PCP I didn’t mean for this to happen

[Solo1]

Interestingly I received an email from AOA today with a $0 invoice and no other info. I’m guessing it means they’re looking at it.

You sent the sonoran to aoa?

 

[FL22]

Interestingly I received an email from AOA today with a $0 invoice and no other info. I’m guessing it means they’re looking at it.

I hadn’t heard anything, yesterday was 30 days since they received it, so I called. If you received a warranty invoice, I would make a gentleman’s bet that you will get yours back before I do.

 

[Billm]

You sent the sonoran to aoa?

I did. I couldn’t get it to stop blowing air out of the chamber and it was a heck of a blast in the face. It was blowing the o-ring out. The pellet probe is custom and they believed either the probe or the linkage was causing the problem. They said send it back as it’s under warranty. That’s one difference between BRK/AOA and FX. it cost me a lot to ship it back to AOA. FX paid shipping both ways. But, I’ll just be glad to get it back. I would’ve been happy for them to just send the parts, but they wanted to see it.

 

[Billm]

I hadn’t heard anything, yesterday was 30 days since they received it, so I called. If you received a warranty invoice, I would make a gentleman’s bet that you will get yours back before I do.

It just states order confirmation, no order tracking or anything.

 

[Billm]

I have a tracking number now, it’s waiting for FEDEX pickup.

 

[FL22]

I received a shipping notice for the Atomic, still crickets on the Cricket .

 

[FL22]

I received an email that it’s completed .

 

[FL22]

Should arrive Thursday. As I mentioned in my Atomic thread, I talked with Shane about the repair and he informed me that he rebuilt the regulator and found a leak at the gauge.

I asked about what I seeing in the plenum tube, but apparently it wasn’t the issue. Just the regulator needed rebuilding.

So that stung a bit, since I had already rebuilt it three times. Have no clue what I was doing wrong.

Not a doubt in my mind that Shane has rebuilt thousands of regs and his experience and knowledge in general is exceptional.

Still have a lot to learn but I like working on my own Airguns.

 

[FL22]

Before I get into this I want to let everyone know that Shane himself did not perform the repair according to the paperwork.

I was finally able to check out the cricket this morning. I found an issue right away. The rifle would not uncock. Note the red ready to fire indicator.



I found that the linkage wasn’t attached and that the trigger assembly screws were all loose. Also, the factory moderator was not tight.





Couple of things here number one as long as it doesn’t leak anymore, no harm no foul. Mostly because it makes me feel a little better, nobody’s perfect .

The tank assembly can be removed without degassing the gun, so based on what I observed to be perhaps a hasty reassembly, I double checked to make sure that the barrel TP was lined up correctly. It was .

I have to assume that the gun was not test fired.

Now what I have to find out is, is it going to leak from the regulator again because it would not always leak. It would start leaking after shooting down past the regulator and then refilling.

If it still does that, and I don’t know this for fact, but I wonder if it is possible that during a fill and then shooting can or does the regulator move somewhat within the Plenum tube?

I would think it does because that’s why you have a Plenum spacer.

If they didn’t fire the gun to test this, it is possible that the regulator moves to a spot in the Plenum tube where the irregularities are in the tube then subsequently leaks.



I’m going to do my best to find out this weekend and let everyone know.

 

[Billm]

That really sucks. There I said it, LOL. I sent my magazine back with my Sonoran and asked them to look at it. I told them that I thought it might have caused my issue if the pellet probe or linkage is bent (it was). I explained the magazine constantly jams, sometimes in between pellets. It has one spot that feels rough, almost like mechanical interference. I constantly have to adjust the center screw. I have two Ghost mags and never have these issues. They sent it back and said there was nothing wrong with it. I loaded it with AEA pellets and lo and behold, it would not fit into the mag slot. I had to tighten down the screw so that it would slide in. I guess they missed that.

 

[FL22]

Well well, what do I have here….



The same leaking port .

 

[Pumacarl]

Well well, what do I have here….

View attachment 23595

The same leaking port .

I am so mad just reading this, you wouldn't believe it! So, totally, and completely unacceptable, as to be incomprehensible, from one of the premier airgun dealers! Yes, anyone can make a mistake, but you've shown several. Who was checking this guys work? He was obviously new, a seasoned smith would not have done this. This is a multilevel failure. Don't go easy on them, these guns are not cheap, nobody is cutting any corners, except the service department I guess. This is why I work on my own stuff and void my warranty asap. Good luck with sorting this out, I'm a little bit mad at myself for being so mad about this, but I thought AOA was way better than this.

 

[FL22]

I am so mad just reading this, you wouldn't believe it! So, totally, and completely unacceptable, as to be incomprehensible, from one of the premier airgun dealers! Yes, anyone can make a mistake, but you've shown several. Who was checking this guys work? He was obviously new, a seasoned smith would not have done this. This is a multilevel failure. Don't go easy on them, these guns are not cheap, nobody is cutting any corners, except the service department I guess. This is why I work on my own stuff and void my warranty asap. Good luck with sorting this out, I'm a little bit mad at myself for being so mad about this, but I thought AOA was way better than this.

Thinking about it, I’m glad that I didn’t just take it for granted that it was good to go and loaded a mag in it. That would have been an unsafe situation.

Just the nature of this particular Airgun, I wanted to check the trigger. It’s very easy to disturb the adjustment.

I call it a puzzle gun, because of how it’s held together, if any of the connect components are not perfectly reinstalled the trigger adjustment changes (not that that is in any way a bad thing).

Cocking the rifle changes the trigger feel night and day (uncocked it feels like mush all the way, cock it and you have a first and second stage) When I first got it, I had to degas it in order to be able to set the trigger.

When I inboxed it this morning, after reading the paperwork and manometer the next thing on my mind was the trigger. I pulled the trigger before cocking it, it felt a little odd. I thought perhaps they had adjusted it. Nope.

@Pumacarl I appreciate your perspective and agree with you. I’m not sure if are aware but I purchased an Atomic, it’s a leaker too lol. @Danman says I’m the new “HAM Lemon King” starting to feel like it a bit I guess.

 

[FL22]

Before I send the email, I wanted to be absolutely certain.
Soapy water check was inconclusive. I could see a bubble in the port and occasionally would pop, but the water would dry up quickly as well.



Pic of the #2 port wiped off with a rag that has some Ballistol residue, filled to 225bar.


Shot down to 165bar, waited over an hour to make sure it wasn’t soapy water coming out of the port (would have dried up).



I’m just standing here at the gun typing this out and can see the lube ready to pop out.



I can honestly say that I’ve done my due diligence, if not above and beyond. I am going to send Shane all the photos and a complaint.

 

[Danman]

Before I send the email, I wanted to be absolutely certain.
Soapy water check was inconclusive. I could see a bubble in the port and occasionally would pop, but the water would dry up quickly as well.
View attachment 23608View attachment 23609


Pic of the #2 port wiped off with a rag that has some Ballistol residue, filled to 225bar.
View attachment 23607

Shot down to 165bar, waited over an hour to make sure it wasn’t soapy water coming out of the port (would have dried up).
View attachment 23610


I’m just standing here at the gun typing this out and can see the lube ready to pop out.

View attachment 23611

I can honestly say that I’ve done my due diligence, if not above and beyond. I am going to send Shane all the photos and a complaint.

Told this story before but; few months into owning my Ghost it barfed up a TON of lube from one of the weep hole/leak checkers while out pesting and I was pretty concerned. At that point I had done nothing to it other than clean barrel & shoot it. No leak ever sprung up though so I chalked it up as some over zelous lubing by the factory, which is better than not enough in most cases.

I agree that your gun was clearly not test fired after the repairs and that is NOT ok!
I work on machinery/cars for a living and no matter the scale of repair a test drive/function test is always done afterwards. Its one thing to waste your time, the delivery trip to your house and then right back to dealership and then back to you, but its simply not safe practice.

Too bad, im really hoping the cricket works out for you as its not a mainstream pcp and I'd love to see how it does long term...hope you get it sorted!

 

[FL22]

Told this story before but; few months into owning my Ghost it barfed up a TON of lube from one of the weep hole/leak checkers while out pesting and I was pretty concerned. At that point I had done nothing to it other than clean barrel & shoot it. No leak ever sprung up though so I chalked it up as some over zelous lubing by the factory, which is better than not enough in most cases.

I agree that your gun was clearly not test fired after the repairs and that is NOT ok!
I work on machinery/cars for a living and no matter the scale of repair a test drive/function test is always done afterwards. Its one thing to waste your time, the delivery trip to your house and then right back to dealership and then back to you, but its simply not safe practice.

Too bad, im really hoping the cricket works out for you as it’s not a mainstream pcp and I'd love to see how it does long term...hope you get it sorted!

I remember you talking about that with your Ghost, but I rebuilt the regulator in my Taipan and my Wolverine but I did not get any lube coming out through the atmospheric port. I was generous with the lube just to make sure that the O-rings didn’t get nicked by any potential rough threads in the tube of the Taipan.

The Cricket lost about three bar overnight and the area around the atmospheric port looks worse.




Looking back over the picture of the linkage, I can just about tell you what the technician did, instead of removing the trigger assembly the tech just loosened the assembly and then disconnected the linkage from the first stage plastic rocker, probably bending the metal out of the way a little bit to be able to get to the plenum assembly 2 grub screws.

That may be the way to do it. I was removing the entire assembly and setting it aside. Me just watching Sub12’s videos it’s hard to pick up any tricks of the trade per se.

 

[FL22]

Sent the email today, received a response and I am pleased with the outcome thus far.

As to the situation with the trigger linkage, “unacceptable” was the final word.

I was asked how many bar did the rifle have when I received it as it should’ve been shipped with 250, responded that it was at nearly 200.

Shane is going to order a replacement plenum tube from KalibrGun .