A5 air consumption problems fixed for me.

Well, I just wanted to share my experience and give my .02 about Tippmann and their support.

I bought a used A5 with the Flatline, and E-Grip off of ebay a little while back, and had lots of trouble with air consumption, and very high velocities. This is my first paintball gun, so I figured I'd tear into it and see what I could learn and hopefully fix the problems I was having.

I wasn't leaking air, but the FVA didn't seem to make any significant impact on velocity or consumption. I tried a Palmer stabilizer, and still had the same problems. I also clipped a couple of coils on the valve spring, and that helped a little, but I still wasn't able to get the velocity below 320, and consumption was still high. After doing quite a bit of reading here, I came to the conclusion that I must have a LP valve in the gun. I had another valve, but it looked identical so I wasn't sure if I had a HP or LP valve because I had nothing to compare it with. I also had cracked the upper receiver while installing an exansion chamber using the wrong screw. I believe the expansion chamber was part of the LP kit.

So, I sent an email to Tippmann's support team, and the told me what I suspected. They said to call them, and they would arrange to ship a standard valve to me. SO far so good. Well, Last week, I happened to be working near their HQ, so I figured I would stop in and see if I could find the valve and the receiver half that I had broken. After telling the receptionist what I needed, she made a couple of calls to service and then sales. A short time later, a guy came out and handed me a new valve, and BOTH receiver halves, also new. I looked at the parts then him and said "thats it?" He said "What, do you need something else?" I couldn't believe they gave me the parts as under warranty. I even told the receptionist it wasn't under warranty. I fully expected to be purchasing both parts that I needed. Unbelievable service and support.

A few days later... I patch the gun back together, and damn if I didn't have a leak! It was coming from the tombstone, so I suspected the valve. I swapped it with the LP valve I had in before, and still leaking! Turned out to be the o-ring on my remote vertical fitting into the tombstone. Fixed that with a new tank o-ring, but then I had a very slight leak that I could hear through the barrel. I disassembled the new valve, and lubed both o-rings with o-ring lube. Re-assembled, and voila! No leaks.

Then I start checking out the cyclone, and the reset plunger will not depress! I took the bottom cover off to discover that the thumbscrew is now interfering with the ratchet. Not sure why, but I just installed a washer to shim it to keep from turning the screw in so far. That works fine now, except the reset plunger doesn't seem to want to fully release! There is about 1/8" of travel where it appears to hang up and prevent the ratchet from fully releasing. If I pull it out all the way (the last 1/8"), the ratchet releases properly. So I call Tippmann, and they are sending me a new reset plunger and a couple of other related parts. Under warranty also? I guess so. So, I'll see if that fixes the reset plunger. Still very impressed with Tippmann's service.

Well, the reset plunger did not prevent me from getting off enough shots to dial in the new red dot sight. I also discovered that the JCS stock I have that came with the gun, has an RVA on it. So, I dialed in the velocity to ~280fps. Then I sighted it again, and it was much more accurate. I went through about 600 shots, and still have CO2 in my 16oz tank!

I'm sure the solution was a combination of getting the right valve, and also setting the RVA. It is very obvious now which is the LP valve when compared to a standard valve. The LP valve has a lot more material milled off of the sides.

Thanks to all who contribute here, and especially to Tippmann for their great support!

PS: anyone have a good source for a dovetail to weaver sight rail adapter? I have a dovetail rail that I need to fit a sight onto. The sight has weaver rail clamps.

Otherwise, I'll just drill and tap the dovetail, and install a weaver rail.

Thanks,

Jason

Yeah, I just hope the bean counters are keeping them honest. I would hate to see their generosity with warranty impact their ability to continue to provide great markers.

Regarding the Dovetail to Weaver sightrail adapter, I found a set for $11 at the Cabela's online.