ITT Marine manual Toilet leaking

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Chanquete

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Hello!
After more than 10 years my toilet began little leaking at the top of the pump at the piston rod.
I would very much appreciate advice about the steps to dismantle the top of the piston in order to fix the problem.
Friends suggested me to use a short length of teflon impregnated thread coiled on the piston rod instead of buying a new seal housing Assembly.
Anyone has tryied this?
Thanks in advance

Chanquete
 

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I'm talking about Jabsco here, but I believe they're actually the same. Certainly the diagram you've posted is exactly like my newer Jabsco.

The seal at the top of the rod is a replaceable item - if yours hasn't been serviced in ten years then it's done very well, but time to be honourably discharged and replaced with a new one. The new kit will contain instructions, but essentially you unscrew the bit labelled 18 in your diagram, using a spanner on the flats under the handle. This lets you take out the whole rod assembly. Follow the instructions at this point to get the handle off and the seal changed without damaging the new seal - it involves wraps of PVC tape and gripping the rod in the correct place. Not difficult though. Then it all just screws back together, job done.

Pete
 
In emergencies I have tried many botch options similar to your idea of wrapping tape around the shaft, none of which has been successful. In the case you are asking about, after ten years of use the bearing that holds the shaft centrally in the cylinder becomes worn, which then causes the lip of the seal to wear unevenly, causing the leak. A full kit will also include the top bearing, fully solving the problem. Or better still, you might consider buying a piston/cylinder assembly, not normally expensive, which replaces almost all the parts that might give trouble. By buying a replacement foot valve and joker valve you have effectively replaced the whole toilet, giving you another ten years.
 
I certainly agree with the suggestions for temporary fixes here but at 10 years you've done very well out of that pump. If the shaft seal is leaking you can bet the other rubber valves are on their last legs as well. Rather than try to patch up an old pump it's cheaper in the long-run to just buy a new pump assembly.
 
I agree with Vyv. Temporary bodges don't work. Your realistic choices are either to replace the whole pump assembly (£60) or replace the seals and valves (£25). http://www.piplers.co.uk/c/226/Jabsco-Marine-Toilets-and-Spares.html I would do the latter although, if you have an early model, it might be worth up-grading to a twist and lock type pump so that you are less likely to be flooded. If you fit a service kit, be careful not to damage the piston rod by wrapping tape round it before gripping with moles. Once damaged, the rod will never seal through the top rubber. Also be careful not to overtighten the screws into the body as they screw directly into plastic and, again, can easily be damaged. Otherwise stripping and re-assembly are very straightforward (apart from the contortions necessary in a small heads compartment) and you should then be assured of several years troublefree operation.
 
Having recently bought a Jabsco twist and lock I was quite disappointed to see that it still uses self-tappers into the plastic. During my long history of problems with RM69 toilets, in which I seemed to be some sort of unpaid development guinea-pig, one good thing that came out was that they changed from self-tappers to through bolts, a most worthwhile improvement.
 
They are not self tappers. The thread is moulded into the plastic and provided you line up the threads when you insert (by turning backwards until the screw thread drops in) don't give problems. These start when the screw is forced in and it may then cut a new thread which then does not hold. Not as good as a bolt and nut, but fine if you take care - and no danger of losing the nut in the bilge!
 
Tranona said:
They are not self tappers. The thread is moulded into the plastic and provided you line up the threads when you insert (by turning backwards until the screw thread drops in) don't give problems. These start when the screw is forced in and it may then cut a new thread which then does not hold. Not as good as a bolt and nut, but fine if you take care - and no danger of losing the nut in the bilge!
Click to expand...

The toilet is new and has so far needed no maintenance. But I think the RM69 screws were pretty much as you describe, quite coarse thread and blunted tips. It didn't take too long before the plastic gave up the ghost, admittedly after removing and replacing them countless times to try to correct leaks caused by distortion of the original inadequate design. The only people who benefit from this sub-standard engineering practice are the manufacturers.
 
Price you have to pay to get a toilet at such a low price! Price has not changed for years at around £100 so either they were making huge profits in the past or found ways of reducing costs. Interesting market as they have a virtual monopoly yet product is still used as a loss leader by retailers.
 
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