Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped 'thread'

[Anonymous]

Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

On my Jabsco toilets I have a perpetual problem that after servicing I get a leak from the top cover that holds the piston in place. There are six self-tappers that go into plastic and even with a great deal of torque (more than feels right) it is hard to stop it weeping. Last time I stripped a 'thread' and replaced the entire pump assembly when blow me down, the factory-assembled pump also leaked!! So I had to tighten it up, again using more torque that I would like. The toilet is about 0.5m below sea level, but that's not much?

Anyway, it seems to be a design problem and I expect quite a few people to say that they have had the same problem. Meanwhile, what do I do with this stripped 'thread'? I tried cleaning with meths, drying and filling with araldite, then drilling but it didn't hold.

Years ago I used to use heli-coils for tapped holes and they worked well. Can someone recommend a suitable insert for this application, and suggest a supplier? Many thanks.

 

[oldsaltoz]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Could it be that the holes are not deep enough? to repair the stripped hole I would first drill out a small slot below the surface on each side of the existing hole to change the shape so that a cured material will mechanically hold rather than try to bond to the plastic, an epoxy with micro fibres will hold. just predrill a few mm deeper than the screw and same size as the screw shank.

Hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend.

 

[nedmin]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Do what I do.I used a 2BA nut and bolt( 2BA is an old now unpopular thread size,but I got lots of them)so you should get a metric equiv.Drill thro. the self tapped part so that the drill comes out the bottom.File part of the nut corners off so that they fit underneath ,take just enough off the corners so that the bolt bit can enter the nut.Then tighten.I had to enlarge the hole very slightly to get the 2Ba bolt to go thro the drilled hole.I used a brass nut and bolt as they are rust proof and easy to file.If you go to Bapp they should be able to fix you up with the right set screw and nut.(nut and bolt)

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Did you have the same problem? You didn't have problems with the holes breaking through into the chamber? If it works, then that has to be the best solution, thanks.

 

[Richard10002]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

David,

Have you recently fitted a new top seal?

I bought 2 service kits a couple of weeks ago and found that the top seal in one of them, (the one with the brass flaps), which goes on the bit you are talking about, had one edge which was way too thin/narrow to seal, no matter how tight the top case was - I put the old one back in, and it sealed fine, and one of the loos now works OK.

Took ages, and loads of undoing and redoing, before i discovered this, so it is not easily noticeable.

I wonder if there is a batch of these seals which are faulty, even those which are used in the factory on new pump bodies?

Cannot, for the life of me, understand why these screws are self tappers - they are just problems waiting to happen!

Richard

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Richard, The seals I have used vary from nearly five years old to the brand new complete pump assembly - ex factory so it isn't a batch problem. I did find that the internal pillars tend to splay on the ends and you can get an improvement by filing a bit off the bottom of each one - they prevent the two halves from mating - but even so there is a problem. In the past they have tended to settle in so after a week or so of weeping they would be OK. This last time I serviced one of the toilets the day before guests were arriving and I did not want any weeping.

Seems like a general problem, then. Using 2BA bolts right the way through seems like the way forward - I need to get some long stainless bolts or some stainless studding.

 

[MaltaBob]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Richard, the material is rubbish, some say its like cheese.
ITT are having a field day flogging so many parts its just not true! Americans call it ' planned obsolesence' due solely to the soft material THEY choose to use!
I'm really surprised they are allowed to get away with it !
I did take this up with Jabsco and they blamed OEM pressures, but frankly its a very poor product/material unless there are machine threaded inserts to facilitate strip and rebuild. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Luckily for Jabsco theirs no alternative, yet!!!

 

[Gunfleet]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

<<This last time I serviced one of the toilets the day before guests were arriving and I did not want any weeping.>>

This is the loo weeping or you?

 

[jimbaerselman]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Had the same problem 10 years ago when I first bought the boat. Discovered (using depth gauge) that the screws were 1mm - 2m too long. Put it down to using new screws in old bodies - there was a change from MkX to MkY around then. Drilled holes a couple of mm deeper and solved problem.

Since then I've replaced barrels and tops on both loos - using supplied screws and checking depths. No problem. Except a batch of gaskets (replaced) had poorly placed weights which affected the inlet performance. All OK since. Like you , 0.5m below sea . . . guess who turns his seacock off going ashore!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Jim, over-long screws would certainly do it, I'll check, but eventually I bought a complete pump assembly in a box from the chandlery - that's the cylinder, piston, all service kit items, and joker valve - which should have simply required dropping into place and attaching the pipes. Imagine my frustration on finding that weeping as well - actually it was more than a weep, and I had to apply considerable torque to stop it.

Presumably the reason they have such a high market share is that they dominate the new build market. To manage that with such a poor product that requires frequent expensive service items is a no-brainer - you offer OEM toilets to the boat builders at a price they can't afford to refuse. People being people, change the parts as needed and replace by the same for ease and economy when they have problems.

What is needed is an alternative toilet that will fit (in electronic terminology) pin-for-pin into the same place and require nothing more than a screwdriver and, maybe, a spanner. There is a huge market out there for the manufacturer who will do that!

 

[lookout]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

as well as being a bit short, the hole size is a bit small for the supplied screws - a very slightly larger drill down it first seems to prevent this problem..... which is soooo annoying. No wonder some paid-fixers just chuck em & fit new ones.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Richard, I seem to remember you saying that you'd fitted one (or two?) electric adaptors for Jabscos and you did not get on with them? What was the story? I can afford the electricity without any problems and we have an en-suite for night time visits so noise might not be a huge problem.

 

[TonyS]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

I have a friend with a 4 yr old toilet and to stop the leak he overtightened and had the same problem as you. He rang Jabsco to have a moan, got the MD by chance, and next day a new unit arrived FOC. Try the same it could work for you!

 

[mawm]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

I don't have a Jabsco, but something very similar with the same problems. I was advised that overtightening the bolts was the problem as it distorted the plastic and led to leaks. I spent hours balancing up the different bolts and 'bingo' - no leaks, no stripped thread.

 

[pvb]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Could you use a larger-diameter selftapper?

 

[Hoolie]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Probably not as the plastic is too thin and splits - happened to us as well /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[ditchcrawler]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

I had a similar problem,serviced the toilet & when screwing back top overtightened one screw & the plastic split on the corner of the cover.I bit the bullet & bought a new head assembly,but after 2 months have got a leak from the handle(again).This is very frustrating as it is a new assembly.The product is not really fit for purpose.A friend who has a similar XM loo does not seem to get the same problems.Is it easy to fit a lavac to the pipes as this may be my next step.

 

[EdWingfield]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

I am a fellow sufferer. The leak I believe, comes from incorrect alignment of the rubber gasket. If you look at the gasket it is particularly narrow (and therefore flimsy) in one of the 'cross sections'.

The problem then, is to hold the gasket in place whilst the upper body is screwed down to form a seal.

Idea. Remove upper body and gasket, dry out, then glue the gasket to the lower body. In theory it should then mate properly and form a water tight seal.

I will try it out this w/e and report back.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Many thanks everyone so far.

Teredo, Looking forward to getting your feedback.

Seems to be a major problem and very common. Hardly surprising as I have two toilets with the same problem and have just bought a brand new pump with exactly the same problem.

Jabsco know they are selling goods unfit for the purpose and, so we have heard, even their MD knows! That makes them con-men, crooks.

I am very tempted to change toilets if only because I refuse to be fleeced by those crooks for spares in the future and, of course, discriminate positively against all of their company's products in future.

We've heard that Lavac might be easy to put in instead...has anyone replaced a Jabsco by something better, without too much difficulty?

 

[jwilson]

Re: Self-tapper into Jabsco toilet plastic has stripped \'thread\'

Agreed - had exactly the same problem, also repeated leaks... If someone sold an easy to fit better quality replacement I'd have one.