Speedloader 1000 PC Repair

[soakinader]

So I took my newest SPL 1000 out for a test... well the point is that it leaks. Like crazy.

You can see a tiny black tear between where it says 2 and 6. It looks bigger than it is, I'm squeezing the PC and the water makes it look dark. It shoots out a narrow jet of water when I try and fill it.
So the question is, is it time? For me to finally invest in some LRT? Or can I just wrap this sucker up in bike tubes and hope it holds?
The rubber is six inches in length (5 exposed), expands to 7, and the diameter is about 1 3/8 which expands to no more than 2 1/2. The worry I have is that if I replace it with LRT that the capacity would be reduced too much.
QCA?

[TheSoaker]

I say just replace the PC with LRT

[Nemesis]

Not sure, but i doubt you can wrap it in bike tubes and make it seal. With LRT, you can also give it a power boost, so thats probably the way to go.

[the oncoming storm]

Uh do you even know the stats of the SL 1000 nemisis ? It is basicly the CPS 2000 of sidearms already.

[soakinader]

Not sure what you mean by that... But I will say that it packs a lot of power into such a simple little package.
*EDIT* Inch for inch, Speedloaders are the best water guns available in terms of power and shot time. You couldn't find a similarily sized water gun with even close to as much power as the Speedloader 1000. So it really is the CPS 2000 of sidearms.

Well carp, now I need to order some stuff from MCM. Does anyone have some recommendations for what I should get? (besides LRT).
I still plan on going to Lowe's to look for check valves and such. I took a quick look at plastic check valves on MCM, but the ones I was looking at were unthreaded and 12$ each. No thanks!

[soakinader]

Success!!
So here is how to replace the PC in a Speedloader 1000 (MK2) with LRT.
The LRT I used was 7/8" - 9/8" (ID - OD) [K64] , but 3/4" - 9/8" [K69] should also work. [MCM number 5234___]

If you unscrew and remove absolutely everything but the hard chamber/firing valve, you end up at this point.

One half of the clamp is stuck because of the firing pin. Taking apart the PC and pushing the pin forwards is one way to get the clamp off, but that would take a LOT of work, due to how the PC is glued and the fact that one screw is covered by that yellow piece. I have done it before, but it's a pain, and there wasn't even glue.
Anyways, I yanked out the stock PC from under the clamp half with some twisting. Then I took my cutters and nipped a piece off of the clamp so that I could remove it. The stock PC is very tough, I would say it is comparable to a Flash Flood.

Here you can see the barb for the PC and the cut clamp.
At this point, I will note that the stock PC is very unusual. On the plug end it's 3/4" - 1 1/8", and on the PC end it's 5/8" - 1".
This is with the plugs and barbs removed. With the barb inside, I got a measurement of 7/8" ID. Whoops.
Thankfully, the LRT I had fit well into the clamp and I have had no leaks. It was difficult enough to clamp though. And it works, despite how very curvy the LRT is!

Once that was done, I put it all back together and tested it. Amazingly, despite overfilling it to the point where it ballooned over the clamp, it didn't break.
On a stock gun, the PC moves well and shows on the pressure gauge nicely due to how it fills, starting at the PC end and filling towards the back. On this gun, with this piece of LRT, it fills from the middle, expanding outwards at half the pace, so the pressure gauge isn't effective any more. It shouldn't even reach the back... it would probably explode before then.

So I did some tests and added my own gauge! All you have to do is stop when the edge of the yellow bar inside reaches the black line. The red zone is the "Danger Zone". Despite overfilling the PC well into this zone, nothing bad happened (yet) but I'm not going to push my luck. The capacity at the black zone is between 400 and 450mL. The range is still very good, probably as good as stock with the stock nozzle. Next I would like to try drilling one of my other Speedloaders nozzles and try to get more power out it. I believe that the PC can push out at least 10X, it's simply a matter of the right nozzle and how much flow I can get from the valve.
Ta done. Speedloader 1000 #3, now working.

[marauder]

I think this is the first time anyone has ever replaced the bladder on a QFD only blaster. It would be much more difficult on a Splashzooka since their bladders are rather oddly shape. This could mean that Speed Loaders are actually better to invest in for long term use. Interesting!

[the oncoming storm]

I still want you to explain the PRV so that I can disable it on mine

[soakinader]

OK. So this is the deal...
As I explained, the stock Speedloader PC fills, starting from the front and goes towards the back. At the back end where the plug is, you will see these four little holes that go through the rubber, right past the first 'rib' on the plug. When this part expands, it releases water and prevents the chamber from over-expanding. It's a rough mechanical OPRV so to speak. If the chamber isn't clamped just right/the chamber expands funny/ if it feels like it, then it leaks before it is supposed to. So, here is what I did (on two of my SPL 1000, #1 and #4, so far).

Here is the plug end of a MK1 (#1). You can see two of the little holes. All I did was cover them with a zap strap and pull it tight. Done.

[soakinader]

Note that the above picture is from a SPL 1000 MK1, whereas the one I replaced the PC with LRT is a MK2. I have found that there are several consistent differences between my four SPL 1000's.
Here is a picture showing a MK 1 (top, #2) and MK2 (bottom, #4): //////(1 & 2 are MK1's, 3 & 4 are MK2's)

See any differences?
No it's not a visual trick, the clear plastic windows ARE different sizes.
MK1: PC firing valve is not glued, clamps are black, spacer on plug end is glued on and different than MK2, blue pieces are separate, window is wide+short. Gauge is BLACK.
MK2: PC firing valve glued, clamps are yellow and green, spacer on plug is screwed on, blue pieces are part of the shell, window is narrower+taller. Gauge is YELLOW.