and you will never get the rifle to shoot correctly. That’s when guys start boring out the valve orifices, because they over-torqued the return spring to 23 inch-pounds when it should be 17.5 inch-pounds. Do you even own a torque wrench that’s calibrated in inch-pounds? And you can forget the 17.5 inch-pounds for the GunPower Stealth valve return spring. I made that up. I don’t remember what it really was.
Okay, now what about those Condor Talon valves for sale on eBay from China? Well, the Condor and the Talon are completely different air rifles that have completely different valves. So, if somebody is selling a Condor Talon valve it’s like a Mercedes Ford engine. They aren’t the same and no amount of broken English is going to make it so.
And that white nylon portion at the opposite end of the Top Hat stem (the valve stem) is the actual valve. It is pressed on and that end of the stem is splined, if I remember correctly.
How do you know?
Where is Peter supposed to find this information? It’s really not out there. Don’t go on forums and ask or you’ll get answers from couch commandoes who have never owned one of these rifles but have read many conversations between those who did. They didn’t understand them and they are only too willing to pass along what they don’t know.
If you don’t know, go to the source. Call or email AirForce Airguns and ask what can be done. Now, I doubt they will tell you to tap the top hat with a rubber mallet like I did, though when I worked there and took the service calls, that’s exactly what I did. That stopped many airguns from being shipped to us needlessly.
I called AirForce
Peter, though you didn’t say so I got the impression that you are living in the United Kingdom (your spelling of centre). I live in the same US town that AirForce is in, and I used to work there. So I called them for you.
They told me that if you are in the UK they would refer you to Elite Optical for service issues. Elite would possibly sell you a valve. But here is the deal. The GunPower Stealth has been upgraded over the years along with the Talon and TalonSS. So you might need an entire new valve, because the old internal valve parts are no longer being made. But the new valve would have to be a 12 foot-pound valve like the one in your rifle to be legal in the UK without a Firearm Certificate. So, after installing it in the tank you probably wouldn’t notice any difference.
Peter, a better thing to have done would have been to post your problem on the blog and let BB tell you about his fix. But don’t fret; BB sometimes does the same thing. He understands!
It’s funny
You know, it’s funny, but you tell somebody how to do something and when it works they thank you and you never hear from them again. That person now knows “the secret.” But until you have the same experience, you don’t know it. Learning things like this is a personal thing — unless you read this blog. Then you can learn by reading what others have done.
The last thing you ever want to do is disassemble a pneumatic valve before doing this tapping/mallet test. With the AirForce/GunPower airguns this test is easy to do because the end of the valve is exposed at the end of the removable tank (it’s the top hat), but what about a gun whose reservoir is internal? How do you do this with a Benjamin Marauder? Well, you dry-fire the rifle and let the internal hammer do the work. It isn’t quite the same because with the rubber mallet you can regulate your blows better than you can when you rely on an internal hammer, but the idea is the same. You are trying to blow dirt off the soft parts of the valve, which the rapid exhaust of air does — sometimes.
Not foolproof
This technique doesn’t always work. If the synthetic valve face is cracked or if it has a nick in an edge that should seal you can do all you want and this won’t fix the problem. And sometimes it isn’t the valve itself, but a seal around it. Peter, you did what we all have done. Lacking information you tackled the job yourself.
BB makes mistakes, too
I have a metal detector that’s about 20+ years old. I wanted to use it for a backup machine in case my new Minelab detector ever goes on the fritz. So I put fresh batteries in and I turned it on. Nothing. I tried all the knobs and still nothing. I removed the battery pack and switched the polarity in case I had gotten it wrong and still nothing. So yesterday I put the batteries in the correct way again and then packed the detector in a box and prepared to ship it to a repair station today.
I was awakened at 3 a.m. this morning by the shipping box humming. I had left the detector turned on with the batteries installed and overnight it had healed. I shouldn’t have done that, but wow! I checked the functions and they all seem to work well. What a blessing! Instead of being out a $100 minimum service charge with return shipping, I lost $4.50 for a shipping box and some bubble wrap. Stuff like that doesn’t happen often enough, but when it does I take notice.
What I’m saying is slow down if you can. Don’t jump into a project right away just because something isn’t working. First find out if what is happening is a common problem and perhaps you will find a common solution at the same time.
What about other powerplants?
What I have just written for Peter applies to a PCP, and is really oriented toward an AirForce/GunPower PCP more than others. This technique does work on CO2 guns sometimes, but they don’t usually have this problem. If they have slow leaks they are usually caused by a broken or punctured o-ring or a ripped face seal (the seal that a 12-gram or 88-90-gram CO2 cartridge seals against when pierced.
I would love to turn this into a series, but I don’t see how it applies to spring-piston guns. Can anyone offer me some help in that regard? I can see expanding to single-stroke pneumatics and multi-pump pneumatics if there is enough interest among you readers. Here is what I’m talking about. When your airgun starts developing problems, what are the common reasons and are there some simple fixes you should try?
Summary
You know, for every well-thought-out comment like Peter made yesterday I get a dozen from recliner rangers who want to chop off 6 inches of barrel on a springer because they hear the longer barrel slows the pellet down. Then they crown what’s left with a brass button screw and hate it because it’s now so hard to cock. Peter has just lost his best shooting buddy and wants to get him back on the road as soon as possible. That’s what I want, too.
B.B.
As you know I am not a darksider. However, this blog interests me. Unfortunately, I have no clue what the important valve looks like, functions, or works. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words…
How are the Condor/Airforce valves different from others? Is there one valve maker, sort of like Humma is for regulators that work on many guns?
-Yogi
PS just thought of something. If a PCP was filled with butane gas would it blow-up upon valve opening?
Yogi,
I think I would be most hesitant about filling a PCP with butane gas, most especially if you intend to pressurize it. What will then likely happen is you would have spontaneous combustion, which will likely cause the gun to blow up, even without opening the valve. This is why you do not use regular oils on or in PCPs.
Valves for UK use are almost impossible to find. The valve in my Shadow would not stop leaking so I simply removed the whole valve centres intact – the brass part – and reground the valve into it’s brass seating using a very small amount of Solvol Autosol. It’s a very fine chrome cleaner with gentle abrasive qualities. It is important to do this slowly and I used my variable speed/reversible battery drill. It really doesn’t take much effort. Make sure all traces of the paste have been removed. The results were perfect.
I have also imported one of those Chinese Gunpower / Airforce valves with the fixed vent size. Of course with that size vent it is way overpowered for the UK so I drilled and tapped the hole (4.5mm version) using M5 thread to take a brass Allen grub screw. I drilled out the centre of the brass grub screws in various sizes. I now have the ability to adjust the power between 6ftlb and 11.5ftlb. It is important to start small, I started at 1mm, until you find the right setting. You don’t even have to empty the air bottle to do so! This eliminates all the problems of the valve not being the correct power for the gun. Simple and cheap. Now if I can eliminate that annoying bottle wobble from those appallingly loose threads I would be a happy man.
I’ve been there too with a Gauntlet gen1, (reconditioned by Umarex, separate issue) it popped it’s rupture disk each time it was pressurized from receipt. I asked on some blogs about it, got some reasonable responses on it. The bottle regulator can be rebuilt, but there is the warning about the stack of belvilles, in a certain positions, in a stack. It was much easier to get a replacement bottle, larger size even, with a fresh regulator in it. On a different note, s anyone making L. Walther barrels for a Crosman 362 yet? 🙂
BB,
I’d be interested in a troubleshooting/repairing series.
Hmmm… Springers are pretty basic. Problems are either catastrophic (blown piston seal or broken spring) that will require disassembly and repair or subtle like loose hardware, a leaking breech seal or a lubrication issue.
I do routine maintenance to minimize problems and check performance against the baseline to help detect potential issues early.
Found that accuracy issues can usually be traced back to loose hardware (stock, scope); a change in power (breech seal, dieseling, spring) or a fouled barrel.
Is this the kind of comment/input you were looking for BB?
Hank
Hank,
I’m not sure.
BB
B.B.
It occurred to me that those armchair commandos may have noticed that Air Arms and Weihrauch are offering their prized springers with 9+ to 12 inches length of barrels.. Yes they do that in order to give those springers a little more silent report, necessary for many people nowadays. in the case of a break barrel, the added silencer provides the lost leverage. Do they miss something in power or accuracy? Your AA TX proves not. Neither those HWs with the UNF threaded short stiff barrels or the Diana Pro models.
The crowning? Yes there are probably many hackers but there are also many respectable tuners/gunsmiths that know how to do it, maybe better than a machine.
Anyway since you know all these I believe your comment addressed the wrong way of doing things and not the actual concept of shortened barrels on springers.
Ooh, today’s article feels personal. What man would ask for directions first?!
I would’ve done exactly the same as Peter, ie investigate by disassembly. What surprise at the whacking with a mallet advice – I like it – which, of course, makes perfect sense when one knows why. 🙂
Similar to today’s article, I imagine a “what NOT to do” that lists common (!) do-it-yourself-mistakes and their better alternatives – does that already exist? Also, how about keeping that article up to date by adding new mistakes/solutions over time?
For opening up spring guns, maybe the various methods of controlling release of the coiled up energy could be a start.
It would surely better educate the armchair army. 🙂
Hihihi,
What NOT to do? I like that! I can work with that. 🙂
BB
I wish someone would have written about the rubber mallet tip earlier (couch, cough)..
As I have the same early UK Gunpower stealth, (serial number 667). In .22 caliber,
With the sub 12 ftlb tank, it would get over 500 shots per fill. (That was great as I was filling with a hand pump at the time.)
A couple of years ago mine had developed a leak as well, and I took it apart, to see what was wrong,
Without knowing any better, and not asking for help first…..
I didn’t know there were torque specs on the internals of the valve assembly,
I had called Airforce to buy the valve parts, or have them repair it, but as BB said, that model valve parts are no longer available.
Airforce suggested I buy the micrometer valve and install it, but it does not offer the shot count of the sub 12 ftlb valve.
12ft lbs is great for plinking out to 50 yards, and great for short range pest control, as it is both quieter than a more powerful gun, and it does not penetrate the metal buildings 26 gauge steel, if the target moves at the wrong time.
With a standard American talon tank it gets over 20 ftlbs power, and with a condor tank, over 30 ftlb.
With co2, it’s dead on 10ftlbs.
Unlike the reader that asked the question, Until I get the UK valve replaced with another sub 12ftlb valve, or get it repaired, I do have other options.
I too would like to learn what NOT to do.
Ian
Hi Ian,
it was your photo of the exact same valve that led me to send in my enquiry as you had disassembled it-did you manage to get the top hat apart from the interior nylon valve as mine is still complete?
I sent an enquiry to Gunpower in the UK and did not get a reply but got one yesterday and he says the valve is not repairable and they have new valves for £99 inc postage.
I am going to clean it as much as I can and then re-fit pressurise and do the mallet thing and see where we get to!
regards
Peter
Cool Peter, I saw your original question, but when I went to reply after I got off work I lost the email somewhere in the shuffle.
I tried the mallet test last night, didn’t work.
The older valves we have were a safety issue as they don’t have a burst disk for safety.
I don’t know if Gunpower will post on3 to the USA, but I will be glad to pay to get the new one posted to me.
Mine still has the UK. Marked tank, I really love the gun,
I loaned it o a friend a few years ago, it came back with a new accessory, he had machined a Weihrauch .177 barrel to fit it.
Ian.
Hi Tom/Ian
I tried clean/repressure to 50 bar and mallet end and still leaking on water test-tried it a number of times still no joy.
I am wondering if levering out the top hat and taking a look at the valve top may show something!
I am further talking with Geoff at Gunpower.net and he can supply a new uprated/immproved valve as:
‘The quick detach is the same as yours.
The spin-loc or ring loc has a gauge attached so cannot be screwed in from the rear.
Both are easily repairable.’
they are both the same price at £99 inc postage in UK.
he did not have any photos so I am unsure why the spin/ring loc version is not screwed in from the rear-how else does it attach?? Anyone any ideas as to the difference?
many thanks
Peter
Peter,
I’m not sure what you are asking.
BB
The spinlock tank inserts from the rear the gun just like yours does but there is a ring built into the receiver of the newer guns that use the spin lock tank that part tightens the tank into the frame using a special spanner.
yours and mine are the older standard valves they just screw in to the receiver of the gun.
that’s the model that you want.
The newer spinlock tanks have a gauge and a fill port sticking out from the sides of their valve so they cannot rotate into position so you on the newer models you have to stick it in and tighten that special nut.
Ian.
HiHiHi
There is an old saying among ironworkers that serves us well,, but may or may not be relevant, here.
“If at first you don’t succeed,, get a bigger hammer”
Ed
Hehe edlee, I had all but forgotten that one. Thanks for the reminder.
Last time I witnessed that exact application, was when I took my Lexus to have it’s wheel locknuts replaced, without the appropriate key-socket, which I had misplaced. Lexus refused to service my car without it, but a little greasy independent garage said ‘no problem mate,…’
They drove an undersized socket onto the locknut by whacking it with an increasingly bigger hammer (in the end a sledge did the trick). The whole car shook – it was painful to witness.
They managed to drive the socket far enough on, to unscrew the locknut. Then they hammered the jammed locknut out of the socket and repeated the whole procedure for the other wheels. Ruined two sockets, but got the job done. Was cheap and quick too.
PS Later, when I emptied the boot to clean, I found the key-socket… 🙂
HiHiHi
They say “Better late than never”,, but somehow I don’t believe that applied in that instance.
Ed
BB,
That Edge taught me a lot. When I was at one of the GTA Fun Shoots, a guy helped me with a stuck valve that would not seal by pushing the valve on a piece of wood, much similar to your rubber mallet method.
Another time I had a real slow leak and I put a few drops of silicone chamber oil in the end of my pump hose and injected it into the reservoir. The silicone oil migrated to the leak and sealed it by reconditioning the seal and/or filling the “gap”. I now do that on all of my PCPs about once a year. It lubricates the foster fittings, internal parts and all of the seals and any excess will be blown out the next time you shoot it.
I now have an issue with my grandson’s Umarex P08. After a couple of shots, the toggle will jamb open, and it will dump the contents of the CO2 cartridge. Any thoughts?
Yes, I would greatly like to have a blog episode or two on the “tricks of the trade”.
RR,
Good idea. I would say lubrication for the toggle joint without knowing more.
BB
BB,
I fiddled with my grandson’s P08 some more Friday and put a little lube here and there and tried shooting it some more. What is happening is the part that pushes on the valve is hanging up after a few shots and holding the valve open. It is also holding the toggle open. Too many parts for Murphy to mess with. This was another reason I used to carry a 1911A1 and not a Sig Saur.
Photo of valve complete.
Valve dis-assembled
Internal portion of valve
Gunner100
I put a high flow valve stem in my .25 Condor SS.
The top hat should unscrew off the stem after loosening the setscrews in the top hat. Once you do that the stem and that nylon piece will push out the back side. If it seems tight coming out that is probably what is wrong. It might have some kind of build up on the stem or nylon part.
If it won’t come out let the valve soak In some silicone oil overnight. Make sure it’s submerged. You could probably use the alcohol to clean it up after it’s apart.
Also will be waiting to see if AirForce contacts you to see what they have to say.
That model tophat and valve stem is machined from a solid piece of steel, no adjustments other than putting orings behind the tophat to control its travel.
To get mine out I used the standard way of using 2 flat headed screwdrivers under the top hat to lift it straight out the end,
Bravo
So does the stem pull out of the nylon piece on the opposite side if you do it like your saying to remove the top hat and stem?
On a standard Airforce valve, to remove the top hat and stem, you gently pry the top hat up from under the stem, using 2 levers equally on each side.
But from what Peter just wrote, that old valve is not reparable according to Gunpower.
It is a safety issue as that valve did not have a burst disk for safety as later ones do.
Ian
Bravo
The way your talking about doing a new AirForce valve with the screwdrivers will pull the metal stem out of the nylon piece on the opposite side. Basically the part of the valve that goes in the bottle side. If I remember right that piece is pressed onto the stem.
So if you are doing a new AirForce stem wouldn’t it be easier to just unscrew the top hat and push on the stem and pull it out from the other side of the metal piece that screws into the bottle. Rather than prying the nylon piece out of the stem.
Peter, can you please send me an email at 45bravoairguns@gmail.com?
Thank you.
Ian.
Hi Tom,
many thanks for your replies and blog regarding my enquiry and I have added photos of the valve for illustration.
In regard to the rubber mallet ‘exhaust’ method does this not mirror the actual method of the gun firing or is it that the mallet exhuausts a massive amount of air compared to the rifle and hence gets things ‘moving’?
As I mention I have had the Stealth for approx 23 years and would not the internal spring inside the valve be subject to metal fatigue over that period which would in effect change the pressure on the valve? This in turn could create the slow leak?
You mentioned yesterday cleaning the valve what is a safe method as I am hand pumping can I use standard mineral oil or will this affect the nylon portions , I have silicone oil spray but this does not lubricate metal to metal, I also have isopropanol any thoughts?
Yes I am in the UK and I did google Elite Optical but no mention of Gunpower/Airforce spares perhaps I shall give them a call.
many thanks
Peter
Hi Tom I telephoned Elite Optical and as friendly and helpful as they were they were not familiar with the Stealth nor carry any parts or complete valves ,
regards
Peter
Peter,
Please email AirForce Airguns today. staff@airforceairguns.com Tell Leah your situation.
I spoke with Leah yesterday, so she is familiar with your situation. I’ll call her today and see that she reads this blog and if you will email her I believe we can resolve your problem.
I don’t know about the spring fatiguing in just 23 years. It may have, but I doubt it. More likely some dirt got into the valve and held it open just enough. The rubber mallet does indeed exhaust more air, which is why I said dry-firing isn’t always as good.
I will also tell Leah what Elite Optical said to you. It may be that not everyone there knows of their arrangements with AirForce.
Let’s fix this!
BB
Hi Tom,
many thanks I have just emailed Leagh. I have not yet tried the cleaning/re-pressurising and mallet so worth giving that a go but what to clean it with-any adivce?
many thanks
Peter
Peter,
Let’s clean with dry cotton cloths. There shouldn’t be much dirt in that valve. Pay particular attention to the nylon valve face, to see that no dirt remains. It could even have flaked off the inside of the steel valve body.
Then let’s lubricate lightly with your silicone oil.
BB
Hi Tom,
many thanks but I cannot get to the face of the nylon valve as this is attached to the spigot coming from the top hat and not sure how to separate them? I have a can of pressured air I have blown it through and shall spray with silicone oil -I appreciate it is flammable but I believe combustion is only a concern with rapid air filling not hand pumping? many thanks Peter
Hello,
Love the idea of having a repair series (or what not to do) on springers. Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers just popped in my head.
I was very young when one of my uncles passed away. By all accounts he was very strange. He had a small plastic mallet. If the TV’s reception was fuzzy, one blow of the mallet fixed the issue. Too much static on the radio, yeap, you guessed correctly. He even used that mallet to fix my cousins when my cousins deviated from the narrow path.
One of his children has that small plastic mallet inside a wooden case; “Thor” is engraved on the outside.
Alex2no,
Once again you have inspired a blog — this time a whole series! You and reader Peter from the UK have given me the inspiration for a series on tools. Let’s dedicate it to your late uncle.
BB
BB,
My Father-in-law passed away a couple of weeks ago. At the funeral my wife spoke and one thing she talked about was her father’s problem solving steps:
1. There is nothing wrong. Somehow you are not looking at it right.
2. What is wrong is the most simple thing that could possibly be wrong with it.
3. Try it backwards.
I think there were a couple of other things but those were the ones she mentioned and cover most situations. You seldom have to go beyond step 2.
David Enoch
David,
I’m sorry for your loss. He was a wise man!
BB
B.B.,
No offense meant, but I read today’s blog and was reminded of a nightmare of mine that recurred twice last week. I am able to work on guitars quite well, a bit on guitar amplifiers (without electrocuting myself on charged capacitors), and a few other things, but in most areas of manual work, especially air guns I would write I am all thumbs, but truthfully, it’s worse. I’m more like all big toes! (And I have broken my left big toe once and my right one twice – once down the middle.) But reading up on similar jobs hasn’t helped me so far. I just go in their with both big toes and wreck things.
“But take one apart and you are in trouble.”
Yesterday I happened to privately correspond with another regular reader of this blog and described my opening up my then brand new Crosman C11 Tactical. I don’t think he’d mind my sharing some of our conversation. I wrote, “. . . I had only shot it about one CO2 cartridge’s worth when I opened it up, and everything jumped out of it onto my dining room table. One look at dozens of loose parts, and I knew that was that. I put everything in a box and took it to [my] air gun mortuary in the basement.” All I wished to do was perhaps lighten the trigger slightly with a spray of silicone lubricant.
He wrote back of his working on a Crosman 760, where he “had the same cartoonish explosion happen . . . but [he] managed to get it all back together thanks to the exploded (another chuckle) diagram online.”
Today I intend to look for an exploded parts diagram for the Crosman C11. And before anyone suggests I simply buy another, it can’t be done. The C11 Tactical has been long discontinued. :^(
Michael
Michael,
You hang in there. Tomorrow is for you, as well.
BB
B.B.,
Thanks much! I look forward to it.
Michael
Michael, we are all pulling for you. Good luck!
Roamin Greco,
Thanks very much! I consider many of you here to be good friends, and your moral support means a great deal to me.
Michael
BB-
Well, I’ll toss in my suggestion for what to call the series of blogs. This and That, as in, ‘I did This when I should have done That.’ Corollary to ‘If I knew Then what I know Now’. Preliminary blogs could also cover ‘What can it hurt?’, ‘How bad can it be?’, ‘Looks simple enough’, and the classic ‘I’ve got an extra 20 minutes….’
Paco,
I like it! I’ll probably forget that you said it and just plagiarize the whole list! 😉
BB
B.B.,
Those who steal are in great company (Shakespeare, Dickens, etc.). I usually pilfer song lyrics: “I wish that I knew what I know now / When I was younger.”
Michael
BB
Looking forward to your series on tools.
What we airgunners need is the airgun version of this. It has gotten FM unstuck from a problem – or prevented one – and gotten him back on the road more than once. In fact, just learned or re-learned the spark plugs, the apparent latest source of woes, require a 21mm socket for safe removal. FM thinks – does he? – he used a 13/16 socket wrench once or twice before and got away with it but best to use the right tools for the right jobs.
“Listen, don’t mention the war. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right.” -Basil Fawlty
Basil,
Can you do the silly walk? 😉
BB
It would not be pretty, B.B.; someone might wanna “socket” to me. 😉
FawltyManuel,
WOW! I rebuilt a 55 Chevy in the two years before I got my drivers license in 1965. Sold that when i found a Italian “girl” to love: Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Alleggerita 1959 with bucketseats and five point racing harness. She was fast doing an honest 115mph…until she caught fire and that aluminum monococ build just melted into a puddle of metal and slag! I replaced her with a 1962 Karmann Ghia and got that very Manual. I souped her up with dual carbs, changed out her ignition system and hung a tuned exhaust with a glass pack bullet muffler. She made numerous cross country trips and soldiered until she was replaced by a 1969 Ghia…that one got a 914 Porsche 4 banger out of a two month old wreck! She had Eight Spoke EMPI split-rim Racing Mag Wheels and a bunch of suspension mods much of it right out of that Porsche. That was my last air-cooled car.
Great memory jog; I thank you!
shootski
Wow back to you, Shootski! Envy your air-cooled skills, in a good way. FM gets by, with a little help from his more skilled friends and go-to VW gurus – sadly, we’re all getting scarcer.
FawltyManuel, thanks for the great pic! I haven’t seen that book since I worked with my old college roommate on his VW Bug many years ago…what a great resource! 🙂
Hi Tom/I an
sorry if question a bit vague it was the spin/ring loc now being used on Gunpower/Airforce but having checked the rifle it does not have a removable threaded ring as he has also now mentioned!
So back to the drawing board and teased out top hat spigot from nylon valve and actually very easy to do! Inspected valve face and all looks ok. Had a look into interior of the valve and there is a rubber O ring within a gap just inside inbetween the brass insert and the top of the valve-I have extracted this checked it over and replaced with a new one-this in effect only gently holds the top hat spigot but wondering if it has a further action once the whole is under pressure-not saying its an airtight seal but may help keeping everything straight!
The spring appears as as if it may be banking over to one side once under pressure of the nylon hex nut as it rests on very small nylon shoulders of the valve so plan to insert a small metal washer to broaden out these shoulders.
Further on looking at the brass insert and the nylon hex nut the brass insert limits the amount the hex nut can be screwed in so wondering if after 23 years or so a slight banking over of the spring placing uneven pressure on the nylon valve plus a possibly fatigued spring under continuous tension may be allowing the air to escape.
The difficulty being if I remove some material from the face of the nylon hex nut so it travels slightly deeper there is no going back! Sorry scrap that idea I can hear you all saying add internal material on the face of the hex nut ie more washers to get more power on the spring and easily changed if no success,
I shall report back once I have purchased appropriate washers!
regards
Peter