Restoring seized seacock

This is the place to post your ideas, thoughts, questions and comments as relates to general boatbuilding and reconstruction techniques and procedures (i.e. recoring, epoxy, fiberglass, wood, etc.)
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Tallystick
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 177
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:54 am
Boat Name: Nostalgia
Boat Type: Pearson Triton Yawl

Restoring seized seacock

Post by Tallystick »

This is how I restored a seized bronze seacock. It's an old WC 1 1/2" barrel style unit that came with my boat that I'll use for my sink drain seacock.

The handle wouldn't turn, so I used diluted muriatic acid to dissolve the corrosion bond between the barrel and the seacock body. Lemon juice might work as well. Then I used vise grips to turn the barrel loose. After rinsing the parts to remove the acid, a brass brush was used to brush the surfaces clean. The seacock was then reassembled, but the handle was difficult to turn and the seacock leaked.

It was apparent that the sealing surfaces of the barrel and seacock body needed repair. So I then used valve grinding compound (available for a couple bucks from any auto parts store) to lap the sealing surfaces. This was accomplished by spreading a thin layer of valve grinding compound over the seacock barrel, reinserting it into the seacock body, and rotating the barrel. As the barrel was rotated, it became progressively easier to turn. Once the barrel could be rotated with one finger, I installed the washer and nut, tightening them securely. The barrel was then too tight to turn by hand, so I used vise grips to start rotating, and it quickly became easy to turn. I then disassembled the seacock, rinsed it and reassembled.

The seacock now holds water without leaking, and the handle is easy to turn.
Hirilondë
Master of the Arcane
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Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:50 am
Boat Name: Hirilondë
Boat Type: 1967 Pearson Renegade
Location: Charlestown, RI

Re: Restoring seized seacock

Post by Hirilondë »

You didn't use any grease after everything was cleaned?
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
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Tallystick
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 177
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:54 am
Boat Name: Nostalgia
Boat Type: Pearson Triton Yawl

Re: Restoring seized seacock

Post by Tallystick »

I tried using grease after cleaning, but it was still too hard to turn. It's now lapped well enough that it seals without grease, but I'll use grease when I install it to prevent corrosion and to keep it turning freely long term.
Maine Sail
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 10:47 am
Location: Casco Bay
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Re: Restoring seized seacock

Post by Maine Sail »

This will go over all the finer points of maintaining a tapered cone seacock..

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/tape ... e_seacocks
-Maine Sail

Canadian Sailcraft 36T
Casco Bay, ME
http://www.marinehowto.com
Tallystick
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 177
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:54 am
Boat Name: Nostalgia
Boat Type: Pearson Triton Yawl

Re: Restoring seized seacock

Post by Tallystick »

Nice article. Sadly I'm missing the bronze handle for my seacock. Gotta keep an eye out for one of those.
Maine Sail
Skilled Systems Installer
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 10:47 am
Location: Casco Bay
Contact:

Re: Restoring seized seacock

Post by Maine Sail »

Tallystick wrote:Nice article. Sadly I'm missing the bronze handle for my seacock. Gotta keep an eye out for one of those.
The Spartan handles fit many of the older WC's.. Paul at Spartan Bronze can ship you one..
-Maine Sail

Canadian Sailcraft 36T
Casco Bay, ME
http://www.marinehowto.com
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