Problem tightening seacock

[brian w]

Hi. After disassembling the seacock on our 33 for the engine raw water intake, it doesn't seem to go back together tight enough.

By way of background, in mid December of last year I noticed the seacock was left in the closed position after it was winterized. I thought perhaps this was on purpose to keep anti-freeze in the line, but knowing the problems of leaving water in a closed seacock, I emailed the yard asking if it should be closed, and they replied they'd have it opened. Come this Spring, I couldn't get the seacock to budge. I sprayed it with PB Blaster, and came back a few days later, and with some gentle coaxing with a PVC extension on the handle, got it free. I disassembled it, cleaned and greased it, then put it back together. It's so loose that not only does it fall closed (obviously a problem for engine cooling) but actually has a tiny degree of play in it (the cone moves in and out of the assembly maybe the distance of the tip of a pencil). It's almost as if there should be a washer in place, however the seacock does not have one.

My only theories are that:

1) as we're in the Northeast one early December night was enough to freeze liquid in the line and it distorted the housing. If the handle was in the closed position this Spring when I couldn't budge it, this would make sense. However after having asked the yard if it should be closed, they opened it, and it was in the open position this Spring. If it had frozen and distorted, would it not have been somewhat unmovable for them to open it? Also, after having disassembled it, it turns smoothly (too smoothly). I would think freezing would distort it such that it was no longer round, and the cone wouldn't turn smoothly, but assume it's a possibility?

2) Despite not having a washer among the parts when I reassembled it, having no recollection of a washer when I disassembled it, and there are no "stops" on this particular seacock where the tabs on a positioning washer would hit, is there a washer that disappeared from my work area and recollection?? This seacock is different from the sink, head and scuppers in that there are no tabs for a positioning washer to contact, and the end of the cone does not have that "D" notch for the washer to "sit" itself it. Bottom line, I'm 99% sure there was never a washer, but just can't figure out why I can't get this thing snug.

Does anyone have ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,

Brian
CD 33

[psjanker]

Brian

A photo of the parts laid out could be useful. Could it be that the folks who opened the seacock, for you, took the packing nut off and that the washer is in the bilge? I suspect there is a washer involved given your description of the issue. Worse case take the photo and send it to Spartan Marine for their input and perhaps replacement part.

That D shape washer is sure a bear to put back on especially if it has to be done out of sight behind the handle, I've wondered if one could put the drum back in from either direction.

V/r

Pete

[jen1722terry]

Hi Brian,

We had a similar problem with the port cockpit drain seacock on our 31. There was not enough adjustment range on the treads to get the cone snug in the seacock body. Not sure if a PO had over-lapped the cone and body with lapping compound (the cone itself still had good wall thickness), or if it was a manufacturing defect.

I surmised that adding another washer over the D washer would snug it up, and called Sparten Marine to see if they could sell me another D washer that I could just flip over and install. They said they could not and were not sure what caused the problem. I could not find a suitable washer on line, as they all had holes that were too small, so I made one out of some scrap PVC. Works fine, though I'm not sure it would pass survey. I may get a larger bronze washer over the winter and ream out the hole to fit on the seacock. Another option might be to have a metal shop thread the cone shaft a bit closer to the cone end, which should allow for more adjustment range.

That's about all I can add for now. Best of luck to you.

Terry and Jenn

[Northstar1014]

What brand of seacock do you have? No D notch and no tabs suggests not Spartan. Mainesail's post on seacocks shows the Spartan components laid out

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/tape ... e_seacocks

[brian w]

seacock.jpg

Well, what do you know. After reading it may not be a Spartan, I thought "That's crazy. We've had the boat for 35 years, I know what a Spartan seacock looks like..." Maybe I don't. The handle is clearly marked Spartan, but putting a camera down there on the base I see the "WC" stamp of a Wilcox Crittenden. I can see how Cape Dory could use different brands, but putting a Spartan handle on the thing is certainly confusing. In fact, judging from pictures of other Wilcox seacock, they don't even seem like they could take the forked handle of a Spartan.

I'm attaching a picture. You can't really see the Spartan handle in the angle, but it's clearly marked, including their boat logo. It had the normal retaining screw two days ago, but I replaced it with the knobbed version in the photo after disassembly, as the original had a gouge in the threads.

So now that I'm in the engine area taking pictures of the seacock, I figure I should search around under the engine pan for a missing washer, tabs or no. I vacuumed the watery mess from the pan Fishing under the pan with a paint stirrer I locate the washer. It has a D notch, but no tabs. It must have fallen off on disassembly, and the water under the engine silenced the sound of it dropping. Putting it on solves the sloppiness. In a situation of extremes, it's actually a bit too tight now. Using the wrench to tighten only a touch over finger tight, the seacock needs a little muscle to turn. But better than the alternative.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

-Brian

[Bob Ohler]

I would bet you are missing the washer OR it is misaligned. It must be assembled correctly for the seacock to work and seal properly.