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FX Wildcat Air Leak....

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nelo64

Member
May 20, 2015
75
1
California, United States
I received my FX Wildcat .25 SN: fx 40672, on June 15 from Precision Airguns and Supplies. I have shot approximately 280 rounds through the rifle, 7 fills to 230 bar at 40 shots per fill. I usually leave my air rifles filled to capacity ready for the next shooting session, 230 bar for the Wildcat. When I checked the manometer on the Wildcat today, it registered only 80 bar.

I attempted to fill the rifle to 230 but heard a hissing sound and ceased filling the rifle immediately. The air was escaping from the hole drilled into the air cylinder just above the FX air tube label and settled at 80 bar. The drilled hole seems like an afterthought and even has chuck marks around it (refer to images below).

http://i.imgur.com/2jR2WBN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/JOXcDZP.jpg

The Wildcat was shooting very well until today, the following shot string was recorded on the 18th:

String: 38 shots
Date: 6/18/2015
Time: 10:48:26 PM
Grains: 25.39
Hi Vel: 919
Low Vel: 908
Ave Vel: 912
Ext Spread: 11
Std Dev: 2.00

I will be contacting Precision tomorrow. Hopefully it will be an easy fix that will not require shipping the airgun to Precision. 


UPDATE: 6/24/15

Great support from Johan at FX. I was given regulator removal instruction and a commitement to having AOA send some replacement O-Rings for the regulator. Johan suggested I remove and re-install the regulator to see if that got me back up and running. 

I will do that but I think the problem has more to do with how the vent holes were drilled on the Wildcat than with the O-Rings or regulator. The vent hole is rough, no doubt about it. Placing new rings and pushing them over that vent hole is going to damage the rings.

Before replacing the o-rings I will have to figure out a way of deburring that vent hole on the inside. If you look at the images you can clearly see that the vent hole was not cleaned up. I have looked at another image of the vent hole posted up by another forum member and that vent hole looked a little worse than mine.


UPDATE: 7/1/15

Johan has informed me that the fix will require a re-milling of the regulator o-ring channels to accept larger o-rings. He also stated in his email that he requested AoA contact me to make arrangements for the repair. I really appreciate Johan's direct involvement with this.



 
This was taken from the pdf that Johan sent me. I am unable to post pictures directly into the post from imgur so please use the supporting links:



1. Start by slowly unscrewing brass air bleed screw until all air is removed from tube (shown in the picture).
2. Once the airtube is empty, loosen the 4-m4x16 screws.
3. Unscrew the airtube and the connector between the tube and the block.

4. Unscrew the tube end-cap and then remove the spacer and regulator adaptor. The regulator can now be removed.
5. Reinstall regulator as shown.
6. Install the connector and thread in the airtube tightly. Make certain the rail and 2 barrel support assembly is flush with the cheek piece. Now tighten the 4-m4x16 screws.
7. Tighten the brass air bleed screw (shown in step 1) . Done.
 
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Hello guysI have just received my wildcat .22
Filled the cylinder to 200 bar for a first dry fire test.
When shooting almost no air would go through the muzzle and the sound is close to when the cylinder was still empty, just a small click although the manometer shows 200 bar. It feels no air is reaching the barrel.
I have checked the barrel alignement by removing the front cheekpiece and unscrewing the hex screw that holds the barrel in position. All good.
Can u please help?
Thank u
 
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Followup:

Well, it's been about 8 months since I made this post. I was very reluctant to send my air gun in for service so soon after receiving it so I did the following. Following Johan's instructions I removed the air regulator and re-seated it with no success. The air rifle continued to leak from the air hole drilled into the air cylinder which is centered between the two o-rings on the air regulator.

I then, based on a video put out there by a gentleman that manufactures Lane air gun regulators, removed the air regulator once again and removed the o-rings on the outer body. I proceeded to wind 3 layers of plumbers tape around the two channels of the air pressure regulator and replaced the o-rings. I assembled the air cylinder assembly and filled the gun to operating pressure. This solution held air, but not completely. A very slow leak continued that would take my gun down several bar over the course of a couple of days.

I ran with it until last month when I felt I was too close to the expiry of the gun's warranty and decided to send it in to AoA for a proper fix. The proper fix I speak of was conveyed to me by Johan in one of his emails. In it he explained that the gun needed to be sent into AoA for warranty work that would entail the re-channeling of the o-ring grooves on the air regulator body to accept a slightly larger o-ring that would form a tighter seal. Sounded right to me since in essence that is what I did using the plumbers tape to increase the diameter of the o-ring to form a tighter seal.

So I sent my air cylinder to AoA on my penny. They wanted me to send the gun but that would have been way too expensive. They agreed to accept delivery of the air cylinder. That was two weeks ago

Before sending them the air cylinder I called the service department and tried to explain to them my situation and my conversation with Johan of FX Airguns. As you well can imagine in an organization as busy as AoA they paid as much attention as you would guess. Who am I to tell them their business.

So I sent the air cylinder in a few weeks ago gave them a call last Wednesday and they informed the air cylinder was just shipped back to me and that they disassembled the air cylinder and replaced all the seals and o-rings,,, not what the doctor ordered. They performed a simple maintenance procedure! So I put my gun back together and it still leaks from the air hole. Very dissatisfied. 

Why would Johan tell me that the fix is re-channel and fit bigger o-rings and AoA does a simple maintenance procedure when the air cylinder/air regulator assembly is clearly defective and requires serious re-work?

We'll see what happens. What I would like done is for FX to send me a fresh and complete (air cylinder, regulator, end-caps and manometer, corrected and tested, that I can simply bolt onto my Wildcat and use it in the way it was intended. In that delivery include a postage paid voucher via which every carrier they wish and I will send the DEFECTIVE unit back.

This is a serious hassle. I truly believe that a customer paying this much cash for an air gun should NOT have to go through this much hassle and much less, as some would have us believe, accept it as a normal high dollar air gunning experience. Granted, problems arise in mechanical devices but on a fresh unit the onus is on the manufacturer to make it right for the customer. This problem has been well documented on this forum and I have yet to read a final resolution on this forum.

Sincerely,

=Danny
 
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nelo64 - Thank you for the followup. When I have the time, I plan on diving into tearing down the regulator since mine is having velocity issues. I've change the outer housing o-rings before and it seem to have stopped the excessive air leak issues I was having. Question I have is, have you inspected the vent hole INSIDE the air tube and confirm it need work (to remove burrs) and is causing damage to the the oring?

 
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I was going to advise you to give it a little time but your last post sounds like your up and running. That's good to hear! Otherwise, I would have said to stay on AoA. And do so with good communication. They'll make it right. I went through some rough times with my Bobcat and AoA. It went back and forth 2, maybe 3 times but, in the end they made it right and it stayed that way. 
Make sure you're filling your rifle slowly. The air heats up during filling and you'll lose a small amount of pressure when it cools down. Also, these FX rifles really don't like being shot below 100b so, try to avoid that. 
I bet you learned quite a lot through this process as well. So, if nothing else...
Happy Shooting!
Tom
 
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I had the same issue with the O-rings last summer. I did send mine to AOA and have not had a problem since. As stated I don't feel I should have had to pay for shipping and should have gotten a New tube and reg. We should not be getting a "rig it so it works" fix on a $1000 plus rifle. I know new products have defects but this should have been replaced.
 
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Scott,
Have you looked at some of the basics for possible accuracy errors? My WC .22 is as tight as 1/2" at 57 yards and a better marksmen might be able to squeeze a little more out of it. Check all screws; stock, scope mounts, scope rail, .... Make sure you are not canted when shooting. I have high rings and a level and have been surprised to find how often I think I'm level but not. Watch your hold, try to make sure every time you pull the trigger you are applying the same forces in all directions. Maybe some guns are more forgiving of a shooters hold than the light WC. Hope there's something here that helps.
 
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