New to me Star sizer problem, need help?

[HeavyMetal]

A few months ago I bought a Star off a forum member, can't remember who, and didn't get to use it until just this last week.

Bought a bunch of Lar's new Carnauba Blue lube which doesn't need a heater, loaded the star up and had at it, worked OK for a 40 or so boolits the started having an issue with injecting lube into the groove on my boolit, upon examining the press I got a lot of slack in the ram which move the arm going down to the lube piston!

On either end, depending which way I push the lever, I get about 1/4 inch air gap between ram and lever, wondering if I have a collapsed spring on my lube piston???

Question is how do I get it out and what is it's length supposed to be?? it looks like this one has a pin of some type in it but it doesn't go through to the bottom of the sizer, I can't post Pictures but can sure E mail them if some one needs a look see to give me an answer!

HM

[dragon813gt]

Not sure if you have the manual but here is the link to it: http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/Star_Sizer.pdf

It has the parts diagram where you can see how it all goes together. I've never had one apart so I cant help w/ disassembly.

[jsizemore]

The distance from where the fulcrum lever contacts the pump shaft and housing the pump shaft goes into measures 1.375" on my Magma and 1.25" on my San Diego. Regardless of the lubes temp rating, the adjustment of your star is a balance between reservoir screw pressure and lube temp. If you reduce one, you have to increase the other. This assumes that the pump is operating correctly.

[HeavyMetal]

Mine a San diego Star, both new and old, the "new" one only measures 1.070 from the base to the end of the lube piston giving me the thought I have a bad spring.

What do you guys think?

[jsizemore]

I'd use a hair dryer to make sure the lube is soft and increase the screw pressure before I started disassembling the lubesizer. If the piston doesn't fully extend to the lever then it's spring time.

[Springfield]

If you are asking you to take out the bottom piston spring, all you need to do is remove the cotter pin and then the pivot pin on the arm in back of the press, and the spring come right out. I have broken a spring twice on my Star's, no big deal to replace. But you should be able to tell just by looking if it is broken or not.

[HeavyMetal]

Hair dryer not a bad idea, this thing "plugged" up after I sized and lubed about 90 or so boolits so hard piece of lube my be stuck but I don't think so, still heat may break it loos and if not I'll order a spring.

Cool part is the GF has a hair dryer, I don't have a spring, LOL!

I'll keep you guys posted!

[HeavyMetal]

OK update time:
I took my new star to work this AM and in the afternoon I used the company heat gun to warm up the base area of the sizer.

In seconds I could see the spring and plunger move back into position and a large mass of black goo oozed out of the large inspection screw area, I then put a little pressure on the lube ram and lube came out black for about 3 inches then ran the new Carnauba Blue color I was looking for!

So I think the old lube was a high temp lube that I forced into sticking the plunger and spring, with luck the problem is solved and I will test it this weekend by finishing my load of 44 casting's.

I shot the ones I lubed before it stuck and was very impressed with the Carnauba Blue!

[skeettx]

Great report
Looking forward to more
Mike