PLEASE keep me from selling my Sydarm

[automikey]

Thanks for posting your repair. I'll check it out on mine.

[automikey]

I have 2 of the newer sydarms, and on both I can turn the regulator by hand until the marks line up...

I hope to test them out tomorrow with this new info.

[ProblemKinder]

I examined a Sydarm at the local store recently, and I'm strongly considering buying it. Here's the problem I see with it, though: the 12-gram is located above the valve, and it's positioned to effectively dump directly into it. End result is that it's VERY easy to get liquid CO2 into the valve. If you could somehow rig up a dummy 12-gram, and attach a vertical 12-gram adapter at the front of the rail (like a VSC stock class gun), you would not get liquid in the valve anymore and it would work just fine.

dude buy it. atleast for a collectors item. then sell it to me when i have money =]

[Al_Steel]

Update,

The Teflon tape on the regulator threads isn't a cure all but it does help mitigate the problem. After about 50 shots it still backs off slightly, I can imagine eventually it will back off enough to be a problem again. At least now I know to keep an eye on it so I can bandaid the problem. My theory of why this is a problem is that the reg backs off enough to open a slight air leak in the reg/valve body seal. The lowered reg pressure is not sufficient to push the bolt completely forward, resulting in a "short-stroke" like symptom.

I am searching for a more permanent solution, perhaps some kind of rubber shim between the reg and rail, a slightly thicker reg o-ring, or liquid thread sealant. I had considered loctite 242 (the blue, non-permanent, medium strength stuff) but I really don't want to run the risk of having to heat (horrors!) the reg/valve to get them apart.

As far as 12gr go, it will freeze up after firing through about 15 shots very rapidly. This isn't really a problem IMO b/c I very rarely go rapid fire with a pistol. Normally I get 2-3 quick shots that had better count, then duck and cover. If I'm unloading the entire mag in rapid succession it's either a target rich environment or I'm in a bit over my head and should be fighting my way to a rifle.

[automikey]

I'll try it out today I hope.

Did you use yellow teflon? It's for airlines and it's better than the white stuff. I'm wondering if it might hold better. Also, a dab of blue loctite can be undone without heat. Hope it doesn't come to that.


About the rubber shim, maybe something really thin like part of a latex glove?

I'm getting problems after 2-3 shots, not 15, so it shouldn't be the co2.

How much did the reg turn when yours was loose? How far apart (inch/mm) do you think the alignment lines moved? I was able to tighten both of mine about 1/8 inch by hand, so I'm pretty sure they will move when I fire.

Thanks

[Al_Steel]

I used white teflon tape, about 3 wraps, but it still backs off but very slowly.

You could tighten the reg so that the alignment marks were just off in a clockwise direction (just a bit over-tightened). Put the valve back in gassed up. You could pull the trigger and actually watch the marks go out of alignment with each shot. Once they were out of alignment by about 2mm (5-6 shots) it would start to chuff.

We replaced the regulator seat and the regulator O-ring, this didn't solve the problem but it did isolate it. Once I go it home and put a few wraps of teflon tape on the threads it still backed off a bit after each shot, but didn't chuff. I am guessing that without the tape the reg backs off enough, even though it's just a very small amount, to develop a slight air leak. A little soapy water dripped over the reg when aired up would confirm this.

For the shim, I'm not sure if a latex glove would be thick enough but I found a nice solution. I took a small slice from a bicycle innertube and placed it between the reg and the rail. This really stopped the movement. I gassed up with a HPA tank and fired over 100rds dry and it didn't move. Then took it to the local field and shot 10 tubes of paint through it and not a single problem.

Now that I have a solution I may get brave and try a single drop of Loctite 242 on the threads, the yellow teflon, or some other solution that is a bit less "ghetto". But for now you know what they say, if it ain't broke don't break it.

I REALLY like this pistol now. It's very accurate and really isn't THAT bad on CO2 12grams. I adjusted the velocity to 260 and I get 15-16 usable shots. I usually do CO2 changes on the second "magazine" so this is not real big deal to me. Pump players would be disappointed at this rate of CO2 useage though, but it's not a pump. I have put a 3.5oz CO2 on a ASA on the bottom of the grip. I'm almost tempted to put a 4500 tank on with a 10" barrel and run it as a primary just for the heck of it.

Hope this helps b/c it's the only thing that fixed mine. Good Luck!

[Spider-TW]

I used to have an old AIR valve that backed off too much. You can install the valve and then twist the reg until it hits the end of the lock slot. NOW go chrony, and the reg will not be able to back out. The only problem is that you have to twist the reg back until the lettering lines up when you want to get the valve back out

No shims needed and it won't move. If you keep using shims or what not, try leaving the main reg oring dry. It can't hold much when it is all lubed up, but I guess that's obvious now

[Al_Steel]

I had actually considered loading up on enough tape so that I could only tighten the reg down far enough that the lock pin on the reg was already "bottomed out" in the slot. I thought that if I allowed it to be that far out of alignment though the reg seat wouldn't seal properly (which could have been the problem in the first place).