Paslode nail gun not firing? Here is what to check

So your Paslode nail gun is not firing or is firing intermittently?

No worries…We look at what you need to check in this troubleshooting guide

Paslode nail gun not firing? Here is what to check

If you have a Paslode nail gun and it is not firing, you need to check all the most common culprits

These are:

• The fuel cell
• The battery
• Nail jam- obviously it won’t fire until you clear the jam if it’s jammed so make sure that no nail has jammed in the firing chamber. And, of course, nails should be loaded correctly (use correct nails too)

 

Paslode nail gun not firing?  Basic troubleshooting procedures (step by step)

Follow the following procedure (step by step) to fix your nailer:

• Check the wiring
• Remove the nailer’s top cover and proceed to check the wires.

You want to make sure that it is not shorted or broken (check all the wires).

Check the wire going to the tool’s spark plug

Next, pull on the red wire (you cannot fail to notice it as it is big enough) that connects to the tool’s spark plug.

Now, if the wire actually comes out easy (of the boot) you likely need to re-solder it at the connector (for proper operation, the wire should be fully engaged/inserted).

 

Check the fuel cells

Now we need to check the fuel cells as follows:

• First remove the fuel cell from the gun.
• Hold the outlet tube and press it against any hard surface/object.

You want to see if fuel will come out under pressure – if it does, then there’s a good chance that fuel is enough….(you will need new fuel cells if it does not come out)

But even if oil comes out, you can never be too quick to rejoice…it is important to test if the plug ignites (if there’s a spark).

Testing for a spark

So here is how to do it:

• Remove the fuel cell then pull the boot as well as the wire from the spark plug.
• Next, insert a small nail(any metal object that can stay in place inside the boot will suffice too) and hold it just a little away from the metallic body.
• You then pull the trigger (as if you are firing a fastener).
• Repeat this several times- if you notice a spark, it means it is firing otherwise check the lead-to-igniter (it might be shorted/loose).
• When it comes to wire to igniter, make sure it is fully seated- you can apply some glue (to the point the insulated wire connects to) to ensure it is tight.
• Reassemble the nailer and retry firing the gun.

Side Note: You can try putting a dab of grease(dielectric) on the spark plug (apply to its tip to get the gunk off) and see if it helps it produce a spark. You definitely need to change the spark plug (I once found the spark plug broken in half which meant intermittent contact so there was no way the gun would fire consistently).

Further test (do these if there’s no spark)

If there is no spark (meaning it’s not firing) and the lead to igniter seems fine, proceed with the following tests:

• Remove the piston- I should say that it’s not as tough as you might think.
• Now clean the parts(all) including beneath the piston and re-assemble using Paslode oil and cleaner (a good alternative to the Paslode-branded oil and cleaner is a carburetor cleaner).
• Once you have cleaned everything, airblow the gun and the parts completely dry and finish by wiping it down.

 

Paslode nail gun not firing  – More tests/maintenance

Check if gas cartridges have reached the expiration date

I know it sounds odd but the truth is fuel cells do expire after some period of time and it will often not fire afterward.

Indeed, any time these nailers stop firing or become intermittent but the fan is still running, the first thing you should check is the gas cartridges’ expiration date.

That’s because the gun starts to work inconsistently or fails to work at all when they expire.

Now, the best solution/test is to install new gas.

Also, be sure to check that the top of your cartridge snaps tightly onto the cartridge’s body.

 

Check if it is an air issue

Sometimes the fault is caused by an air problem and you should try to perform the test below:

Place your air nailer near the compressor – you do that to be able to monitor the air pressure after the nail gun fires.

The thing is you might need to check if the problem is coming from the air compressor if you observe that the air is not getting through the diaphragm fast enough or it seems like there’s a blockage somewhere in the line.

Here you’ll need to troubleshoot the compressor.

Checking the battery (when Paslode airless nailer wont fire)

If you have the cordless version of the Paslode nail gun, try swapping the battery- it typically won’t fire if it is low on charge and the best workaround is putting a fully charged battery.

Paslode nail gun not firing- final steps to try (for Paslode airless nailers that won’t fire)

Adjust the tension – it is always a good idea to adjust the nail gun’s depth tension (using the adjuster) if you’re trying to get the nail gun firing again.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Begin by loosening the adjuster (at the tip) with an Allen wrench.
• After that, slide the adjuster – slide it away from the nailer(out) as far as possible then re-tighten it back down.
• Now re-install the battery then try firing once more time (a green light indicates it is ready to fire while a red LED says it is not quite ready to shoot).

 

Paslode nail gun not shooting nails -Conclusion

A major reason why a Paslode nail gun stops firing is dirty combustion chamber so try cleaning and oiling it using Paslode cleaner and oil(according to directions).

If you do that the right way and you have unexpired fuel (get new gas, if necessary), a working fan (can you hear the fan?), and a fully-charged battery (that is not loose), it will probably fire.

Don’t forget to use only the designated nails and to have enough nails in there.

PS: If you have purchased new gas cells, make sure their tip is pressed onto the cylinder all the way.

ALSO READ:

Paslode nail gun repair manual- a variety of paslode nailer problems solved!