removing seized blake seacock.

[tom_sail]

I thought it would be a good idea to remove the blakes seacock and re-grease.

I tried to undo the bolts holding the keep plate on first. Unfortunately one of the bolts sheered.
Problem one: is it possible to get a new bolt? and should i be worried about the bolt snapping, the colour looked right. I had to put a lot of force to undo it.

Problem two: The damn conical plug is stuck solid I can yank all day and it wont loosen. Can i use a drift to knock it up & out from the outside?

Its the 3/4" (19mm) type

Thanks

 

[sailorman]

I thought it would be a good idea to remove the blakes seacock and re-grease.

I tried to undo the bolts holding the keep plate on first. Unfortunately one of the bolts sheered.
Problem one: is it possible to get a new bolt? and should i be worried about the bolt snapping, the colour looked right. I had to put a lot of force to undo it.

Problem two: The damn conical plug is stuck solid I can yank all day and it wont loosen. Can i use a drift to knock it up & out from the outside?

Its the 3/4" (19mm) type

Thanks

there used to be a lock nut to the clamp bolt
yes donk it up from the outside ( much easier ashore )

 

[prv]

Standard broomhandle works nicely for the toilet-outlet size, I've found. I have a short section on board labelled "Seacock knocker-outer". Guess you'll need something smaller for a 3/4" though.

Pete

 

[Bodach na mara]

The bolt first, yes you can get a new one. I knackered all 4 a few years ago trying to drife them out with a drift and the new ones cost about £12. EACH!!! The nuts should not have been so tight hat the bolt broke when trying to release them however.

You can drive out the cone from outside, in fact it may be easier than trying to mount the thing on a bench to drive it out. Spray some release oil inside the cone area (from outside) and use a hardwood dowel (about 1/2" diam IIRC) as a drift. Remember to use lightish knocks and to remove the retaining ring on the inside before starting.

 

[Kukri]

Standard broomhandle works nicely for the toilet-outlet size, I've found. I have a short section on board labelled "Seacock knocker-outer". Guess you'll need something smaller for a 3/4" though.

Pete

+1.

It's incredibly easy to just tap the cone very gently from outside and out it pops. Broom handle as drift for inch and a half, bit of dowelling as drift for three quarter inch.

The bolts are Whitworth iirc and yes Blakes will sell you replacements but silicon bronze is fine.

 

[sailorman]

+1.

It's incredibly easy to just tap the cone very gently from outside and out it pops. Broom handle as drift for inch and a half, bit of dowelling as drift for three quarter inch.

The bolts are Whitworth iirc and yes Blakes will sell you replacements but silicon bronze is fine.

the bolts holding the retaining ring can be s/s.
silicone bronze for through hull

 

[Tranona]

Yes, you need to back off the lock nut first - otherwise the bolt sheers when you are trying to remove it! (sorry you seem to have discovered that already) It is threaded into the body. Replacements available from Blakes or Anglia Stainless.

Before whacking it from the outside with a drift, try some penetrating oil on the spindle and tapping the handle with the lock plate backed off. When/if you do resort to the drift, leave the lockplate on with the screws in a couple of threads. Otherwise the cone can become an unguided missile when it breaks loose!

 

[Twister_Ken]

When you put it all back, it's tempting to grunt the bolts as tight as you can. Wrong.

I used to tighten them with fingers, all the time checking that the handle turned easily, until the handle resistance was about right, then just nip up the lock nuts with a spanner about 1/8 turn beyond finger tight. If you think through the way that a Blakes seacock works, even if the bolts on the retaining ring somehow undo themselves slightly, any water getting into the boat will be a drop or two a minute, not something catastrophic.

Get into the habit of opening and closing them frequently - that's the best maintenance there is for a Blakes (and probably every other) seacock.

 

[tom_sail]

Thanks for all the comments that's great!

I'll buy the new bolt and tap from the outside with a piece of dowel.

Perfect