Alien Invasion 2012 - UK Guy Here

WildWayz · 01-18-2013, 02:23 AM

Hi guys

Looks like I am going to be picking up an Alien Invasion 2012 second hand over here in the UK (only ever seen 1 other out and about!) and was wondering, in terms of spares, what would I need?
What kind of detents do they use?
What O-Ring sizes are needed?
How reliable are the solenoids?
Is there anything I should do when I get it?
Approx how many shots do you think I could get out of a 68/3000 fill?
(Local walkon site only fills to 3000psi - big games I play fill to 4500psi)

It is the dust black with green accents one, and is about 9.5 condition - which is good!

Thanks

James

MstrKey · 01-18-2013, 02:57 PM

I would suggest you pick up spares like any other gun out there. Most of the orings will be fairly standard and you may be able to pick them up locally. The solenoids are SMC, so they're pretty rock solid. The detents are standard intimidator/spyder detents. Make sure you get the black ones though, no the clear ones.

The only thing you may want to check on is to make sure it has the updated spring in the asa regulator. It just makes it less sensitive to adjustment which some people don't like.

As far as efficiency, you'll find it pretty much in the same range as any of the best poppet guns. Similar to the egos and bob long guns. Depending on your settings and barrel fit I would expect 6-8 pods on a 3000 fill.

It wouldn't hurt to read this forum and pay attention to the threads where people have trouble. That way you'll know what to expect and how to fix it should anything go wrong.

WildWayz · 01-18-2013, 04:06 PM

Cheers MstrKey - i've been looking at threads on maintenance and it all looks straight forward. I'll pick up some spares - got loads of orings from when I had my Creed/Demon - just need to know what ones they use (but looking at videos, there aren't many in there!).

James

firefoxx04 · 01-18-2013, 10:20 PM

When you get it, if you want, grease the regulators and put them back together. Then grease the rammer.

After that, you wont have to ever touch anything. You can grease the rammer every once and a while but you dont HAVE too. I grease my rammer maybe every 5 cases or so but thats overkill. Regulators can go an entire season before you need to clean them up, even then they shouldnt require it.

Keep the bolt clean, detents in check and your good.

WildWayz · 01-19-2013, 02:10 AM

Thanks firefox04! I don't have any Hater Marmalade like what Jack mentions, just GOG Gr33se (Dow 33, I believe) and MonkeyPoo (Spool guy here!).
I assume the Dow33 is what I should use?

firefoxx04 · 01-19-2013, 12:27 PM

all of that will work, poppet valve guns are not picky. I use lurker lube and Violent PB jelly personally.

MstrKey · 01-19-2013, 10:20 PM

You can even use oil on the ramer. It's a lot more solenoid safe. You'll need to apply it a bit more often though since it obviously blows out quicker. Use very very little grease on the ram. Too much will clog the noid.

MstrKey · 01-19-2013, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildWayz

Cheers MstrKey - i've been looking at threads on maintenance and it all looks straight forward. I'll pick up some spares - got loads of orings from when I had my Creed/Demon - just need to know what ones they use (but looking at videos, there aren't many in there!).

James

Hmmmm do vanguard guns use metric or standard orings? I don't even remember and I own one lol. Pretty sure they use metric. I usually just find one the same size and replace it when needed. I think for the most part your current collection of orings will cover you.

WildWayz · 01-20-2013, 03:08 AM

Think it is metric - i have so many orings tho

Thanks guys!

WildWayz · 02-03-2013, 02:18 PM

Well... picked it up yesterday and lent it out to a guy a big game who's Etha decided to blow air like a whale...
He never had any problems until this morning when it would shoot a bit, then puff... then shoot... then puff.
When I say puff, the bolt barely moves. This is dry firing.
He put a new Duracell battery in it - same.

Anyway, I took it to the guy I bought it from and he couldnt figure it out. He thought it was a recharge issue as if you waited a second or so, it would shoot fine.

Anyway, I thought about resetting the board so I took off the grips but saw no reset button, so I took the battery out, flicked the dipswitch to 2 and put a new Procell battery in. I also put a tiny bit of lube on the bolt too as it was dry.

Now it is shooting fine! Any ideas what it was? How can I reset the settings?

Thanks

MstrKey · 02-04-2013, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildWayz

Well... picked it up yesterday and lent it out to a guy a big game who's Etha decided to blow air like a whale...
He never had any problems until this morning when it would shoot a bit, then puff... then shoot... then puff.
When I say puff, the bolt barely moves. This is dry firing.
He put a new Duracell battery in it - same.

Anyway, I took it to the guy I bought it from and he couldnt figure it out. He thought it was a recharge issue as if you waited a second or so, it would shoot fine.

Anyway, I thought about resetting the board so I took off the grips but saw no reset button, so I took the battery out, flicked the dipswitch to 2 and put a new Procell battery in. I also put a tiny bit of lube on the bolt too as it was dry.

Now it is shooting fine! Any ideas what it was? How can I reset the settings?

Thanks

Was the on/off knob on the asa screwed in too far and blocking airflow out of the tank? Dwell too low?

WildWayz · 02-05-2013, 02:12 AM

I am thinking dwell... bet the guy I lent it to left it in the car overnight...

Another thing...

I took the ram cap off and it looks like there is a mashed up oring on the face of it:

Alien Invasion 2012 Ram Cap by WildWayz, on Flickr

What size is it?

MstrKey · 02-05-2013, 10:25 PM

It's a bumper, not an oring. It's just meant to reduce vibration in the gun.

WildWayz · 02-06-2013, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MstrKey

It's a bumper, not an oring. It's just meant to reduce vibration in the gun.

Do you know where I can get a replacement from? This one looks shredded.. marker is quite loud too..

WildWayz · 02-06-2013, 02:36 PM

All sorted

Jack suggested trimming the rubber off and putting some paper there... instead I glued an 007 oring there and it works nicely

James

Jack Rice · 02-06-2013, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildWayz

All sorted

Jack suggested trimming the rubber off and putting some paper there... instead I glued an 007 oring there and it works nicely

James

Jack suggested taking the rubber pieces out - claeaning it and putting some paper behind it so it sticks out again I would take the O'Ring off before it breaks off and somne of the glue goes into your solenoid.

WildWayz · 02-07-2013, 02:26 AM

Cheers - will do that now!

MstrKey · 02-08-2013, 02:38 PM

Kind of weird it's worn out that much. I've never seen one like that before. Did the previous owner lube that thing with varsol or something? lol.

Forrestball · 05-08-2013, 03:36 PM

Had the same issue with the bumper in my invasion, trimmed it up and instead of paper I put a 004 oring in the ram cap be4 putting in the bumper, worked great but I did have to drill a hole through the bumper to eliminate the piston effect I was getting when I tried to put it back in the hole.

Jack Rice · 05-08-2013, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forrestball

Had the same issue with the bumper in my invasion, trimmed it up and instead of paper I put a 004 oring in the ram cap be4 putting in the bumper, worked great but I did have to drill a hole through the bumper to eliminate the piston effect I was getting when I tried to put it back in the hole.

O'Ring is good way to do it and yea, the bumper coming out is a bit of a hassle - I take the bumper and sand it off against the side of a file - just a little bit of a flat will let the air escape - but a drill that's good too