classic r/t leaking barrel with #215 spacer

[Locutus]

greetings all my fellow mag owners,
I am very proud to say i now own 2 automag r/t's, as i have been a victim of their performance and cant wait to inflict the true dominance they offer. I purchased both from ebay and they were both listed as "working when put away but probably need parts kit". so i got great deals on both with plans to repair. i am a machinist and knew i could handle any repairs that may be needed without messing up valve, and after i replaced all o-rings via the factory parts kits i have leaking barrels on both. which is a improvement from when i received them as they were leaking everywhere they could except the barrels, but now they only leak via the barrels. they both have the 215 tube spacer. anyone know what i should do to get them firing? i do have lvl 10 bolt kits for them but im not installing them until i get replacement pistons to handle the pressure increase but want to get them shooting before that time. I apologize if the answer to this is somewhere on this forum but after hrs of reading all i could find was to "use smaller spacer" and please correct me if im wrong but isnt the 215 the smallest there is? i could just machine them down but figured i would ask before i did something drastic.
Thanks for your time and help

[Watcher]

I've just gotten a RT'Mag similar to the one's you described and then some. They leaked out of everything but I had some crusted on paint, turned metal, and stripped screws.
I got her running though.

I needed to use the entire o-ring kit to stop it from leaking, and I needed a new reg/valve pin. I currently have the .225 spacer and it seems perfect, but then all 'mags are different.
I got lucky since .225 is right in the middle I can go up or down if I needed.
My buddy's e-mag is a .220, so he can go down one and up three.
I'm afraid that you've lucked out , but maybe it's not that bad.

I used to tech a few guns at a local shop so I have some knowledge of this stuff.
That being said, this is my first and only 'mag so my experience is limited to a few AM/MMs I've pieced together for a customer (the valves happened to work fine so I didn't need to go in them) and my RT's valve.

But may I suggest checking out the "stem" (idk what it is called) of the bolt. Perhaps it isn't seating against the powertube o-ring correctly.

Along the same lines, I'd check the bolt spring to make sure it is long enough, and the bumper to make sure it isn't too fat.
When you drop the bolt onto the powertube, there should be a small, visible gap between the bolt and the bumper indicating that the bolt is resting on the powertube o-ring. If this is not the case and you are using the smallest spacer then it is definitely either the bumper or the bolt "stem" IMO. There is a bevel on the powertube, if you drop the bolt onto the powertube without the bumper and it falls to this bevel and stops, then I'd guess the bumper is swollen. If it falls all the way to the dump chamber, then again I'd say it's the bolt "stem"...

Good luck in the repair, the RT's rip!

I asked my buddy, he seems to want to confirm what I've said about the bolt.
I'd get a new bolt and take it from there, then perhaps maybe a longer spacer would be needed
Don't take my word as law, but I'd bet on that being the problem.

Let me know how that bolt seats so I can try to help you some more; or wait for someone else to post who knows more of what they are doing.

[athomas]

If they are leaking with the shortest spacers, then the sears are probably worn a bit. You can shorten your existing spacers by filing one end. Do one to make sure you get it right before doing the other. This will work until you get a new sear or a shorter spacer. If you get a new sear, you will probably need a longer spacer at that time. Since you are planning on putting a level 10 bolt on, you are probably good to go with making the existing spacer a bit shorter anyway.

[Spider-TW]

If they are leaking with the shortest spacers, then the sears are probably worn a bit. You can shorten your existing spacers by filing one end. Do one to make sure you get it right before doing the other. This will work until you get a new sear or a shorter spacer. If you get a new sear, you will probably need a longer spacer at that time. Since you are planning on putting a level 10 bolt on, you are probably good to go with making the existing spacer a bit shorter anyway.

Hm...So what do you get if a sear is very worn with a level 10? Would it just leak all the time, even though it has no shims in it?

[athomas]

Hm...So what do you get if a sear is very worn with a level 10? Would it just leak all the time, even though it has no shims in it?

If the sear is worn far enough, then yes, it would continually leak even without any shims. There is usually enough space available to allow the level 10 to work even if the sear is worn a bit. So, it may be a bit more forgiving than the shortest spacer in use now. But, it may not be either, depending on how much wear there is.

[Locutus]

noticed bolt was not fully returned today so after pushing it back it stopped leaking. hit trigger to dry fire and it either didnt return again or would fire random bursts then not return. my quess is sear or spring if not both? when i drop the bolt onto the tube it stops leaving a small gap between it and the bumber. gonna swap springs with the stock replacements from the lvl10 kit and see. 20 min drive to fill up tank for 5th time im gonna soak sear in tranny fluid as well , unless thats a bad idea? thanks for the help hope this works

[secretweaponevan]

noticed bolt was not fully returned today so after pushing it back it stopped leaking. hit trigger to dry fire and it either didnt return again or would fire random bursts then not return. my quess is sear or spring if not both?

A too-short on/off pin or a malfunctioning on/off would allow burst firing as the on/off pin would not shut off the gas to the bolt while the sear dropped.

[Locutus]

A too-short on/off pin or a malfunctioning on/off would allow burst firing as the on/off pin would not shut off the gas to the bolt while the sear dropped.

thanks was thinking about just ordering new on/off and pistons for both then just installing the lvl10 bolt kits i have waiting. shoot by the time im done i could have just bought a ule custom with warp for less, DOH!

[secretweaponevan]

thanks was thinking about just ordering new on/off and pistons for both then just installing the lvl10 bolt kits i have waiting. shoot by the time im done i could have just bought a ule custom with warp for less, DOH!

Could just be the on/off o-ring. :)

[Spider-TW]

when i drop the bolt onto the tube it stops leaving a small gap between it and the bumber.

Did you try a longer spacer? I kind of sounds like your spacer is too short and stopping the bolt from latching the sear, maybe combined with some on/off problem.

[athomas]

noticed bolt was not fully returned today so after pushing it back it stopped leaking. hit trigger to dry fire and it either didnt return again or would fire random bursts then not return. my quess is sear or spring if not both? when i drop the bolt onto the tube it stops leaving a small gap between it and the bumber. gonna swap springs with the stock replacements from the lvl10 kit and see. 20 min drive to fill up tank for 5th time im gonna soak sear in tranny fluid as well , unless thats a bad idea? thanks for the help hope this works

If you have to push the bolt back, and it stops the leak, it is bolt stick. This form of bolt stick is usually a powertube spacer that is too short. The bolt leaving a small gap when dropped onto the powertube is normal. The final resting place is a result of the powertube spacer. If the gap is too large the bolt spring can't exert a large enough force to compress the powertube oring and snap the bolt into place.

Check the condition of the on-off pin and the condition of the on-off area. Does the gun completely hold air if the trigger is held tight after a shot? If it does, then chances are your on-off is good, although the timing could be off if the pin is too short.

Don't get oil on the sear. It will transfer to the bolt. This will get oil into the barrel and will cause inconsistencies and bad accuracy.

[Locutus]

TYVM everyone who offered advice. somewhere in my replacing of o-rings i must have ended up switching which bolt went with which spacer. I also swapped the sear's at same time just to test as there ws a noticeable difference among the two and voila! boy did i forget how fun these things are to shoot ! cant wait to bring um out next sunday against my amigos. actually kinda feel sorry for them

thanks again everyone! im very grateful to be able to say "i use a automag" all because of the great group of people on this forum.