Oilers

[Just4all]

Ok what's the consensus on the oiler's,I use one on mine but Moonrockers tells me I dont need to?? and wich type of oil do you guys use in your's?

[pizzacam]

IDK I don't think you need one either. I've heard you don't from about 5 people now unless you use it for hours and hours everyday like Showbiz did... Then...you might. :\

[looneybird78]

I am definitely using them! Would you run an automobile without oil? Same principle here... the oiler is used to keep the valves lubricated. No lubrication just means you have a very high chance of them sticking, or tearing up completely.

Use pneumatic oil such as the oil for air tools.


*on a side note: I KNOW Snapper used oilers on his show also

*another side note: The original oilers that were used for the Rock-afire are still available! Must be a true testament to how good they are!

[captslappy]

Ok here is the deal there are 2 ways to do this but do not run your valves dry. I manually grease my valves with white synthetic grease. This is what Moonrockers does too. If you do that, then you do not need oilers. If you do not manually grease them, you need to use your oilers. Do one or the other but not both. You don't want to run your valves dry. They need some kind of lubricant.

[Just4all]

sounds good I just dont want to use an oil that will rot the valves and cylanders!

[lildook]

It would be extremely awesome if someone (captslappy) :) could write a write-up / how-to on cleaning a valve. I tried this once and I think I missed some of the things inside I should have pay attention to....

I think if someone has cleaned and greased a valve and can provide a write up (even with photo's) that would be very very valuble. :)

btw... has anyone found a supplier to replace the rubber parts inside the valves?

[Just4all]

Yep, that would be cool I know u can fix certain dammage on the big piston part with silicone ive done it and dosent leak..so Mac dosent support that valve line anymore? I had them fax me the schematics a few years back so i assumed they still did?

[captslappy]

Nothing to it. You get a set of picks (Straight, angled, curved and 45 degree). Several companies such as Snap On make these. Using the picks, get under the lift ring and work it around until you pop it free. Take off the white cap, then there is round tab sitting on the spring. Remove that, the spring and then carefully lift the valve out. Be careful not to loose any pieces! Thoroughly wipe everything down and take a cotton swap or something similar and clean out the housing too. Then grease teh bottom of the valve, go around the lower and upper shaft generously with white grease and reinsert the valve back in. Then stick the spring back in the shaft of the valve and the white tab. Grease the bottom of the cap and push it back into place. Hold in place and work the ring back into place. This can be tricky but if you stick the pick in between the layers of the ring and space it you can do it. It gets easier with time. Make sure the ring is snuggly back in place. That's it.

[RodHouTx]

I haven't used oilers in years, but I do use the white grease (Lubriplate). The original Blue Show Manual even says to use it for for joints, hinges, etc. That's some good stuff!

Most cyldiners and pancakes come pre-lubricated from the factory with Magnalube-G (I have also tried this, but got better performance from Lubriplate).

Adding to catslappy's excellent post, if a valve is sticking/stuck you can replace the two black o-rings with Danco #40 o-rings. There is also a tiny o-ring inside the spool near the top where the spring goes. You can also get a Danco o-ring for this one (I forget the part number).

If your show has brass cylinders, you can get original replacement parts (rods, cylinders, etc) from Cylinders and Valves, Inc. You can also get Mac Valve parts (replacement spools from somewhere.. I'll have to look at our packages and see where corproate gets them from).

[Just4all]

My Gawd where do they hire the goofs at the local hardware stores..I went in today to get a new well tank settup and I need a watter presshure regulator ..they think that is a preshure swich GRR.. :|

[circuspizzafan]

My MAC cleaning video. :D

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQXCobwjmLE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQXCobwjmLE)

[Just4all]

Man Bro that's a cool Vid that should help some of the folks here that havn,t done em b4..Wow they are really dirty is that what mine are looking like on the inside?guess its time for a look^^ I want to take some video footage but guess that means I have to go out and buy a decent digital cam..hehe mine is a one megapixle Pile of :evil