Vintage Matrix FAQ and Info

[Rembrandt]

The Diablo Matrix Frequently Asked Questions
Put together by ES13Raven, with a little help from Fatty_ACPP & the PBDojo FAQ


Q: What is a Matrix?
A: Its a relatively new electronic gun made by Procaps/Airtech industries and distributed by Diablo. It is based upon a spool valve style design (No hammer, no sear, no mainspring), runs between 140-180psi, and uses a 9v. It weighs 3 pounds 6 ounces and is ultra-quiet.

Q: What barrel threads does it take?
A: Anything you want! Stock threads are for cocker barrels, but the matrix has a unique breech system which allows you to purchase other breeches for other barrel thread types, including the warpfeed.

Q: How efficient is it?
A: Stock, its not. You can expect Shocker like efficiency. That is roughly 900 shots off of your 68ci 4500 system, or about 550-600 off of a similar sized 3000psi system. Efficiency mods are now available though.

Q: How fast is it?
A: Real fast. The stock board maxes out at 16.7bps, 21.6bps with the bolt kit. The lightness and crispness of the trigger makes it relatively easy for even the slowest fingers to make it sing. The stock trigger on the Matrix is adjustable and every bit as good as an Angel.

Q: Is it accurate?
A: The combination of consistency at the chronograph and lack of "kick" made by the gun means exceptional accuracy from the matrix.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: Somewhere in the ballpark of $750 US.

Q: How well does it run on Co2?
A: Pretty good, but not as well as HPA. You will get a lot more shots off of 20oz of Co2 than 68ci HPA, but Co2 can cause velocity fluctuations. Run it remote or anti-syphon, and use an inline filter if possible. Unlike HPA, Co2 is dirty and you want to protect your solenoid.

Q: What grease/oil should I use and where?
A: Good lubrication is very important in the Matrix, and solves a lot of "mystery" leaks and bolt-stick. Paintball gun oil works well, but does not last very long. Do not use oil made for firearms. Some people use DOW 33 (Shocker grease) but it is a little expensive and kind of sticky. White lithium grease works well, isn't sticky, is cheap and found at any hardware store. Grease will last longer than oil, but the bolt seems to cycle easier with oil. Fatty recommends white lithium grease, then some oil on that & a few drops through the ASA:

O-rings are the ONLY contact points, but you should put a little extra grease and oil on all parts as to have a reserve of sorts.
What you should make slippery:
Front wall
Cylinder
Top Hat (VERY CRUCIAL YOU LUBE THIS WELL)
Bolt (get it ALL lubed up)
Back wall
Rear plug

Get all the bolt contact points lubed up, and you will have much smoother function.

Q: What is the difference between the old & new versions?
A: The original LE version has pewter grips, older solenoid & manifold, a 12" or 14" CP Matrix edition barrel or J&J barrel. Higher serial numbers came with rubber grips, newer solenoid & manifold, and a J&J barrel. The latest versions have a LED & pushbutton, different gripframe & board (without auto-shutoff), and a J&J or OTP barrel. Side note: New boards will not accept original Cypher & Tournament chips.

Q: What is the correct bolt assembly?
A: It is very important to reassemble your internals right. Here is a link with instructions and pics: CORRECT BOLT ASSEMBLY Make sure the rear plug is flush with the body. LABELED BOLT ASSEMBLY

Q: What upgrades are available?
A: Several.......
Front reg / LPR mod Probably the most beneficial mod, it lowers your bolt pressure to virtually eliminate chopping. If you do not have this mod, your bolt is the same pressure as the gun (140-180psi). Aardvark makes the Trinity reg, and Shocktech makes the Matrix FGP reg. The Trinity comes with an adjustment knob and set-screw. Earlier regs were "rock mods" or "image spec mods" which used a modified Palmer rock or KAPP reg and a hose tapped into the volumizer chamber.

O-ring kit Another beneficial upgrade. The stock o-rings are not made from a quality material and are prone to leak. Aardvark sells the supa-slick o-ring kit, which seal a lot better, and enough o-rings to rebuild your Matrix 3 times. Shocktech sells a urethane kit with just the basics.

Chips The Matrix comes with a semi-only chip. Aardvark has come out with the Cypher chip and Tournament chip, both with ABS technology. The Cypher chip has several different firing modes including 2 semi-auto (so it is still tourney legal), different full-auto, turbo, and burst modes, plus auto-response (one shot on trigger pull, and one shot on release). The Tournament chip is a semi-auto only chip, but with Anti-bolt-stick (ABS) programming. After 10 seconds of nonuse, the ABS changes the forward-time of the bolt for the first shot, without affecting velocity, to help prevent "bolt-stick." It will have a different sound on the first shot.

Volumizers Aardvark has 2 versions, the Tanks and the Sentinels. They do not act as a low pressure chamber (LPC) and are purely cosmetic.

Grips LE versions came with the very heavy pewter grips. Rubber grips are available, and are now stock on the Matrix. Angel LCD grips also work on the Matrix.

Triggers Aardvark makes the Switch trigger in black or silver. Member Fatalswoop can get you a "Cobra" style stick trigger. The Matrix Center has triggers as well.

Breeches The Matrix comes threaded for Cocker barrels, and now breeches are available for Angel & Spyder barrels, as well as the warpfeed.

ASA's If you want to put a different inline reg on, Synergy and PBCentral make an ASA with a gauge port. Mini-cocker ASA's will work also. Just be sure you don't put more than 200psi into the Matrix or you risk blowing your solenoid.

Low & Mid-Rises Lower your hopper if you want a smaller profile. Aardvark makes the Dozer & Enigma Low-Rises, and PBCentral makes a Mid-Rise for the Matrix.

Efficiency Spacers / Sleeves Shocktech & PBCentral both make spacers to help increase efficiency. You might get an extra pod using it, but that's about it. What they do is decrease your volume a little, so you have to imput a higher psi to get the same velocity. Some people have had problems with the Shocktech one, not being able to get good velocity or having their solenoid leak. People seem to have good luck with the PBCentral one.

Efficiency Bolt Kit Aardvark claims a 33% efficiency increase, faster speed (21.6bps) and quieter operation. It also comes with a new necessary chip, matrix-muck (lubrication), and o-ring kit. PIC

Q: What general maintenance should I do?
A: Keep the bolt assembly well lubricated, and keep an eye on your o-rings for damage. DO NOT pull the bolt out by the stem in the back, take off the front o-ring & push it from the front. If you have the original on/off switch, be careful, it can break easily. Run about 5 drops of paintball oil through the ASA & cycle it through your gun about 20 times. Do this every time you play, with the barrel off so you do not get oil in the barrel.

Q: What is "Bolt-Stick"?
A: When the bolt gets stuck in the forward or back position. Forward bolt-stick can happen if your inline reg is turned up too high. If you do not have a LPR mod, your bolt pressure is the same as the operating pressure of the Matrix. A LPR mod will usually fix forward bolt-stick, because it lowers the bolt pressure. Good bolt-lubrication is a must.
Back bolt-stick can happen if you haven't taken a shot in a while, or if your LPR is set too low. The ABS programming in the Cypher & Tournament chips can help stop back bolt-stick.

Q: I have a leak........
A: See the Troubleshooting Guide later in this thread.

Q: Will I chop paint without a LPR mod?
A: Usually you won't if you are not out-shooting your hopper. Setting your bps to 11.1 or less with a longer back-bolt time can help not chop paint.

Q: What can I do to make the Matrix more efficient?
A: The bolt kit that Aardvark has come out with gets the effeciency that is expected, you will get 750-800 shots off a 68/3000. Otherwise you can try an efficiency spacer, use a longer or less-ported barrel, do not use really small paint or just switch to a larger tank.

Some other notes:
The Beehive inline reg is long and hinders the use of a KAPP Drop Zone 2 cradle if you do not have spacers for it.

The feed tube is designed to take BE sized hoppers, so if you have a pre-Brass Eagle revolution, you're gonna have to shave.

Q: How do I change my rate of fire?
A: Dip Switch and R.O.F.

The first column is the switches, the f is the time the bolt will stay in the front and the b (dwell) is the time it will stay in the back and the last number is the rate of fire:

Stock Chip:
u= up
d= down

dddd=f=35/1000.b=25/1000=16.7
dddu=f=35/1000,b=35/1000=14.3
ddud=f=35/1000,b=45/1000=12.5
dduu=f=35/1000,b=55/1000=11.1
dudd=f=45/1000,b=25/1000=14.3
dudu=f=45/1000,b=35/1000=12.5
duud=f=45/1000,b=45/1000=11.1
duuu=f=45/1000,b=55/1000=10.0
uddd=f=55/1000,b=25/1000=12.5
uddu=f=55/1000,b=35/1000=11.1
udud=f=55/1000,b=45/1000=10.0
uduu=f=55/1000,b=55/1000=9.1
uudd=f=70/1000,b=25/1000=10.5
uudu=f=70/1000,b=35/1000=9.5
uuud=f=70/1000,b=45/1000=8.7
uuuu=f=70/1000,b=55/1000=8.0
-------------------------------

Cypher Chip Settings: CLICK HERE

Bolt Kit Chip Settings: CLICK HERE

Q: How do I clean & reassemble my bolt?
A: Here are some great instructions from Aardvark------->HOW TO CLEAN THE BOLT

Q: What are the different Oring sizes?
A: Here is a pic-------->ORING SIZES

Some interesting matrix sites:
Diablo's Home
http://www.diablodirect.com

G-Force Paintball Matrix Upgrades:
http://www.gforcepb.com/Products/Matrix/matrix.html

The Matrix Center / PBCentral US authorized repair center:
http://www.thematrixcenter.com/

Aardvark's official website:
http://www.aardvarkdirect.com

Fatty's site for Matrix mods:
http://www.aardvarkpaintball.com

Diablo's Matrix main body assembly & parts listing:
http://www.diablodirect.com/matrix_parts_listing.html

Warpig.com Matrix review:
http://www.warpig.com/paintball/tech...ix/index.shtml

PGI Matrix review by Ravi Chopra:
http://www.paintballravi.com/Article...ix/Matrix.html

PBReview.com player reviews on Matrix:
http://www.pbreview.com/374/1/0/

You might want to disconnect any drop forward/cradles you have at this time.

1.) First, remove the 3 screws holding the rubber (or pewter) wrap-around grips on the gun. You only need to remove the side with the chip.

2.) Next, carefully, disconnect the small plug housing the 4? wires which connects to your board. Make a note of which way the plug reinstalls. **Be gentle with this part as to not damage anything.

3.) Carefully remove the 2 screws connecting the grip frame from the marker. The plug you disconnected in step 2 will be hanging from the body of the matrix now. Your grip frame will be separate.

4.) You can now take the trigger spring and set it to the side. You will see a small silver pin directly above the trigger. This is the pin that holds the trigger in the frame. With a small diameter pin punch....gently tap out the silver pin releasing the trigger from the frame. (see pic at bottom for pin punch reference)

5.) The trigger will now pull up through the frame. Look at your new trigger and set the adjustment set screws to the relative same positon as on the stock trigger so you have a good starting point when making adjustments to your new trigger.

6.) After getting the set screws close, reinsert the new trigger, and line up the hole in the frame with the hole in the trigger. Carefully tap the silver pin you removed through the hole.

7.) Be sure to put the spring back in the new trigger, and carefully line up the grip frame with the body. Be careful not to pinch the small wires on the plug you removed. Plug the small wire harness into the socket on the board.

8.) Reattatch the grip frame to the marker and you are ready for testing. You then make all other adjustments to the new trigger the same way you did the stock one. Make certain that you are not pressing the small microswitch arm against the houseing, or it may break over time.

Troubleshooting The Matrix (some from Aardvark direct)

What are signs of a dead battery?
1. When your bolt doesn't seem to be getting full cycles and full velocity, with the trinity set right.
2. When your single shots work fine, but you get mad dropoff when you rapid-fire, with correct psi settings.
3. When the soleniod chatters and sounds if your gun is going full-auto but the bolt doesn't move far enough to load or shoot paint.
4. When you are using the correct paint to barrel match, your hopper is feeding fast enough, and you have the trinity set right but you are still chopping paint.
When in doubt, change out the 9v first.

If your gun........


...is leaking out of the bolt tip
The only way air can come out of the chamber of the gun through the tip of the bolt is through the top-hat. Check both top-hat o-rings. Most of the time the small one inside the top is to blame.

...is puffing air out of the two little holes above the grip frame
If this is happening each time you fire, it is completely normal. Your maker's solenoid exhausts excess gas through these holes.

...is acting erradic or will not fire
This can often be caused by a battery that is dying. Even if you have just replaced your battery, you should always check/replace it before doing anything else when you are having strange problems with your gun. This does not apply to leaks of course.

...is having bolt stick
If you are using the stock bolt, but have a Trinity regulator, then make sure your bolt is lubed up and turn your Trinity up until it goes away. If you are using the Aardvark bolt kit, then you can either turn your Trinity up more, or try using a less extreme dip switch setting. Using a setting for 18 bps will allow you to use a lower pressure on the Trinity without experiencing bolt stick.

...has a broken spacer or bolt
Most likely this happened because you left your rear plug screwed all the way in instead of 1/4 of a turn out. To fix this you either need to contact Diablo about a warranty replacement or upgrade to the (Aardvark) bolt.

...is chopping paint frequently
This can be the result of several things. If you have a Trinity, then try turning it down to a point where you can hold a paintball in the breach and repeatedly fire your gun without breaking it. If you begin to experience bolt stick from having the Trinity this low, then change your rof to a slower one and the bolt stick should disappear. If you do not have a Trinity, try setting your bps to 11.1 or lower and set the bolt back time longer than the bolt forward time.

...is shooting at low velocity
Turn your Trinity all the way to the maximum setting. Now adjust the pressure on your beehive until you achieve your desired velocity. Now turn your Trinity down until your velocity starts dropping. Leave it set above this point. You do not want the Trinity to affect velocity in anyway.

If its not the Trinity causing the low velocity, you may be experiencing an issue with your beehive. Try using a regulated tank that can give the Trinity input pressure between 400 and 600 psi.

...having the bolt stick forward
This is your solenoids way of telling you it is over pressurized. De-gas the gun and turn your beehive down.

i thought it would be a good idea to put o-ring sizes in here just cuz i had a problem with them and i think its good basic knowledge to keep in here.


STANDARD BOLT

Part--------------------------Oring size
Front wall (Outside)---------------#23
Front wall (inside)-----------------#17
Bolt nose (front)------------------#14
Bolt sail (middle)------------------#15
Bolt stem back--------------------#9
Bolt stem inside-------------------#10
Top hat (outside)-----------------#23
Top hat (large inside)-------------#17
Top hat (small inside)-------------#12
Rear wall-------------------------#23
Rear cap (outside)----------------#23
Manifold--------------------------#3


GEN-E BOLT

Part--------------------------Oring size
Front wall (Outside)---------------#23
Front wall (inside)-----------------#17 quad
Bolt nose (front)------------------#14 or 13
Bolt sail (middle)------------------#15
Bolt stem back--------------------#9
Bolt stem inside-------------------#9
Top hat (outside)-----------------#23
Top hat (large inside)-------------#17 quad
Top hat (small inside)-------------#13
Rear wall-------------------------#23
Rear cap (outside)----------------#23
Manifold--------------------------#3


Note: this is taken from the Matrix Manual

Five simple steps to setting your LPR

1. Turn in your LPR all the way.

2. Set your velocity via the inline regulator.

3. While taking slow shots over the chronograph slowly turn out your LPR until you see a drop in your velocity.

4. Turn your LPR back in about 1/4 to a 1/2 a turn.

5. Walk your trigger as fast as you can. If you notice drop-off or shoot down turn your LPR in a smidgen.

Congratulations! Your LPR is now set correctly!

NOTES: There are other methods of setting your LPR. These all have been proven to be inferior ways. Also most LPRs need to be set each time you play, the exception to this being the

Well, the title explains it all. I'm really hoping this helps stop these useless posts.

Can I use a high pressure tank in my Matrix or will it ruin my gun?
A long time ago, in a time before regulators, this might have been an issue. In todays world with excellent regs like the Sidewinder, 2-Liter, Torpedo, CP and the like, no tank is bad for a Matrix. The way a tank (LP puts out around 450 PSI and HP puts our around 800 PSI) works is it outputs said pressure and runs it into the reg. This then is regulated (hence the name regulator) and runs the pressure down to around 160 PSI (the ideal setting for a Matrix). This is what is then used by the gun, not all 800 PSI. Now there is a slight problem with using an HP tank in a Matrix. In regs like the Torpedo and such, there is a piston. Now this piston has an o-ring that gets worn out under high pressure. That mean you may have to replace it more often (maybe 500,000 shots or so if maintained properly). With CPs and Sidewinders, you just have to lube them more often. Not a big sacrifice but its worth it if you want a good reg.

Do Matrixes go through a lot of o-rings?
No. In fact, they go through little to no o-rings if maintained properly. What you do is basically lube up the bolt kit after every 2 cases or so. Then you stick your kit back in and play. Its as simple as that. I've never changed an o-ring in my Matrix and thats fine by me. I was at first intimidated by all of the o-rings but you get used to it.

Should I change the DYE LPR/Hyper II or keep it?
Well the DYE LPR and Hyper II are exact copies of the AKA Sidewinder LPR and the AKA SCM LPR. These are the 2 best upgrades for any gun and are the best of their kind in the paintball world. If they come stock on your gun, why would you change it?

Are the DYE eyes good or should I "upgrade"?
Well for one, there are no upgrades for the eyes. As for the eyes, they're the same in every other Matrix and this includes the Ironmen and the Toxic. The only differences are the Free Flow eyes and the EGi found in the NYX Matrix. The eyes in the NYX are different in the sense that they are waterproof and only work with the EGi's board logic. The other eyes work with any board you can throw at it with the exception of the EGi.