I have a Porter Cable 16 ga. finish nailer that won't shoot. I hear a little air when I depress the trigger but no worky.

This failed on me in the middle of a project and I got a replacement, so if I get it repaired it would just be a spare.

It is a $150 machine on Amazon. There is a service center not too far. I know little of the workings, so fixing it myself is iffy. I imagine they'll want $ 40-50 just to look at it. That I haven't researched yet.

What say the hive? Retire, Repair, crack it open for giggles, or target practice with a big bore real gun?

Send it in and see. My porter cable nailers were three for $150, and depending on the gauge, there are better options these days for far cheaper than $150.

Sounds like seals if it is the same problem as my Bostich nailers.
I replaced the seals on two units and they were good to go.
Not very expensive or very hard to fix.
I the parts are available then why not do this?
I had one Craftsman that I could not fix as no parts were available.
A little Googlefo on YouTube might pay off too.
Good Luck

I have a Porter Cable finish nailer that was gifted to me that wouldn't shoot, either. Turned out there was a spring missing in the nose. I wonder if that spring breaking is a common failure mode, the PO of mine took his out when it broke, and never got around to replacing it? I replaced mine for a few bucks, was fairly easy to replace, and then the nailer ran like a top.

If the nose piece doesn't spring back down when removed from the work piece, I bet that's it.

My nose spring is working. I took the trigger off yesterday thinking that it wasn't pushing the piston enough but that wasn't it. I do hear a little air at the trigger so I'm thinking a seal/o ring kit might be in order.

I repaired a coworker's Bostich nailer - same kind of symptoms and it just needed a new trigger valve kit. Super easy to repair, about a $30 part for the Bostich. They are easy to take apart.

I have a cheap porter cable that will get a stuck nail every so often. There should be a few screws or allen head that hold the tip together and you can check of a stuck nail.

Just be careful of how the parts go back together. Google stuck nail and your make and model and there should be a youtube video on how to fix it.

Thanks, Mine has a little lever to flip and it opens up the nail channel. No stuck nail though.

I'm thinking new seals and o rings will probably fix it. Almost sounds like a winter down time chore, when I'm searching for little projects.

Thanks for all the replies folks.

You might look at this.

I’d occasionally pick up a nail gun at an auction for the boys in the plant. The local nail and gun seller would put them right for next to nothing or for nothing because we bought a nails from them. Just let them know you were planning on buying a carton or two of nails until your gun quite working. If it’s an O ring or a cheap fix they might just fix it for you.

quote:

I imagine they'll want $ 40-50 just to look at it

changing my answer.
talked to a carpenter
he said keep it and buy a new one.

there are people "in the business"
that will give you $20.00 for it , face to face,
and then fix it for $15.00 more..

they wander around job sites looking for stools no one wants anymore

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,

My 2000 era Porter Cable 3 piece set took a crap on me, two of them on the same day.

I consider myself mechanically inclined but could not find the problem since all seals and valves appeared to be intact with supple orings.

I decided to just buy a new nailer. The Metabo is highly rated but looks a little space age/cheap to me. But it has worked much better than my old Porter Cable nailer.

I ordered a new one from Walmart.

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
You might look at this.

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EPAQcxu8FBQ" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

My pressman just fixed his Campbell Hausfeld framing nailer with a similar video. His was a bit rusty from moisture in the air, so he cleaned it out and lubed the o rings with straight 30 weight, non-detergent oil. Good to go.