2007 Proto Matrix PM7 Disassembly / Maintenance Tutorial

[Buckeye Matrix]

PM7 Disassembly Tutorial.

Matrixowner.com is not responsible for any damage you may incur while attempting any of the following procedures. You should not attempt this procedure unless you are confident and skilled in airsmithing. This is a step by step tutorial accompanied with pictures to help explain how to take apart your PM7, do routine maintenance, and then reassemble your marker. We would like to thank Dye Precision, Dave Youngblood and Robin Niehaus for their support.

Step 1. The first thing when you receive your Dye PM7 is to open the box and make sure you have the following items.

You will need a well lit work space that includes a way to keep the small screws, springs, and general pieces intact and organized. You should be able to take apart your entire PM7 with the tools provided by Dye. However, I recommend that you have the following:
• The dye Allen set
• an oring pic
• a couple rags
• Slick Honey
• canned air
• a pencil with a flat eraser
I have weighed the PM7 with hyper II with a digital scale for those of you interested in the overall weight without a barrel. 2.35 lbs fully loaded with inline and asa with on/off.


Step 2. Get your manual from your box and read it from cover to cover. This will take about 20 minutes for those with a high school education or higher!! I could take this gun apart without the manual, but I have a lot of experience with matrixes. However, I still had the manual out and open as I went along just to be safe. The manual is an excellent reference tool and Dye went to a lot of trouble to make a simple and user friendly manual with fantastic pictures. Don’t be afraid to use it.


Step 3. Removal of the Fusebolt.
Ok, getting started I recommend you take out the fusebolt first and clean the dye lube off. Use the ¼ Allen from your Allen set. Turn the back cap counter clockwise and pull the bolt out.

If just your back cap comes out then use something to push the rest of the bolt out from the front.
Here is a photo of the PM7 bolt compared to my DM5 bolt. The PM7 is noticeably shorter and the bolt sail is designed differently. I found that interesting. If you look in the next photos you will see that the bolt sail is a little wider than my DM5 bolt sail, yet the entire section of the front part of the bolt, (which rides in the beer can and top hat,) is the same size. Therefore the bolt travel is the same distance in both guns, but the PM7 chambers will have slightly less volume due to the enlarged bolt sail. Just something to think about when you wonder if Dye is trying everything to make this gun more efficient.




You can replace the #17 orings in the beer can and the top hat with Buena 017 BN70 orings. These are the black orings. These orings can be purchased at the following locations.
www.compulsivepaintball.com
www.air-oil.com
www.mcmaster.com

First the 017 UR70 clear o-ring in the top hat and beer can need to be replaced. If you don't have your bolt disassembled do it now. Using an o-ring removal tool remove the 017 o-rings from the top hat and beer can.



Step 1: Bolt Maintenance
Quoted from Macky and agreed upon by the Agents at MO.

“Lets talk lube first, preferred choice of Lube is Slick honey. If you do not have Slick Honey, a mix of DOW33 with Gold Cup oil is recommended. 3 parts DOW33 to 1 part Gold Cup works great. It should have the consistency of Pudding. Straight DOW33 is OK too but requires more frequent cleaning.”

“I know a lot of people said slick honey does not perform well in the cold. I have found that this is mostly due to the over lubing with Slick Honey. I have played plenty in the cold and I still use Slick Honey with no drop off. In the picture below is what I will refer to as a DAB of Lube. Sorry it’s the best technical term I can think of right now. My DAB might be a little bigger because I have big hands so use best judgment.”

“This by far will make your bolt butter smooth, allowing for lower LPR and Dwell settings. DYE uses the 017 UR70 (Urethane) o-rings because a lot of debris/paint/dirt can get in the breech and cause the o-ring on the beer can to leak. They did not want to get a ton of repairs to replace an o-ring. I have not found the need for a tougher o-ring. So if the Buna makes the Bolt smoother, then I am using it.”

Now to actually lubing the bolt. Take (1) DAB of lube and lube the Bolt sail o-rings and the metal in front and behind the bolt sail.
Next take (1) DAB of lube and lube the bolt plunger.


Next take (1) DAB of lube and lube the beer can, start with the 017 O-ring and then coat the inner surface. Use the excess lube and apply to the outer #20 o-rings. It won't be that much but you don't need a lot.

Next take (1) DAB of lube and lube the top hat start with the 017 o-ring and the inner surface of the top hat.

If needed just get a touch more lube and lube the 013 o-ring, then use the excess and lube the outer #20 and the portion of the bolt stem that the 013 o-ring makes contact.

Use the excess lube on your finger to lube the #20 o-rings on the Back cap.
Set your Fusebolt aside and out of the way. It will be one of the last pieces you put in your gun during reassembly.

Step 4 . Take out your 1/16 Allen wrench. Simply insert the Allen wrench into the hole in the eye cover to access the retaining screw.



As you back the screw out, the plate will be pushed up. You will now have access to the detents, the eye and eye ribbon. The detents are standard Proto rubber nubbins. There is an eye ribbon instead of an eye wire. Be careful with this ribbon. Gently pull out the eye with an oring pick and you should be ok.

You will also be pleasantly surprised that you can now use spring loaded detents from a DM5 or a DM6. This is something that DYE was able to do since they deleted the composite eye cover for this design and went to the milled eye plates.


Step 5. Taking off the grip frame.
You will first need to take off the sticky grips. Use a 3/32 Allen to remove all six screw from the grip.


You will need to take the battery out.

The PM7 board is different from any DYE has used previously. It is sitting perpendicular to the frame vs. parallel in the past. There is a battery harness that is connected with the eye wires into a 4 prong port. The solenoid has a 2 prong port. The battery connector has a much beefier and sturdy connection than the previous connectors on DM4’s and DM5’s. You should also note that the board is not screwed into the frame. It snaps in. I tried to snap it out with some force but it would not come out and I didn’t want to ruin this new piece of art. You should have no reason take this board out unless you are upgrading to a Tadao board. I recommend not touching it.

Next you will need to disconnect the solenoid wire harness and the eye ribbon so they do not rip or break when pulling off the frame. I could not fit my fingers around the eye ribbon so I used a set of pliers. Do not crunch down with the pliers on any of the conduit lines in the ribbon. There is a tab which you can grab.




I want to quickly point out the unique way that Dye has improved their rail system. They have added the built in dove tail rail much like the DM5. You access the set screw from inside the grip. However, unlike the DM5 which because of its design a person would often press against the microchip when tightening or loosening that set screw, the PM7 board is mounted perpendicularly so once the battery is removed access to the set screw hole for the rail is simple and easy.


Remove the Hyper 2 to get it out of the way.



Using your 3/32 Allen loosen the front frame screw by turning it counter clockwise. Once you feel it break loose just turn it 1 full turn counter clockwise. You do not want it to come completely loose.


Using your 3/32 Allen loosen the rear frame screw by turning it counter clockwise. Take this screw out and place it in a safe place.


Now carefully remove the grip frame making sure not to pull on the solenoid and eye ribbon.

Step 6. Removing the trigger.
The first thing you need to do is remove the trigger pin. I am pointing at the pin from the side you need to pound out. Once this is out you can remove the trigger and replace it or mod it. I did not pound it out here because I think the stock trigger is very good and it takes a steady hand not to mar the beautiful dust anno that DYE have produced on this gun. You will also see the trigger adjustments screws, one behind the spring for post actuation travel and the other under the spring. That sets the pre-actuation travel. Unfortunately, you will still have to take off the grip frame to access these screws. My prediction is that the PM8 will have externally adjustable trigger settings. Be careful not to bend or damage the micro switch leaf spring when you take out your trigger or reinstall it.




Step 7. Removing the solenoid/ exploded view of solenoid. I do not recommend you take out your solenoid and/or take it apart. You are asking for a world of trouble and Dye considers this a breach of warranty. I have included the steps in this tutorial so everyone can see how it is done and what the pieces of the new solenoid looks like. You will need to be very careful of the eye ribbon when you put the solenoid back. You can see how the ribbon lays in one of the photos. The pics are self explanatory so there will be no text instruction on these steps. Remember leaks from this area are almost 99% not the solenoid, but from the bolt sail and beer can orings. DON’T MESS WITH THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. It makes me laugh when someone has a leak from this area, then buys a new solenoid and still has the leak! They then replace the #15 oring on the bolt sail and the leak stops. That was $150 dollars down the drain for a .02 oring.










Step 8. Taking out the lpr and cleaning it.
Take off the lpr cover behind the marker using a 1/4” Allen wrench.


Unscrew the lpr set screw using a 5/64 Allen wrench. It is located in the inline port.


Pull out the lpr by screwing a 10/32 threaded rod or screw into the seal retainer, the brass piece, and then pull it out.



Now you need to take this lpr apart and clean all the dye lube of off it and then re-lube it with slick honey or some other accepted matrix lube. First you need to unscrew the brass adjustment screw and then use the 10/32 screw to pull it out. Next you will need to pull out the piston and then the spring. Clean out the reg housing with a cue tip and get the gunk out of there.






Using (1) DAB of lube the piston o-ring and the rest of the piston and the inner surface of the LPR housing. Then apply (1) DAB of lube to the spring. Place spring back on piston and re-insert into LPR housing.

CONGRADULATIONS! YOU HAVE NOW TAKEN YOUR PM7 COMPLETELY APART. BEFORE YOU START TO CRY FOR MOMMY, DON’T WORRY, JUST REVERSE YOUR STEPS AND GO SLOWLY.

REASSEMBLY.
Step 9.
Start with the lpr. When replacing the lpr into the body, make sure you line up the circular indentation with the set screw in the inline port. If you don’t you could damage the lpr by tightening the set screw on a rounded surface of the lpr. Do this carefully and slowly. Do not torque on the set screw.



Your solenoid should already be in the body since you did not take them out. Right? (Wink!)

Step 10 . Next you can put the frame back on the body. Make sure you do not pinch the solenoid wires and the eye ribbon. Slide the frame under the front frame screw near the asa and then tighten down both frame screws. Reconnect the eye ribbon and solenoid plug into the socket. Put the battery in and replace the grips.





Step 11
Put eye covers on.
This is done by putting the detents in their holes and making sure the eyes are snug in their holes. Put the eye cover on and tighten down.



Step 10
Now put your hyper II back on and put your fuse bolt back in and you finished.


If you find any mistakes or have any questions just post here and we will fix them and answer your questions.

[erayser]

nice job again.

[stickyballz]

Wow... awesome job...

[splash]

wow great detail.

[garethedwards]

Excellent guide...

Just printed it... 47 pages !?

[Buckeye Matrix]

WOW!!! That is like a book or something! I am glad you like it.

[Samsta]

hea... brilliant tutorial..however im having trouble putting the grip frame back it doesnt seeem as though it sits onto the body correctly thats all... there seems a small gap... any ideas?

Cheers Sam

[silverbara]

Originally Posted by Samsta

hea... brilliant tutorial..however im having trouble putting the grip frame back it doesnt seeem as though it sits onto the body correctly thats all... there seems a small gap... any ideas?

Cheers Sam

Check for any pinched wires.

[cha0]

Figured id add my scale pic. 07 shocktech stuff comming this weekend. check out there newly designed reg and lever locking feedneck. should be up on there website soon!

[Samsta]

sorry to be a complete pain in the arse... any know how i tighten the on/off onto the grip frame... as mines become very loose.... ive read the manual doesnt really help much...
Cheers
Sam