TM Hi-Capa 5.1 Cylinder/Valve Problems

[tsuru]

Howdy all,
Here's the situation. My Hi-Capa has taken the beats and generally held up pretty well. O-ring blew so that got replaced with a Shooter's Design piston head and O-ring. O-ring swelled so much at one point that the existing cylinder cracked in half from the pressure. Replaced the cylinder with a PGC one and the O-ring. Everything was great up until last week when I brought out the gun for a game. The first BB out of the gun fired fine but misfed every BB after that. Blowback still works just fine just no BB's come flying out of the end of the barrel.
Much head scratching and dismantling of the weapon revealed that the valve inside the cylinder is getting stuck inside the nozzle end of the cylinder. (see picture) I can un-jam the valve by sticking an allen wrench in through the nozzle but then I only get one shot out of the barrel before the nozzle gets jammed again. I've tried strengthening the spring that holds the valve out of the nozzle but to no avail. Is there anything anyone can suggest to solve this issue short of buying the parts below from UN Company?
I appreciate any suggestions,
Thanks

Valve getting jammed is the small cylinder at the bottom of the picture

[ILLusion]

I'm actually experiencing this exact problem with the set you have pictured above. I'm looking in to a fix.

[tsuru]

Good to know I'm not alone. Did you have problems with the SD set right off the bat or did it develop over time? Mine was almost from the beginning of using the PGC nozzle and stock TM valve. Personally given the nature of the parts involved TM could have made the lip on the valve a little larger to prevent such a thing from happening but that's just me complaining. I haven't had any use from my pistol in the last six months and it's really my only CQB weapon.
If the item featured in this link replaces the valve it could be a suitable solution for our problems (Redwolf also carries the exact same item but they call it a Firefly Nozzle Value (Valve )
Of course finding information on Firefly parts is next to impossible (unless I'm missing something) so I really have no idea if this is even a proper replacement or if it goes somewhere else in the gun. (Although I can't think of anywhere else it would go given it's shape.)
Thanks for the prompt response Ill, I'll keep you posted if I come up with something. Any if anyone else can shed some light on that Firefly part I'd appreciate it.

[ILLusion]

I've used Firefly parts in the past and they've all been top notch. That part in that link is the proper part. "Rocket Valve", "Power Bulb", "Reed Valve", "Plunger Valve" are all the same part with different names. I'm sure there's other names for it.

Shooter's Design... they're off and on. They make a lot of really unique and nice looking parts, but some of their items seems to come off the manufacturing line with no QC or testing before production even begins. This cylinder set is one example.

Another one is the DOM magwell for the hi capa... you put it on and you can't even insert a mag! I had to rework the entire interior of it just to get a mag to fit properly.

The problems with this cylinder set happened right away. Part of it me doesn't totally blame the set though. I was dry firing a gun I'm building and the slide/frame had not yet been totally fitted. I think the added resistance put extra pressure on to the valve/nozzle. I'll see what happens after I properly fit everything and reduce all resistance.

My other hi-capas are using the RCC metal valve that they call a "power bulb" and I've yet to have one problem with that.

[ILLusion]

I just tested all of the Shooter's Design Hi-Capa and P226 POM Cylinder kits that I have in stock.

I tested by inserting the power bulb / floating valve in to the cylinder and pressing down on it with a tool with a bit of force to see if it would get stuck.
All of the P226 cylinder kits did not get stuck and seemed to be fine.
All of the Hi-Capa cylinder kits got stuck.

It seems like the SD Hi-Capa cylinders are made with nozzle diameters a *tad* bit too wide for the valves. However, the Marui floating valve seems to work fine in there and that's what I'm using for now. Seems to work fine and I'm getting nice and solid FPS out of the setup.

[tsuru]

At first from your description I thought I could shave a little off the floating valve so that it wouldn't get stuck but you're saying that the nozzle is too big for the valve and that's the reason it's getting stuck. (I R confused)
I'm still trying to find out the exact point of contact where it is getting stuck. I'm going to try making the valve bigger with some electrical tape or something (That is if I get a chance) and see if that helps. Thanks again Ill. I might be buying an SD POM Cylinder off you. I'll see if I can find anymore info on the Firefly part as well. Nothing like ordering a ~$40USD part and having no idea how to fit it into the gun :mrgreen:
Where did you get the "RCC valve" you were talking about? I can find one for a TM P226 on WGC and from what I've heard the valves are similar if not identical. You've been using the Guarder enhanced nozzle on your guns if I'm not mistaken so I'm wondering about compatibility with the PGC nozzle I have.

[ILLusion]

I was thinking that if you could find an o-ring to slip around the rocket valve, that *might *work...

It gets stuck at the head where there should be a prominent lip... the Shooters Design one doesn't seem very pronounced and the edges aren't sharp. That could be a reason why it slips in.

The RCC Valve I got them from Den Trinity. They were purchased in person.

226 valves are NOT identical. They are shorter by about 3mm. Not to say they won't work. They might. I'm just not sure how performance will be affected.

Only one of my Hi-Capas uses the Guarder nozzle. Another one of my Hi-Capas uses the PGC one and I don't have any problems with it.

[tsuru]

I'm going to give the O-ring idea a try. I was initially thinking of something like that but I couldn't come up with anything that would do. I'll probably have to superglue the O-ring in place but hey, it's broken already what could it possibly hurt? Thanks for the help I'll let you know how things turn out.

[tsuru]

UPDATE
I finally got a chance to get down to Canuck Tire to get a O-ring and some other stuff. Bought some 1/4"x3/8" o-rings since they looked about the right size. Slipped the o-ring over the floating valve and tried fitting everything together. The o-ring turned out to be to big as the valve stopper started interfering with the travel of the valve. I cut about half of the outer edge of the o-ring off with a exacto knife. Everything went back together perfectly that time. Went to fire the gun a blamo everything works perfectly. I won't know if performance was affected at all until I get a chance to chrono it (maybe this weekend) but otherwise I'm back in action.
Thanks a ton ILLusion. If you ever come to Winnipeg I'll owe you a beer.
I'll post chrono results when I get them.

[Identity]

Hmm... Im having missfeed problems on my 4.3 but nothing seems to be damaged. Not sure if it has to deal with the O-ring or not. But I need to test my gun out more often to see if its shooting properly and feeding right.

[tsuru]

UPDATE: Finally got a chance to chrono the gun...now it ranges anywhere from 150FPS to 275FPS. I guess the o-ring around the valve affects the gas flow a little too much. I guess I'll have to get a replacement valve after all.

[Scooby Steve]

I'm trying to install a Firefly Rocket Valve in my TM Glock 17. How do I get the two parts at the bottom of the picture out of the nozzle?

[The Saint]

There'll be a tiny screw on the top side of the loading nozzle. Stick something down the back of the loading nozzle to keep the stuff from springing out.

[Scooby Steve]

Originally Posted by The Saint

There'll be a tiny screw on the top side of the loading nozzle. Stick something down the back of the loading nozzle to keep the stuff from springing out.

Holy shit that's one tiny screw! Thanks for your help.