Atomic M1 IP creep

[owlbill]

I have just serviced an M1 for a customer who was complaining of IP creep. Reg is apparently 1 1/2 years old with about 40 dives on it. After servicing, there is still a large IP creep. The regs were a bit salty/dirty inside. What are the odds I am looking at replacing the piston in this? Don't really want to order one (at the price they are) and find out that still does not work. Anyone else have problems with constant IP creep? I have not had this on previous Atomic regs. I tried a new HP seat as well but that did not help.

Any input would be appreciated.

Bill

 

[Wookie]

Did you do a full service? Is it a jet Seat piston? I had this problem with a old piston that I shoved through the barrel without a piston bullet. It shaved a hair off of the black o-ring with the brown dot. It crept after that. If it's really that new it has a jet seat piston in it, but maybe it's older than he thinks.

 

[owlbill]

Yes, full service/overhaul. Yes, it is a current Jet Seat and the M1 monel piston. Piston bullet was used during reassembly. If someone here can tell me the approximate age from the serial number, I can provide that.

 

[bumcikaz]

Did you replace the j seat? If so, i would recheck orings

 

[Wookie]

Well, the only way to get creep is for the air to get past the piston. The only place for it to do that is either through the piston seals or through the piston/seat. If it were me, I would try a new piston and a new seat, but I keep a large number of spares of each, so it's easy to throw some parts in there and see what happens. You may have a warped piston, you may have a wee little divot in the piston edge, you may have a defect int he seat.

 

[Scared Silly]

A couple of thoughts. I have had issues with the piston o-ring with one reg and once it was replaced it sealed fine. The other is that sometimes after replacing the HP seat it locks up perfectly other times I need to cycle it so the seat and the piston are matched.

 

[scubafanatic]

What if it's the inner surface of the reg body that's scratched / scored, not the piston ? perhaps sand or grit got caught / sandwiched between the piston O-ring and the inner surface of the reg body ?

 

[guruboy]

You don't have ANY spare atomic regs lying around? Even a used piston can be swapped in for a test to see if the piston is the culprit.

 

[Wookie]

What if it's the inner surface of the reg body that's scratched / scored, not the piston ? perhaps sand or grit got caught / sandwiched between the piston O-ring and the inner surface of the reg body ?

It is possible that someone removed the piston orings and seal with a sharp steel pick instead of a brass pick. That would scratch the piston barrel, and if deep enough would cause the symptoms indicated.

If so, then he has a spare Atomic laying around.

 

[owlbill]

Tried another new seat and replaced the piston stem oring and backup washer. No change. Atomic is sadly not a huge brand up here. Looks like I will have to take a chance and order a piston to try. Sucks because of the price, but oh well.