DIY Regulator Maintenance Discussion: MARES

[spoolin01]

Any suggestions on removing a MR-22 HP Seat? Not the Poppet but the actual seat?

I know this is long past, but for completeness, I find you can use a 1.5mm pin angled through the center hole in the body from the diaphragm side, and tap or push gently around the backside of the seat/orifice. Be careful if you do this with the pin from the regulator, don't bend it. I haven't tried the air pressure method mentioned by Mares in the service manual, but have had no problem pushing the orifice out with a pin.

 

[rsingler]

Continuing in this vein, I've found that a cheap imported Thread Wire Measuring Set (an obsolete calibrated thread measuring tool), is perfect for this purpose. $12-$20

https://a.co/d/1p9gd2J

One of those sizes is large enough to fit through the upper hole, but too large to fit through the orifice.
A light tap and the orifice is out.

 

[spoolin01]

Continuing in this vein, I've found that a cheap imported Thread Wire Measuring Set (an obsolete calibrated thread measuring tool), is perfect for this purpose. $12-$20
View attachment 922190

https://a.co/d/1p9gd2J

One of those sizes is large enough to fit through the upper hole, but too large to fit through the orifice.
A light tap and the orifice is out.

How is this done? The hole in the body below the orifice is just over 1.5mm, the pin diameter. A 2mm pin won't go. I seem to recall that on the (old) Titan/Conshelf models - and probably others - with removable orifices, you can get a punch larger than the orifice hole to fit through the diaphragm side of the body so you can push straight against the orifice backside, but not with the MR22.

I like that pin set though, going into my Amazon cart...

 

[rsingler]

When there's not a diameter stepdown, like with Aqualung, then choosing a smaller diameter that allows insertion at just a slight angle (like @spoolin01 's post above) usually allows you to catch the back side of the bore of the orifice and push it out.
The advantage over a tinier pick or pin is a larger area of purchase on the rim of the back side of the orifice.

 

[lowwall]

I use a $5 probe. A few passes with a file flattened the pointy tip. I got it from Amazon, but it's currently out of stock, so I'll just post a Google search link.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Moody Tools 55-1750 Stainless Steel Precision Probe &udm=14

FWIW, the official Mares tool has a thicker diameter with a bent end to make contact with the back of the seat.

You can get aftermarket versions of this, sometimes combined with a acetal tool for re-seating the seat. (I use my official @rsingler wooden dowel for that.) For example:

https://www.scubaservicetools.com/product-page/mares-combined-high-pressure-seat-tool