FX Wildcat - slow leak?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Z

z324u

Member
Sep 21, 2016
25
0
AL
I've got a Wildcat that when charged loses about 10bar every 10-12 hours. I ordered all the o-rings per the drawings from a supplier I use at work.

My question to you guys is, what would be the most likely culprit? I don't hear it leaking anywhere, so I'm thinking it's gotta be the regulator or something on the air tube. I'm gonna just replace everything (o-rings) but if there is something else I should look at or attend to while it's apart I'd love to know.

i was thinking of going over everything I can with some 2000 grit and polish ??.....

Thanks for any help! 
 
"z324u"I Put a peice of tape over the reg breath hole, and every other hole I could find last night. When I got up the only one that had a bubble was the regulator breathe hole (one big long bubble).


Click to expand...
You have to replace o-rings E4 (23,3x2,4 NBR 70). See drawing here: http://www.fxairguns.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/wild-exploded-drawing-AoA.pdf

To bleed the reservoir I suggest: https://youtu.be/79PJ-cOtrac
Tips to replace the o-rings I suggest: 

Good luck and please report after you fix the problem.
 
Upvote 0
This afternoon I went ahead and disassembled the gun apart to check all the O-rings. For the most part everything looked good, just dry. Then I took the inner part of the regulator out, and one of those o-rings had a big chunk missing. It looks as though it happened during assembly - nicked the escape port. The port was very rough as well, so this seems to be what happened? I removed all the O-rings (caps, fittings, all on the air tube), and cleaned everything up. I smoothed out the rough edges on that port with some 2k grit paper, and lightly polished the inside of the cavity.

I got antsy about waiting until the end of next week for o-rings, so I went to home depot to try matching up at least the ones that looked bad. Surprisingly, they had some that were almost an exact match (just the standard version, instead of metric).

I was able to put everything back together, and re-charged the gun. So far no obvious leaks, and I've shot 4 magazines just for fun.
Hopefully tonight, it will hold - but I don't have a good feeling. It's sitting at 165 bar, so I've got my fingers crossed.
 
Upvote 0
Well it's still leaking at the same rate. I don't think it had anything to do with the regulator, as I left tape on it all night and it never even blew a bubble in the tape (vent port). I'm starting to think it's in the valve or transfer port? It's a really slow leak - lost about 10-15bar last night (10hrs)

I suppose those parts have have to be ordered from AoA?
 
Upvote 0
Here is the full o-ring list. You can buy from anywhere. AOA has a full service kit including some other metal components which are not needed at this moment.

1 x A8: 7,66 x 1,78 NBR70 
1 x A9: 2,5 x 1,5 NBR90
1 x A16: 8,3 x 2,4 NBR70

3 x C16: 13,95 x 2,62

1 x D1: 5,28 x 1,78 Pur70 
1 x D2: 5,28 x 1,78 NBR70
1 x D3: 5,28 x 1,78 NBR70
1 x D5: 12 x 2 NBR90

1 x E2: 23 x 2,5 NBR70
2 x E4: 23,3 x 2,4 NBR70
1 x E10: 2,5 x 1,5 NBR90
1 x E12: 23 x 2,5 NBR70
2 x E13: 24 x 2 NBR70

Regulador (Specs by Ernest Rowe)
1 x 6,1 x 1,6
1 x 2,9 x 1,78
2 x 12 x 2,5
1 x 7,65 x 1,78

I had an annoying leaking on the both reservoir ends: E1 & E2. It is worth to take a look on yours. Check this video from AOA where they add a thin o-ring to help sealing it (11:04 on the video): 

Also check, replace if needed or tight a bit A14, A15 and A16. I had small leaking on those too.

It took me three weeks until I found all leaks and fix the problem... Stay on the course.

 
Upvote 0
On 2nd look it's missing the o-ring A9 and the Delrin washer A10. I did go ahead and put the 1.5x2.5 o-ring in it, but I'll have to wait on the washer/spacer. I have everything buttoned back up, and so far it's holding air just fine. I have a feeling my FPS will drop now though due to more preload being on the valve spring. That sucks because before it was shooting right at 901fps. I won't know until tomorrow when it's daylight again and I can test with my non illuminated chrono.

it is also missing item D5. I tried to figure out where/how this O-ring installs, but the rifle would not go back together properly in the locations I tried per the drawing. Not sure what's going on with that. It didn't have it before, so I suppose it's ok. It was shooting excellent with a SD of <5 before.

Another interesting thing I noticed is the gun must have went back to AOA at some point because it had the extra o-rings on each of the reservoir caps as shown in their instructional video. I'm wondering if they or the previous owner possibly left those parts out of the valve in order to make the gun shoot faster? Never the less, I believe this may have been the issue? Maybe now that there is more preload on the valve spring, it's holding shut where it was leaking. Then again, with 230bar behind it, it should have been pushed shut anyway like a check valve......

I also believe the regulator has been machined down for bigger O-rings. The normal 23x2.4 were way too loose for my liking, even the 23x2.5 was questionable. I ended up putting the hardware store 1 1/16 x 7/8 x 3/32" (#17 plumbing at Home Depot lol) standard orings back on it, as it never leaked before out of the vent hole.

After it it was back together I shot 4 magazines wort of pellets and it's seems to be shooting ok. It was a bit low at 50, so I'm wondering what the chrono will say tomorrow. For curiosity sake I checked the hammer adjustment screw after I got done, and that thing is butter soft. It's completely stripped out (ouch). If I ever have to make an adjustment, I'll need to order another one, I'll get this one out with a ez-out.

If anyone is interested, I also opted for a urethane #U70010 o-ring for the inner barrel (.25). It's a bit tighter than the metric equivalent, but it seems to seal good and the urethane should last longer.

Here re are the o-rings I ordered online which worked perfectly (so far) from the o-ring store in WA (online) :-010 N70 Buna-N Nitrile 70 O-ring $1.0210 ea. 010 U70 Urethane O-ring $2.0017 ea. -011 N70 Buna-N Nitrile 70 O-ring $0.514 ea. 2.65mm X 14mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring Single $0.8817 ea. -009 N70 Buna-N Nitrile 70 O-ring2.5mm X 23mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-Ring $1.9212 ea. 2.4mm X 23.3mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring $4.0816 ea. 2mm X 24mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring $1.7612 ea. 2mm X 12mm Metric O-ring Buna-N 90 $4.8010 ea. 1.5mm X 2.5mm Metric Buna-N 90 O-ring (JIS S3-90) $1.5010 ea. 2.4mm X 11.8mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring (JIS P12) $1.007 ea. 2.4mm X 8.3mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring






 
Upvote 0
"z324u"On 2nd look it's missing the o-ring A9 and the Delrin washer A10. I did go ahead and put the 1.5x2.5 o-ring in it, but I'll have to wait on the washer/spacer. I have everything buttoned back up, and so far it's holding air just fine. I have a feeling my FPS will drop now though due to more preload being on the valve spring. That sucks because before it was shooting right at 901fps. I won't know until tomorrow when it's daylight again and I can test with my non illuminated chrono.

it is also missing item D5. I tried to figure out where/how this O-ring installs, but the rifle would not go back together properly in the locations I tried per the drawing. Not sure what's going on with that. It didn't have it before, so I suppose it's ok. It was shooting excellent with a SD of <5 before.

Another interesting thing I noticed is the gun must have went back to AOA at some point because it had the extra o-rings on each of the reservoir caps as shown in their instructional video. I'm wondering if they or the previous owner possibly left those parts out of the valve in order to make the gun shoot faster? Never the less, I believe this may have been the issue? Maybe now that there is more preload on the valve spring, it's holding shut where it was leaking. Then again, with 230bar behind it, it should have been pushed shut anyway like a check valve......

I also believe the regulator has been machined down for bigger O-rings. The normal 23x2.4 were way too loose for my liking, even the 23x2.5 was questionable. I ended up putting the hardware store 1 1/16 x 7/8 x 3/32" (#17 plumbing at Home Depot lol) standard orings back on it, as it never leaked before out of the vent hole.

After it it was back together I shot 4 magazines wort of pellets and it's seems to be shooting ok. It was a bit low at 50, so I'm wondering what the chrono will say tomorrow. For curiosity sake I checked the hammer adjustment screw after I got done, and that thing is butter soft. It's completely stripped out (ouch). If I ever have to make an adjustment, I'll need to order another one, I'll get this one out with a ez-out.

If anyone is interested, I also opted for a urethane #U70010 o-ring for the inner barrel (.25). It's a bit tighter than the metric equivalent, but it seems to seal good and the urethane should last longer.

Here re are the o-rings I ordered online which worked perfectly (so far) from the o-ring store in WA (online) :-010 N70 Buna-N Nitrile 70 O-ring $1.0210 ea. 010 U70 Urethane O-ring $2.0017 ea. -011 N70 Buna-N Nitrile 70 O-ring $0.514 ea. 2.65mm X 14mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring Single $0.8817 ea. -009 N70 Buna-N Nitrile 70 O-ring2.5mm X 23mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-Ring $1.9212 ea. 2.4mm X 23.3mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring $4.0816 ea. 2mm X 24mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring $1.7612 ea. 2mm X 12mm Metric O-ring Buna-N 90 $4.8010 ea. 1.5mm X 2.5mm Metric Buna-N 90 O-ring (JIS S3-90) $1.5010 ea. 2.4mm X 11.8mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring (JIS P12) $1.007 ea. 2.4mm X 8.3mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring




Click to expand...
I didn't know you have a used Wildcat. That partially explains of so many missing parts as well as the regulator machined (I have seen a recommendation from FX for that in a post somewhere...). You did well by disassembling everything and check part by part.
On the barrel o-ring I replaced mine by a Buna 90 rubber one. Buna 90 is more suitable for pellet abrasion and it lasts longer. I used to have it on my Edgun and always worked better than others. 
Interesting the hammer adjustment screw you mentioned. Somebody already made many interventions in you gun. If you ever disassemble this part I am curious to see how is the hammer itself. A Wildcat hammer from a friend of mine was completely market by hitting the cocking pin.
 
Upvote 0
I agree, it needs these parts. As I disassembled the rifle, It made me realize how it worked. I have been trying to get AOA all week, but they have an event going on I suppose. So far with only A9 in there, it's holding so far but there needs to be something to separate it from the spring as you said. 

The only question I have is where the heck D5 goes. If somebody has a picture of that, it would help.

I also don't understand why FX didn't list the O-ring sizes for the ones attached to A12 (valve stem o-ring) and A13 (valve seat outer o-ring seal)....

Once I figure it out, I'm gonna put together a full spreadsheet with sizes, part numbers, and links to known equivalents.


 
Upvote 0
"z324u"I agree, it needs these parts. As I disassembled the rifle, It made me realize how it worked. I have been trying to get AOA all week, but they have an event going on I suppose. So far with only A9 in there, it's holding so far but there needs to be something to separate it from the spring as you said. 

The only question I have is where the heck D5 goes. If somebody has a picture of that, it would help.

I also don't understand why FX didn't list the O-ring sizes for the ones attached to A12 (valve stem o-ring) and A13 (valve seat outer o-ring seal)....

Once I figure it out, I'm gonna put together a full spreadsheet with sizes, part numbers, and links to known equivalents.


Click to expand...
I just bought a Wildcat, a spreadsheet would be very awesome. I am interested on hearing how difficult it is to strip the Wildcat?

What I love about the Benjamin Marauder is the strength of the community, so much information out there.

 
Upvote 1
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu