Emag valve problem, likely with on/off

[The Alchemist]

Does his valve work in your setup?

I tried today and his classic w/Level 10 worked in my marker without the rail bushing. However, my e-valve in his setup (that included a rail bushing) still was having air problems when I hold down the trigger. It leaks out for several seconds and then stops.

I will get a rail bushing still but am at a loss. I wonder if I should send it someplace for professional help, since I must be doing something wrong.

[athomas]

If the leak is very small and stops after a couple of seconds of holding the trigger in, then that is ok and is normal for some setups. The leak down is due to the low residual pressure not having enough force to seal the oring against the bolt stem. As the oring gets broken in and the inner surface gets smoother, it will get better, but overall, it is a good indication that you are using the proper carrier for your setup.

The valve will hold air too, because the level 10 spring is too stiff for the residual pressure to push it forward after you fire a shot with the air turned off. You need to hold the trigger in sometimes, to hold the on-off pin up, in order to remove the valve. Once the valve is back far enough, the spring will be relaxed and will release the remaining air in the valve. There will still be a tiny amount above the on-off pin, so be aware that it can shoot out once it is clear of the rail. Once the top of the on-off clears the top oring the air will dissipate into the front chamber if released in a controlled manner. This can be done by moving the valve part way back to release the chamber pressure and then pushing the valve back into the body to allow the on-off pin to drop back onto the top of the on-off part of the sear. This will release the remaining pressure in the valve.

So, as long as the air is not gushing and it is only a slight residual leak for a couple of seconds while holding the trigger following a shot, then it is fine.

The rail bushing will make everything operate more consistently.

[The Alchemist]

It is good to know then the slight, short leak is not a problem. Changing the o-rings in the regulator area appears to have been the solution After that change, the gush of air stopped when holding down the trigger.

All I have to do is play with the springs and shims to get the lighter touch I want on the Level 10 and I am done. I will wait to do that until I get the rail bushing.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[athomas]

All I have to do is play with the springs and shims to get the lighter touch I want on the Level 10 and I am done.

The shims do nothing to make the operation of the level 10 lighter. Shims only change how far the bolt needs to move in order to vent air and reset. Most of the time, the bolt vent hole is close enough to the carrier oring that any movement at all is enough to allow the air to escape the vent hole. If the bolt vents air, chuffs, or fires and won't reset, then adding shims won't help because air is already allowed to escape. Shims are only used if you have a problem with the bolt moving forward, hitting a blockage in the breach, not venting and then not resetting. This is an almost impossible situation. One thing shims can do is cause you to put the vent hole too close to the oring such that it leaks periodically, causing you to use a carrier that is too tight in order to stop it. That situation will cause bolt stick. I would say not to use any shims unless you experience bolt stick without firing or any venting.

For spring tuning, try to select the bolt spring that allows you to operate the mag at about 20fps above the lowest velocity setting that the gun will cycle.