SILICONE OIL?

[Barryg]

Hi new hear but not new to spring guns.
I have looked through most of the old threads, very interesting.
I am confused by the no no of silicone oil for all airguns as I have used silicone oil on spring guns for a long time on piston washers as have a lot of professional tuners, look at the v-match instructions Steve says to put a light coat of silicone inside the piston seal to aid fitting. I know its not around the seal but still in the gun.
I admit that I don't use silicone now but my ten year old HW80 has been dismantled 20-30 times and I have put silicone on the seal all but the last two times, so the silicone must of wiped of on the pressure bearing part of the cylinder before I painted in the moly grease behind the piston, but my 80 is still as smooth as you would get.
But if I am wrong and we can all be wrong my favorite 80 is a write off along with a few more.
Can anyone put my mind at rest. Barry ps. yes I have seen Ben Taylor's thread

[rogb]

Hi and welcome to the BBS

I spoke to Steve on Monday about this specific matter and he only recommnded a slight smear of moly around the piston seal. Maybe these are very old instructions, but silicon is now thought to be best avoided.

Could you quote them exactly please?

[Barryg]

Yes it is a new TX200 mk 3 instructions no 11 A light coat of silicone on the inside of the piston will aid fitting.
I now don't use silicone but have done in the past on the piston seals so have I done harm to my guns? So far there is no evidence of this and as I say there is a lot of guns out there that have been professionally lubed in the same way that I described.
It looks like if you mix a drop of silicon with moly its OK? I will try some experiments. Barry

[uk litehammer]

I have seen the internals of several guns that were totally knackered by silicone oil, and it's not a pretty sight.

[BTDT]

I've never had a TX apart but, looking at the line drawings on Chambers, I gain the impression that the piston body does not come into contact with the compression cylinder. If that's so, silicone would do no damage - it's metal to metal bearing surfaces where it should never be used.

I'd use a dab of moly grease, though, just to be on the safe side, and I wouldn't mix moly grease and silicone.

[Steyr]

Isnt there a difference between silicoN and siliconE?

I dont know what it is but I seem to recall a thread where the difference and applications were explained.

[Gungeek]

I don't understand why you would want to use it. Bengarzy has thoroughly warned us of the consequences of its use in pneumatics - that's good enough for me. As for spring guns, there's sufficient doubt been cast on its suitability by almost everybody who has ever 'dabbled' with spring gun tuning, and there are many other suitable products to use. Have you bought a lifetime's supply of the stuff? I can think of one application for it, the 'o' rings and joints of a garden hose. Regards ... Geek

[rogb]

I don't understand why you would want to use it. Bengarzy has thoroughly warned us of the consequences of using in in pneumatics - that's good enough for me. As for spring guns, there's sufficient doubt been cast on its suitability by almost everybody who has ever 'dabbled' with spring gun tuning, and there are many other suitable products to use. Have you bought a lifetime's supply of the stuff? I can think of one application for it, the 'o' rings and joints of a garden hose. Regards ... Geek

I think the confusion comes from products like Abbey SM50, that say they are safe to use on piston seals. I was confused too, but I spoke to Steve Pope, and as far as he is concerned, for V-Glide products, like my HW80, not necessarily DIY tuning kits, there is no need or advantage in using Dri Slide or SM50. Just the right grade of moly grease on the piston seal, tiny amount, and some on the spring, other synthetic to metal or metal to metal lube points are taken care of with a special "anti-scuffing" grease. The spring is coated with a special "anti-fling" spray grease.

This is what I will be doing to my HW80, cos it's special

goes into song... "so f#####g special..., you're a creep..."

[Gungeek]

Have you seen the price of Rocol "anti-scuffing" compound? It is ... ... shocking! Regards ... Geek

[BTDT]

Isnt there a difference between silicoN and siliconE?

I dont know what it is but I seem to recall a thread where the difference and applications were explained.

My understanding is that silicon is the raw material and silicone is a product containing it.

Could be wrong, though.

[uk litehammer]

Moly grease, and moly-g paste is the stuff you need. And not too expensive.

http://www.airguns.citymax.com/page/page/251484.htm

[rogb]

Have you seen the price of that "anti-scuffing" compound? It's ... ... shocking! Regards ... Geek

No, but it can't be more shocking than f#### up your V-Mach and not getting the performance you have taken for granted up till now.
It's shocking when you finally get your Porsche and have to put Mobil 1 in it at £40 a can

[Barryg]

I think some of you are misunderstanding what I am saying, I now don't use silicone oil at all and would not use it again but I would like to know if I have done any harm to my guns in the past by sticking to the plastic to metal instructions?
My guns have been re-lubed with v-match grease and new piston seals, I am not worried about TX200 because the compression tube is separate from any metal to metal contact but the 80 had the piston go through the cylinder with the silicone oil on the piston seal also the same with a RWS 38 and 45.
What I am asking is as I have had no problems for over a year of use am I now OK or is it to early to say?
It would be nice if I could get a answer from someone who has had experience of this or a expert like Ben Taylor.
Barry

[uk litehammer]

It only happens when used for metal to metal, and in your case it wasn't, and I would imagine you used very little amounts on the seals. If nothing has happened after a year, then I seriously doubt it will, 'cos when it does it happens very quickly. A bit like really revving an engine that has no oil at all on it's parts.

[Barryg]

uk litehammer, Yes this is exactly what I thought until I saw Ben Taylor's thread where it seems that silicone oil contaminates the metal it comes in contact with and as my piston seal has been through my cylinder about 20 times with silicone on it you can see my concern.
This is why I suggested that moly painted in the cylinder behind the piston might dilute the silicone and that is why I have had no problems, not because I wanted to start some new lube craze as some thought.
Barry