Valve slows down after 10 minutes of playing

[superted]

Hi everyone,

I'm having issues on the 2nd valve of a new horn (2052).

After it's been moved so many times (about 10 minutes of playing), it gets sluggish. It still smooth (not sticking) but it becomes slow to move up and down.

If I take the valve out, shake away any moisture and put it back in (without reapplying oil), the speed comes back for another 10 minutes before it slows down again. Same thing if I add oil.

I started off using Blue Juice and then encountered this problem after a month with the horn. After washing the horn I am trying Monster Oil Docs Juice and it's still doing the same thing.

Just wondering if anyone's had a similar problem, and how you overcame it? (I'm already cleaning and oiling the valves several times in a practise session)

Ted

[Sara Hood]

If I take the valve out, shake away any moisture and put it back in (without reapplying oil), the speed comes back for another 10 minutes before it slows down again. Same thing if I add oil. - Ted

It sounds like you are concentrating all your efforts on the valve piston itself. But that is not the only part affected by oiling your valves. Take a look in the valve casing and see if there is junk in there that could be gumming up your valve functionality. Give the insides of the tubes that the valves sit in and the valve caps a good cleaning too. Then when both parts (piston and casing) are good and clean, re-oil. See if that helps any.

- Sara

[davewerden]

Are we talking "new" as in brand-new or new as in a few months old?

Sara's point is a good one. The first thing I would do it take out the piston and spring, then remove the bottom cap. I would swab out the cylinder, going in through the top and out through the bottom. Use a lint-free cloth. Do it a few times, turning the cloth to keep a clean surface going in. Then clean the spring and bottom cap. Finally, swab EACH passage in the piston, and wipe off the surface when you are done. Oil and put it together.

If that works for a day or more, but then things start sticking, you probably need to flush out the whole instrument. Even a brand-new horn requires this sometimes.

[JakeGuilbo]

The new 2052 8G I received had a ton of gunk at the bottom of the valves, indicating previous play and non-cleaning. I recommend giving the horn a bath with snakes and clean that gunk out.

[superted]

The horn is a month old. I got past the initial black gunk phase.

I bathed the horn and cleaned out the piston casing a week ago, with a piston brush. I didn't get into the connecting tubes between the valves with a brush but I did give them a good blast with the hose. (It was good for a day)

I also trimmed mushroomed bits off the plastic valve guides.

I guess I'll target the tubing between the valves next.