Is our never-used Dacor 360 regulator from 1989 still usable?

[Scott G. Bonser]

While new, they are old. Mentioned before, I will again. The metal parts inside will be like new. Shy of corrosion, nothing could be wrong. The rubber, that ages. That is where the problems will be at. It would really need a service just to have fresh rubber parts.

Now the rub. Dacor has been out of business for about 20 years. Bought by Mares and the service parts discontinued. Any factory service kits are now 20+ years old as well.

I know a guy in town that kept old Dacors alive for many years after support disappeared. Even he has given up on them.

As for buying used off FB or eBay, unless you know what your are really shopping for and what you are getting, you could end up with a used version of exactly what you are trying to replace. The same service guy tells me about them all the time. Looks good outside, lots of salt water damage inside. Lots of neglect. By the time he gets them rebuilt (if he can get the parts for them) they had now spent as much for a used regulator as a new one with warranty would have cost.

There are fans of them out there. And if you can rebuild them yourself it isn't that big of a deal. I would recommend putting that brand new Dacor still in the original box and in the plastic on eBay. Let one of the fans of it pick it up and put it in there collection. Use that money toward a new reg.

Check with Rob w/TSM. Some ‘new’ parts are same as what were used in older discontinued models. New, ‘latest greatest, safest ever’ regs are same model, just tricked out. Some of the old service techs know which ones are which and which ones are ’no longer with us’……happened to me trying to find old phragms for a couple of AMF Voit MR12 IIs. …’deep sixed’ by Mares but actually ‘pirated’ as the Mares Abyss model and others made even now. …it does take patience and perseverance.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Trident makes a seat for it, no reason to buy a 20 year old kit.
The trident seat doesn't last as well, but they are cheap and easy to get.

I believe TSM may have new ‘seats’ in stock. Remove roached one from the poppet and insert a new one. Tight, a bit of a challenge but a Chinese Chop Stick is a great tool to accomplish this without messing up the seat surface. Don’t discard poppet unless it is totally trashed….usually indestructible..

 

[lowwall]

AMEN to that, my friend. Even if it appears good…if it hasn’t been used or serviced in awhile, hook it up to a tank, cover the orifice connection with your hand for safety, turn it on for a check, close tank valve and depressurize...

For anyone who hasn't seen it, this is a guide to as complete a check as you can do to a reg without opening it up. It does require the purchase of an IP (intermediate pressure) gauge, but that's only around $15 and it can really tell you a lot about the health of your regs.

Regulator Inspection and Checklist (Rev-8)

Discussion of this thread can be found here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/260452-regulator-checklist-inspection.html First off, I would like to acknowledge my friends who have done more than their share in developing this checklist. Due to my laziness and resistance to answering...

scubaboard.com

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

For anyone who hasn't seen it, this is a guide to as complete a check as you can do to a reg without opening it up. It does require the purchase of an IP (intermediate pressure) gauge, but that's only around $15 and it can really tell you a lot about the health of your regs.

Regulator Inspection and Checklist (Rev-8)

Discussion of this thread can be found here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/260452-regulator-checklist-inspection.html First off, I would like to acknowledge my friends who have done more than their share in developing this checklist. Due to my laziness and resistance to answering...

scubaboard.com

Always a good practice…

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Where do you get HP seats?
That’s pretty mission critical and the most important part in a first stage.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Where do you get HP seats?
That’s pretty mission critical and the most important part in a first stage.

I have had to go to a lot of different sites to find these. Northeast Scuba Supply carries them occasionally but they sell out fast. Try TSM. Rob ( tries to ) keep an up to date guide on here to find parts. DM me with a part request..make date and model. I may be able to help.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Maybe I’ll buildup the MK2 with a hog second and the R190 octo with a yoke and relist it, as soon as my shop warms up.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

…now ’THAT’ has possibilities!! ….

 

[jadairiii]

Hi,
I bought my husband a brand new regulator, a Dacor 360, in Dec 1989 and then we had three kids and never dove until this year. I asked him to find it and he just brought it out, still in the box and plastic with the receipt.
Is this still usable as is? With some adjustments? Or not at all?
I'm hoping it's still good because I just looked up the cost of regulators since then and wowza!!! (I paid about $225, I think. No price on receipt because it was a gift!)
Thank you,
Nancy

Just remember, you jumping in the water with a 34 year old life support system of a defunct company that none of the critical parts are currently made by the original manufacturer. And very few dive shops have current service books on it.

If it was a US Divers, Scubapro, Apeks and a few others, sure. I dive as old or older Apeks regulators but all the parts for them are still available from the manufacturer.

It's your choice as they say.

 

[lowwall]

Just remember, you jumping in the water with a 34 year old life support system of a defunct company that none of the critical parts are currently made by the original manufacturer. And very few dive shops have current service books on it.

If it was a US Divers, Scubapro, Apeks and a few others, sure. I dive as old or older Apeks regulators but all the parts for them are still available from the manufacturer.

It's your choice as they say.

Come on, this is a NIB reg so the metal parts are perfect. It's only the o-rings that need to be replaced. No regulator manufacturer makes their own o-rings, they are all standard sizes purchased from the same contractors that we can buy from.