Nova 700 tech ZDSPB.com > Tech index > AirStar Nova > Nova 700 tech

The Nova 700 was the original Nova model to be produced and sold. It featured the articulating barrel, right-feed only design, integrated regulator in the rear of the body, and an integrated three-way trigger valve.

Nova700 o-rings:
Spool valve (5 o-rings):
Main dump chamber seal o-ring (o-ring on long end of spool): 108/70
Dump chamber input o-rings (two, o-rings that surround spool's ports):
Front: 109/90
Rear: 12/70
Spool sail (largest dia o-ring): 115/70
Spool input seal (rear o-ring on spool): 12/70

Spool valve housing (5 spool o-rings):
Outside o-rings (3): 222/70
Spool endcap seal: 117/70

Reg piston o-ring: 114/70
Breech housing outside o-rings (2): 222/70

Brass Barrel Disassembly:
The barrel is removed by twisting counter-clockwise (when looking at the front of the marker) and pulling it straight out from the marker body. The barrel is a multi-piece moving component with several o-rings so it can benefit from occasional maintenance and cleaning.

The barrel assembly can be taken apart through the following procedure. First, slide off the front cap which is simply held in place using an o-ring. Second, push the foam cover forward to expose the three cap screws, then loosen and remove those screws. The barrel shroud can now be separated from the barrel itself, revealing the spring underneath. This area of the barrel can accumulate paint splatter and other contaminants from the outside air, so it may require some cleaning.

Brass Nova barrels (yellow-ish metal, shown in pictures) are comprised of a brass tube with several rings which are silver-soldered into position around it. The rings are used to create the protruding areas for the o-rings and spring platform. The barrel can be disassembled to its bare components by removing the set screws on the spring platform then allowing it to slide off the front direction. Use caution when re-installing the set screws, because over-tightening the screws will form dents on the barrel's inner surface.

Pre-tensioning the barrel against its spring will cause it to open faster, but at the cost of possible blowback into the feed port. Alternately, tensioning the barrel in a loose manner will allow for more reliable operation but the marker will be easier to short-stroke.

Frame/Rail Disassembly:
The rail section holds the trigger, trigger valve, and the frame's mount component.

The first step in disassembly is to unscrew the long threaded frame screw holding the bottomline to the grip, which also holds the frame to the rail. The frame's mount component can also be removed, but not required.

To remove the trigger and trigger valve internals, first remove the foregrip (if equipped). The trigger has an angled set screw driven up from the trigger face, which holds it onto a rod running through the rail. Loosening this set screw allows the trigger to come loose, and the rod can slide forward. The trigger valve is located behind it, which can also slide out by pushing it from the rear end using an allen key.
The rail/housing comes off the body and looks something like this. There are three o-rings recessed into the top which seal against the body.

The rail can be removed by loosening both cap screws holding it up against the marker body. Several o-rings are located on top of the rail which can be the source of leaks if they become damaged over time.

Nova700 Regulator:
The rear section of the body houses an integrated pressure regulator and should be removed to access the firing assembly. To remove the regulator housing, both the siterail (or its screw) and the rail screws must be removed.

Regulator disassembly is pictured below. First, remove the c-clip visible at the back of the reg housing, which allows the internals to fall out (shown in the picture). Use a flathead screwdriver to remove the brass seat which is screwed down inside the reg housing, and the seal will come out along with a spring.

These components should be cleaned and reassembled in the opposite order. The piston o-ring can be greased or oiled but the base seal requires no lubrication. Please note that most consistency problems are caused by the regulator. Velocity creep issues are also likely caused by the regulator.

Nova700 Firing Assembly:
To disassemble the body, push the components out the emptied front or rear. The regulator must first be removed (see the above regulator section). Aditionally, you will need to remove the feedneck and rail screws, which prevent the marker breech from moving.
With the feedneck and screws removed, the firing assembly housings can be slid out. There are two main housing components, consisting of the breech and the spool housing. You can push the spool housing out the front by inserting a tool through the rear of the body where the regulator was located. Be sure to choose something non-metallic so you don't scratch the inside surface of the body. When pushing forward, it's likely that the entire assembly will slide out at once; be sure to avoid tearing the o-rings on the front milling of the body (feendeck and barrel retainers)

The alternative is to push the pieces out the rear of the body. This can be more tricky since the spool valve will come apart and release it and the spool endcap piece, but might be easier to do without damaging parts. Again, use a non-metallic tool to avoid damage to the marker components.

Note that a thin brass (yellow) ring is held between the breech and spool housing. This item maintains the correct distance between the two components. Some Novas have a split ring as shown in the pictures, while other markers have a solid ring that fits the body inner bore diameter perfectly.

The firing assembly consists of the spool valve, spool housing, and spool endcap. These components are all o-ring fitted to one-another and can be removed without any tools. Clean the o-rings and re-lubricate with grease or oil. Note that the SuperNova spool valve is physically similar to the older Nova spool valve, however the spool/housing/endcap are all redesigned and cannot be mixed-and-matched.

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