Shocker SFT Leaking/Shooting Troubleshooting [ZDSPB Tech]

Shocker SFT Leaking/Shooting Troubleshooting
This includes problems relating to leaking issues, or general shooting problems. Please refer to the other Troubleshooting guides if necessary, for information about electronics repair and other issues.

Listed are the gun's symptom along with a series of possible causes, and how to remedy them. The possible causes are in a specific order, more likely first with the less likely causes lower down the list. When diagnosing problems, you should try each item listed in order.
Let it first be said that a lot of problems can be solved by a good cleaning and greasing. Please refer to the Related Links section for maintenance guides.

Solenoid clicks, but bolt doesn't fire.
· Replace the battery (common).
· Verify that your dwell isn't set too low.
· Clean and regrease the firing assembly and solenoid.
· Verify that the solenoid endcap is installed correctly. Parker solenoid endcap has a line that must face the body; Humphrey solenoid has a dot that must face away from the body.

· Verify that the solenoid inserts aren't screwed in too far or too short.
· Replace the solenoid (spool problem).

First shot drop off (FSDO).
Please note that there is NOT one specific cause for FSDO; it has multiple causes. All the possible causes are unrelated problems, however in terms of performance they will all produce the exact same drop off problem (FSDO). Listed here are the causes for FSDO in order of approximate commonality, with solutions.
· Battery is too low; replace the battery if you don't have a voltage meter available with which to test.
· Increase the dwell setting. This doesn't solve the FSDO problem but it can be used to mask or cover it up, or make it less of a problem.
· Clean and regrease the firing assembly, paying special attention to the 16/70 bolt sail o-ring and the grease inside the bolt sleeve. If an excessive amount of "stiction" is created between them (this is actually the technical term for this issue) then FSDO can manifest. Be sure to not undergrease or overgrease any seals, especially not overgrease. (note, this problem can be overcome by the ABS settings, described below)
· The FSDO in your marker may be caused by the electronics (voltage regulation problem on the stock board); if this is the case then replacing it with an aftermarket board would solve the problem. However, it's not a guaranteed fix.
· Set your aftermarket board's ABS settings, if available. This will add dwell time for the first shot, and help guard against and stiction problems. This won't help against battery voltage drop.
· The other possible cause is moisture inside the solenoid's pilot valve. This is a problem that can't be fixed my maintaining the solenoid, because the pilot valve should never be disassembled. Replacing the pilot would fix this problem.

Velocity dropoff during rapid fire.
· Replace the battery.
· Clean the regulator (most common), firing assembly, and solenoid.
· Increase the dwell, input pressure, or both.
· Verify that the solenoid inserts aren't screwed in too far or too short.

Marker experiences barrel breaks.
· Clean the SFT o-ring.
· Reduce paint bore size (if possible)
· Replace the SFT o-ring.

Shocker bolt remains forward when pressurized.
· Verify that the solenoid endcap is installed correctly. Parker solenoid endcap has a line that must face the body; Humphrey solenoid has a dot that must face away from the body.

· Verify that the solenoid inserts aren't screwed in too far or too short. Also check for o-ring damage on either insert.

Vertical Max-Flo breaks piston o-rings.
· Check to see which version piston you have. The older pistons suffered from this o-ring breaking problem, but the new pistons help to prevent it.

SP will replace the old pistons for free, call them up.
· Make sure the piston o-ring is fully greased. If it is lacking lubricant, the o-ring may seize up.
· Air your marker up more slow next time.

Leak down the barrel.
· Clean and regrease the inner front o-ring in the fire chamber (17/70 with most bolt kits; 17/90 with Evolve kits); replace if necessary. This is the most common cause. Replacement recommend.
· Clean and regrease the outer front o-ring on the fire chamber (22/70) and the front o-ring on the bolt guide (12/70). Again, replacement of these seals is recommended.
· Make sure the bolt isn't scratched. If it is, it will need to be replaced.
· The o-ring grooves may be scratched. If this is the case then the part would need to be replaced. In unlikely events, the inside of the Shocker body is scratched.

Leak from the Shocker symbol on the side of the body. (stock, Turbocharger, or Freeflow bolt kits)
· Verify that the fire chamber is installed corectly. On the stock, Turbocharger, and Freeflow bolt assembles, the end of the fire chamber with two o-rings faces forward. If it's in backwards, it'll leak.
· Clean and regrease the outside o-rings on the fire chamber pictured below; replace if necessary.

Leak from the Shocker symbol on the side of the body. (Evolve or NDZ bolt kits)
· Make sure neither of the side o-rings are visible through the symbols. If they are, then air is escaping past them and that is the cause of the leak. Remove the fire chamber and reinstall it correctly aligned.
With the NDZ fire chamber, the leak may occur even if a small piece of the o-ring is visible. If any is visible, remove the fire chamber and reinstall correctly.
· Replace the side o-rings; grease them, and reinstall the fire chamber. Evolve uses 20x1-mm ID o-rings; NDZ kits use 16/70 o-rings (these are one size larger than tank o-rings...most of the time a tank o-ring will not work).

Leak from the allen wrench hole on the rear of the bolt guide.
· Clean and regrease the following o-rings; replace if necessary.

Leak from the top of the vertical adapter.
· Replace the 14/70 o-ring between the vertical adapter and the underside of the body.
· Most LPR adapters use a 15/70 o-ring.

Leak from between the vertical adapter and the top of the vertical regulator.
· Replace the 15/90 tank o-ring around the threads of the vertical reg.
· Replace the bottom 17/70 o-ring around the poppet guide section (must disassemble the reg for this).

Pneumatic lockout conditions:
Pneumatic lockout is the term we use to describe what happens when air leaks into another section of the marker and causes a compression event, which prevents the bolt from closing all the way, or severely slowing it down. A common symptom of this would be low velocities possibly coupled with inconsistencies, or the marker not cycling all together.
· Fire chamber, inner rear o-ring (17/70 with most bolt kits; 17/90 with Evolve kits)
· Bolt sleeve, outer both second and third o-rings at once (22/70; will also cause a leak from the manifold). Both rings have to be leaking for this to work incorrectly.
· Right solenoid insert, front o-ring (1x3-mm ID)
· Bolt sleeve, inner o-ring (17/70)
· Bolt sleeve, outer rear o-ring (22/70)
· Parker solenoid, butterfly gaskets between the spool and the pilot, or between the spool and the endcap (either can cause the problem). This is an unlikely cause.

Leak from the bottom of the vertical regulator (adjustment endcap).
Leaks out the adjustment endcap can appear gradually after you fire a shot or be a constant leak of pressure. Same problem for both of these. The following seals can cause this symptom, and should be cleaned.
· Base seal between the poppet and the base (flared section of the poppet and the opposing surface); clean with no grease.
· Piston o-ring (14/75); clean and regrease.
· Base seal 12/90 o-ring within the regulator housing (unlikely but possible); clean with no grease.

Regulator Honk. aka regulator squeek.
Same issues as the leak from adjustment endcap problem directly above.

Regulator output pressure creep.
Creeps can be caused by the following:
· Base seal between the poppet and the base (flared section of the poppet and the opposing surface); clean with no grease.
· Top 12/90 o-ring on the poppet guide section; clean and regrease; replace if necessary (uncommon).
· Poppet guide inner seal (9/70); clean and regrease by greasing the top of the poppet; replace if necessary (uncommon).

Leak from the solenoid manifold (trigger frame leak).
Please refer to the page on Manifold Leaks

When you fire, an air burst vents from the rear of the bolt guide.
· This is normal.

When you fire, an air burst vents from the top of the trigger.
· This is normal.

When you fire, an air burst vents from the base of the solenoid.
· This is normal.

Marker leaks when pressurized, until the marker receives 140-200 (Humphrey solenoid only).
· This is normal. The actual sealing pressure will vary from valve to valve.

Marker leaks when pressurized, until the marker receives 150-200 (Evolve bolt).
· This is common, though usually suggests either of the problems listed directly below (bolt moves but doesn't release air).

HE fire chamber cap stuck in body bore.
When you remove your HE or NDZ bolt/fire chamber and the cap/front section stays inside the gun, you will need to find a way to remove it before you can put everything back together.

· Use a curved or bent (pictured) dental pick to hook one of the input ports in the cap and pull it out. The ports are arranged in an array right behind the inside o-ring.

Grasp the handle of the pick and pull the cap out. Once it becomes dislodged, it will easily slide out. The cap is held inside the body by suction created by grease or paint splatter between the cap and the front of the body chamber, so you will want to clean that out.
· Use a screwdriver or other blunt tool, inserted through the front of the body, to push the cap out. This method will also work however it's more risky to attempt (if you slip, you may gouge the inside of the bore, very bad). Do your absolute best to avoid scratching the bore, because that could ruin your Shocker body.

Bolt moves but doesn't release air to fire the paintball.
Under this condition, the solenoid will "puff" when the trigger is pulled, and the bolt will close about halfway through the breech (or not move at all). However, no pressure (or clearly not enough pressure) will be released down the barrel.
· Replace the battery (common).
· Verify that your dwell isn't set too low.
· Rebuild the moving o-rings of the firing assembly.
· Replace the inner rear fire chamber o-ring with a fresh 17/90 ring (common problem with the NDZ bolts, somewhat common with HE bolts).
· Replace the inner bolt sleeve o-ring with a 17/90 (common problem with Evolve bolts).
· Replace the following o-ring with a 12/90: (common problem with Evolve bolts)

Note: If the bolt cycles as normal when you cover the allen wrench hole on the rear of the bolt guide, the problem is with either the o-ring on the bolt sleeve or the bolt guide (but not the fire chamber).
· Non-cycling problems are very common with version-1 Evolve bolt kits; Evolve will upgrade to a current version for free (or so I hear).
· Make sure the solenoid inserts aren't clogged with debris, and are properly installed.
· The solenoid pilot may be damaged, and would have to be replaced.