Spartan Seacocks - to overhaul or not?

[atcowboy]

I keep all of mine going, and have replaced one backer plate with g10. I love that these are serviceable. The lapping kit and grease from Spartan is a great "tool for the job."

I second that. Don Casey's book made it sound like taper plug seacocks were unserviceable beasts that always leaked. I mentioned to my surveyor that I planned to change mine to marylon (sp?) but he urged me to just service them. I bought the Spartan kit and it was easy to service and completely leak free, and easy to close. I'm glad I just serviced them.

I chose not to remove the handle as marine how to described.

You might try plugging the skin fitting and filling up the seacock with vinegar?

- AT

[Typhoon4Fun]

Thanks for the input all! I have incorporated your suggestions into my approach. I've been tapping the sides, spraying PB blaster from all angles. I've tried heat twice. Only thing I haven't tried yet is acid or CLR.

I'm leaning towards removing them from the boat because all this agitation, heat, etc. is making me feel uneasy about the bedding of the through hulls and backing plates. Probably in my head but it will also be much easier to work on them on the bench. I won't be able to get to it for a week or two but I will update if/when I free the cones!

[gonesail]

my engine intake seacock is also frozen open. it is mounted sideways in the bilge which makes it tough to work on .. the retaining nuts are on the bottom. i hit it with a heat gun and some PB blaster last week. i can see there are only 2 medium sized SS screws holding it to the hull

[Frenchy]

Thanks for the input all! I have incorporated your suggestions into my approach. I've been tapping the sides, spraying PB blaster from all angles. I've tried heat twice. Only thing I haven't tried yet is acid or CLR.

I'm leaning towards removing them from the boat because all this agitation, heat, etc. is making me feel uneasy about the bedding of the through hulls and backing plates. Probably in my head but it will also be much easier to work on them on the bench. I won't be able to get to it for a week or two but I will update if/when I free the cones!

I think removal is your best option now. As it is, there is too little room to whack the screw end of the plug.
On a side note, I've been helping a friend with a Tartan 33 and one of the jobs is replacing an Apollo valve screwed
to a thru-hull fitting. It's not a real seacock and with a 100 lb side force applied, would probably break off.
That's how all the fittings are installed on this boat.
The old Apollo, by the way, was open all the time and turning the handle had no effect. Only the integrity of the hoses
separated this boat from the bottom of Boston Harbor. So the old tapered plug seacocks aren't so bad.

[Bill Goldsmith]

I second the motion to remove the seacock and fix it on a bench. These seacocks are bulletproof as long as they get regular service.

Removal is straightforward with the right tools and some leverage. First spin off the mushroom through-hull from the outside of the boat. You'll need to find a tool that will engage the bumps inside the through-hull solidly and use leverage to get it off. That will expose the machine screw heads that secure the seacock to the hull. Remove the machine screws, and the seacock will come off, although the old sealant may object a bit.

Rather than using blunt force, I would consider devising some kind of press with a vice that will press the cone out of the barrel. Or perhaps bring it to a machine shop that could do it for you. Then lap the cone and barrel and reassemble.

[John Stone]

Thanks for the input all! I have incorporated your suggestions into my approach. I've been tapping the sides, spraying PB blaster from all angles. I've tried heat twice. Only thing I haven't tried yet is acid or CLR.

I'm leaning towards removing them from the boat because all this agitation, heat, etc. is making me feel uneasy about the bedding of the through hulls and backing plates. Probably in my head but it will also be much easier to work on them on the bench. I won't be able to get to it for a week or two but I will update if/when I free the cones!

I think removal is your best option now. As it is, there is too little room to whack the screw end of the plug.
On a side note, I've been helping a friend with a Tartan 33 and one of the jobs is replacing an Apollo valve screwed
to a thru-hull fitting. It's not a real seacock and with a 100 lb side force applied, would probably break off.
That's how all the fittings are installed on this boat.
The old Apollo, by the way, was open all the time and turning the handle had no effect. Only the integrity of the hoses
separated this boat from the bottom of Boston Harbor. So the old tapered plug seacocks aren't so bad.

Not only that, through hulls have standard threads and ball valves have tapered threads. However, as a side note, Grovo makes the IBFV system which has a base with standard threads in the bottom to engage the through hull and tapered threads on the top to engage a standard bronze Groco in-line ball valve. The breaking strength far exceeds ABYC leverage tests. It’s much less expensive that the Spartan seacocks and an added benefit is it’s inexpensive and easy to replace the ball valve.

https://www.groco.net/ibvf-750

Not suggesting they are better than Spartan seacocks. But it’s an alternative to replacing thousands of dollars of spartan seacocks if you are ever faced with that situation.

[atcowboy]

d
Not only that, through hulls have standard threads and ball valves have tapered threads. However, as a side note, Grovo makes the IBFV system which has a base with standard threads in the bottom to engage the through hull and tapered threads on the top to engage a standard bronze Groco in-line ball valve. The breaking strength far exceeds ABYC leverage tests. It’s much less expensive that the Spartan seacocks and an added benefit is it’s inexpensive and easy to replace the ball valve.

https://www.groco.net/ibvf-750

Not suggesting they are better than Spartan seacocks. But it’s an alternative to replacing thousands of dollars of spartan seacocks if you are ever faced with that situation.

I just looked through the Groco line because you pointed it out and that is a pretty substantial savings. A 3/4" seacock with the IBVF system is $85 compared to $353 through Spartan. I think there is something to be said for modularity sometimes.

- AT

[Typhoon4Fun]

Thanks again to all who weighed in. I'm glad I gave myself a good head start this spring as this is not what I was expecting to spend so much time on, but I think I will have good peace of mind when all is said and done. Fortunately Adeline only has the two seacocks.

I am still hoping to service and re-install the Spartan seacocks, but if they prove to be too far gone I am certainly considering the Grocos for cost and the ease of replacing the ball valve.