need some Cricket adjustment guidance please
I’ve been trouble shooting my Cricket this week and now I’m stuck and looking for guidance.
The issue revolves around low fps. When new, my gun shot at an average of 930 fps with JSB 16-18gr… Can’t recall which. After swapping out my plastic valve stem with the aluminum one, my velocities plumited to the 750 fps range with the JSB 18 grains (which I discovered 4 months later so I’m not even certain this is the culprit). This is where I got cattywampus, and so began my trouble shooting.
I have warched all of Earnest’s videos (thank you)!, and have worked through everything I know to check. Where I am in the process:
1) all of the seals are visually without damage and are coated in molycote.
2) the valve is set as described in Earnest’s videos… 2 rotations in after spring contact
3) the regulator was originally at 52.90mm (OEM)
4) now, in search of velocity, it is at 53.75mm, which completely opens up the two regulator air inlets.
Velocity at 150 bar remains is at 750 fps with the JSB 18 grains.
Any ideas guys?
Thanks,
Steve
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I do not want to say that Ernest´s videos are wrong but opposite he is producing very good videos for beginners. I know three guys here cz/sk they changed al.stem and all of them used max 1 rotation but 0,5 is enough. đŸ™‚
Good point Octavius…I don’t feel that Ernest’s videos are meant as a “all for one, one for all” experience. I have watched all of his videos as well and he does say in some that some measurements are for reference but not all crickets are the same. He spends hours tuning and the results he gets aren’t going to be the same for every Cricket.
Another experience I’ve had is with my carbine. The valve stem is offset unlike the bullpup. There’s this plastic nipple that is used to keep the spring in place on the outer holes of that retaining nut. Makes it hard to get right as you have to plunge the spring while rotating the nut hoping it doesn’t fall loose . I think I over tightened as my sd is worse. Went from a 2 to a 5! Plus add the fact that there is no holes to adjust the hammer spring tension. So I need to disassemble and loosen the valve stem nut. But it’s a hobby and no hobby comes problem free.
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I can not agree with Ernest with this point:
2) the valve is set as described in Earnest’s videos… 2 rotations in after spring contact
Two rotation in after spring contact is too much because I had my experience when I changed my stem. I did it before Ernest video I think in August. I did 2 turns and speed was lower than with original plastic stem… I reed a lot about this on Russian forum and I found information that 0,5 rotation in after spring contact is enough.
I had to strip cricket again and change. After that.. voila last set speed 880fps were back again.
That is my experience.
I would first try to increase the hammer spring tension. If this increases the fps I suspect that the valve spring tension is too much. Ernest videos are awesome however I feel not all Crickets are alike. I bought one of his reg testers and wanted to lower the fps from 930 to 900ish. Lowering the amount of regulated air actually increased the fps to around 950. So it’s a balance of the regulator, valve spring tension and hammer spring tension that determines velocities.
Also keep in mind that in that valve spring tension video he states that he also increased the air port hole using a dremmel and angling the port.
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((My OEM HST is screwed all the way in))
Thank you all for jumping in with your ideas. Since reading through them, I have a hunch what happened…
When I replaced the plastic valve with the steel one 4 months back, I rotated the perforated disk until it seated lightly at the bottom of the threads (clearly way to tight with my new understanding). So with any luck, that will turn out to be the main culpret, albeit I am 2 turns in now. Hopefully lightly seated on the spring will cure all.
As for the regulator, would you guys recommend I return it to the OEM 52.90mm? Even if this partially obstructs the two air inlet holes? If I am tracking with you guys, I belive you’re suggesting I should.
Thanks again for all the help.