Spartan Frozen Seacocks

[pvisich]

So I recently purchased a CD 30 MK2 that has been on the hard for a couple years. The first issue I am dealing with (lots more to come I am sure) is the Spartan seacocks that are frozen in the open position (4 of them). I contacted Spartan and they suggested removing the locking nut, flange nut and positioning washer, then put the locking nut back on just to cover the threads and tap with a rubber mallet, followed by a metal hammer and block of wood while moving the handle. However, this did not work. I am thinking next step is to remove clamps and hoses and try to spray lubricant into the seacock, though not sure how well that will work in the open position and then try again and possibly find a pipe to help with torque but I am very afraid of destroying the through hull. Would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance. Paul

[S/V Ethan Grey]

My seacocks were frozen. Maybe not as bad as yours. Everyday for about 2 weeks straight I stopped by the boat and sprayed them down with PB Blaster and tapped the handle one way and then the other. I hit them solidly but not as if I was trying to knock the handle off. Eventually they all broke free. Like I said, maybe not as bad as yours but you may want to try it. My boat is in the water so there weren't a lot of choices.

[pvisich]

Hi Dave
Thanks for the information. I am assuming you were not able to disconnect the hoses since you were in the water so you simply sprayed the sides of the seacocks only? Thanks, Paul

[S/V Ethan Grey]

That's correct, just the sides. Good luck.

[Joe CD MS 300]

I had one stuck early in the season and just got it free about two weeks ago. It was the galley drain and I didn’t have a lot of space to work in. Applied some PB blaster to the edges but because of the angle the of the hull not sure that a lot got in or helped much. The hammer I had on board had a fairly long handle, too long for much swinging room. Got a short handled rubber / plastic shot loaded sledge hammer from Harbor freight (8- 10 lbs) that finally did the trick with a little help from a 1 1/4” ID 13” piece of plastic pipe for some additional leverage. That was the longest I could fit in the space. It didn’t take a lot of wacking just kind of used the head of the sledge / hammer as a pendulum with a little assistance. Because they are bronze and conical in shape they shouldn’t corrode together like rusted steel and iron do. Just takes a little persistence. Watch your knuckles when it does break free.

[pvisich]

When you used the sledge hammer, were you tapping the side with the lock nut screwed onto the end of the threads? Appreciate the advice. Paul

[Joe CD MS 300]

Yes it’s the side opposite the handle.

This line to Marine How To should Give you an idea of what the innards look like.

https://marinehowto.com/servicing-taper ... -seacocks/

Mainesail the author of that site posts here on occasion.

[House]

Keep working with those seacocks Paul. I posted a few days ago in a similar thread that the seacocks in the port/starboard cockpit lockers of our boat were stuck in the open position when we bought her 10 years ago and have been that way ever since. I never took the time to try to service them, I guess because I was worried I might break something.

This past July I got them loose in just the way you described. I sprayed some wd-40 and let it sit a while, then used a small block of wood against the threaded end (opposite the handle end) and tapped with a rubber mallet. The seacock did not budge at first but after several more taps, a bit firmer each time, it popped right out.

Good luck.

Richard

[Dave and Kathy]

When we bought our CD 28, the engine raw water intake seacock was frozen. Tried tapping and solvents to no avail. There was enough room to put a gear puller on it in such a way that it would push the tapered plug out of the body. Applied force very gently and left it under tension for several days, adding a bit more force each day. Eventually, I tapped the body and it popped out. This was while the engine was out, so I had the luxury of a bit more room to work. May not always have enough room...

[drysuit2]

I learn something new every time I read this forum.
I've never used PB Blaster. Always Liquid Wrench or WD 40.
PB Blaster sounds like great stuff.
Thanks

[s2sailorlis]

PB Blaster is great, just don’t use it anywhere near any rubber seals.

[Caramar]

We had a frozen seacock on our CD30 when we bought her. On the advice of our surveyor I plugged the drain from below by driving in a soft wooden plug. I then poured in enough Dawn dish soap to fill the seacock and let it soak a day or so. It took a bit of effort but there was no disassembly or hammer required. I've soaked it several times and work it every week and it continues to slowly improve.

[Bill Goldsmith]

You might also try heating the barrel with a heat gun before tapping the cone as described above.

[ric14854]

I had four frozen seacocks when I purchased Pelican, CD36. Two cockpit drains, tank pump out and engine intake. Used the spray, tapping with no success. I went to automotive store and found a small gear puller, I think it was for brake pulling. Modified the puller to fit the seacock, continued PB Blaster and liquid wrench regime. Applied gear puller with tension and some tapping to finally release the two stubborn ones. Other two the gear puller succeeded on it's own. Followed with Spartan lapping and Spartan seacock grease now every spring. Also exercise the sea-cocks every four weeks or so if not closed/opened regularly when leaving the boat. So basically the pump out and the two cock pit drains. Cock pit drains are left open and pump out is left closed all the time except to exercise.

Gear puller required a new shorter screw to fit in tight spaces and some hack sawing on the fingers. Boat was on the hard during all this, so applied PB Blaster inside and out, but doesn't really get you into the frozen surfaces very well.