Spartan seacock maintenance

[Trawler Joe]

Can I use regular marine grease (like trailer bearing grease, for instance) to grease the seacocks? Or am I really better off ordering the maintenance kit from Spartan?

Thanks.

[Anthony P. Jeske]

If you search the archives, you'll find a lot on this subject. I have not had especially good reults with the Spartan Seacock grease. The consenus is to use Morey's Red, available at auto supply stores.
However, the maintenance kit does include lapping compound and a wrench(s), which you may find useful.
Good Luck,
Tony Jeske
CD-28 #365
NO REGRETS
San Diego

[Dick Barthel]

Joe,

I agree with Tony's assessment. The wrench is useful but if you don't want to pay the fairly high price for the Spartan kit and you feel you can survive without the wrench you can get lapping compound in any auto store also. You probably knew that but I didn't when I started so I'll mention it just to be safe.

My seacocks were maintained yearly by the PO who was an anal engineer type for which I will be eternally grateful. Following the advice I got from this board early on I have continued that practice and now after 22 years there are still no leaks and I've never had to use the compound.

The first year I was terrified of breaking down my seacocks because taking things apart and putting them back together has never been a particular talent of mine. But as Tony says go to the archives - Captain Stump's instructions stick out in my mind as one of the better versions.

REMEMBER TO NEVER PUT EXCESSIVE PRESSURE ON THE HANDLE! AND YOU DON'T NEED TO USE A LOT OF GREASE.

TO MUCH GREASE MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REASSEMBLE AND IT ALL SQUIRTS OUT ANY HOW.

By the way the second tip was my own inspiration and it came to me in the second year while attempting to reassemble the last seacock. You get the idea.

Looking back on it, I now consider it just a right of passage and personal accomplishment on par with Slocum's solo circumnavigation.


Good luck.

Dick

[Carter Brey]

Looking back on it, I now consider it just a right of passage and personal accomplishment on par with Slocum's solo circumnavigation.

Right on, Dick. Once you've spent time in the foetal position inside the twilight confines of a cockpit locker, trying to line up the flat part of the washer with the body of a Spartan seacock for reassembly, everything else is cake.

By the way, the Spartan grease works fine for me. A little dab 'll do ya.

Carter Brey
S/V Delphine
Sabre 28 Mk II
City Island, NY

[Oswego John]

Carter,

So just what do you use to lube your seacocks? Spartan grease or Bryll Cream (a lil dab'll do ya)

O J

[Tom in Cambria]

I've never used the Spartan grease and couldn't get Morey's in less than a dozen tubes on special order, so after trying the greases I could get I've settled on Lubriplate I believe the number is 1132 if memory serves. It's readily availabe at any auto store, works wonderfully, my seacocks never freeze up even after two years and it's cheap.

[Dick Barthel]

Tom if memory serves, Morey's is definitely sold through at least NAPA and you'd be in luck if there were any near you. I think the archives actually contain the NAPA part number because that's how I first tracked it down.

[Dick Barthel]

b.cream, a little dab.....

"the girls will love to run their fingers through your hair"

[bottomscraper]

About a year ago I purchased Morey's from the Napa online store but it appears you can't order it from them anymore online. The first year I struggled without the Spartan wrench. The inner nut is very thin and a normal wrench doesn't fit. You can use a normal wrench on the outer nut. So I would get at least one wrench from Spartan http://spartanmarine.com/catalog.html. If I remember correctly the inner nut on the seacocks is 15/16". Most of the outer nuts are the same size but I have at least one that is smaller.

I just serviced all 9 of our seacocks last week. My back still hurts!

[Bob Owens]

I got the Spartan kit when I bought my boat. I don't remember the price being terrible, and the wrench they provide is a wonderful convenience. I have had no dissatisfaction with their grease, though I never go longer than one year between lubes. Do I remember somebody a while back saying they had some trouble with Morey's breaking down if left unserviced more than a year?
Bob

[Oswego John]

Oh boy, did I make another verbal error?

Some of the old timers well remember the catchy song that was associated with Bryll Cream, a slicker for hair when slicked down hair for men was all the rage.

The catchy jingle said "A littlt dab will do ya". In that humorous??? vein was my intent. I certainly hope that I didn't offend anyone.

Besides that, who wants slicked down sea cocks?

O J

PS: Anyone who remembers that Bryll Cream jingle is dating himself.

[Trawler Joe]

Thanks for the tips -- sorry, I should know to search the archives before asking! Tons of info there. Need to remember that I'm not pioneering anything here!

I'll give Morey's a try. Haven't had any problem with weeping at this point, so I don't think I'll bother with the lapping right now.

[Steve Laume]

OJ, I do remember Bryll cream. When I was really little I used it to stand up the front of my crew cut to help hide my cow lick. The reason I will never forget the vile stuff was an incident in high school when I then had far too much hair to make it of any use. I was staying over at a friend's house and figured I would use some of his tooth paste... A little dab will definitely NOT do ya as tooth paste. I think I would rather brush with Moreys Red, Steve.

[Dick Barthel]

Thanks for the tips -- sorry, I should know to search the archives before asking! Tons of info there. Need to remember that I'm not pioneering anything here!

Joe, I can think of many reasons why its okay to just ask without going first to the archives: (1) lots of new people see the discussion which wouldn't happen if you just went to the archives; (2) your thread generated new knowledge that wouldn't be found in the archives e.g., the current availability Morey's, (3) its a time saver: if you don't have time to search the archives, just ask the question, wait 12 hours and go online and almost always your answer is right there, (4) it helps to build the camaraderie which is a big part of the reason this board is so great. (5) even the veterans benefit since the discussion is like a refresher for them.

And if someone isn't interest they simply don't read it.

Keep asking away I say.

Dick

[Warren Kaplan]

OJ, I do remember Bryll cream. When I was really little I used it to stand up the front of my crew cut to help hide my cow lick. The reason I will never forget the vile stuff was an incident in high school when I then had far too much hair to make it of any use. I was staying over at a friend's house and figured I would use some of his tooth paste... A little dab will definitely NOT do ya as tooth paste. I think I would rather brush with Moreys Red, Steve.

Steve,

Back in my crew cut days it was Dippity Doo. Definitely not good for seacocks by any stretch of the imagination!!!