Mares AST System Broken

[eduardofcf]

Hi all !

My mares 52X, unfortunately broke the AST system. I tryed to use the AST tool that comes with the Mares Techinician Kit, and still it broke.

Big question is, my regulator still works, but i need to replace the AST System or buy a regular DIn body connector.

Any advices on how to take the broken system out ?

Best Reggards,


Eduardo Ferreira

 

[Still Kicking]

Rinsing? We don't need no steenkin' rinsing!

 

[eduardofcf]

Rinsing? We don't need no steenkin' rinsing!

Apreciatte your comment fellow diver, i do rinse my reg, but has been a long time working

Any advices on how to take the AST out tho?

 

[Still Kicking]

Apreciatte your comment fellow diver, i do rinse my reg, but has been a long time working

Any advices on how to take the AST out tho?

Sorry, i couldnt resist. Unfortunately I have never worked on Mares.

As a general guess, I would start with taking out the snap ring and cleaning the filter. Then i would soak the DIN connector in place and clean it up as best you can. In the long run I think you need a new DIN connector.

 

[Zef]

I don't believe you need to remove the snap ring.....it is an integral part of the AST fitting but it is not shown separately on the parts diagram.

You should start by soaking your first stage in a warm water bath, if that doesn't work then soak it in a warm bath of 50% white vinegar 50% distilled water solution to help break up any corrosion holding the parts together. Once done soaking, perhaps, and this may be taboo, but you can try spraying it with PB Blaster penetrating catalyst. Once you think you have done enough soaking, gently tap the remnant of the AST tool fitting area with a punch and hammer to try to get it to turn out of the DIN fitting.

The AST fitting is only supposed to be insalled to a torque of between 1.1 and 1.5lb-ft (1.5 to 2 Newton Meters)...this is relatively very low torque, so assuming whoever installed the fitting/last serviced your 1st stage wasn't ham-fisted and significantly overtightened the AST fitting, you are fighting against corrosion or salt deposits binding the AST fitting in place....get the corrosion/salt to break up and you should be able to get that to rotate with some persuasion

I believe the Mares part # to replace your DIN AST fitting is: 416812

Boa Sorte!!!

-Z

 

[rsingler]

If @Zef 's comment doesn't work, remove the snap ring and pull out the insert with needle nose pliers. Insert a large screw extractor into the AST fitting and unscrew. Replace with new AST torqued to spec.
Though the service manual specifies a dry thread, you might consider lube  just for the AST insert.

 

[happy-diver]

Great systems, can I buy stuff like this for everything I own, car, microwave, front sliding gate when I build one?

 

[eduardofcf]

Sorry, i couldnt resist. Unfortunately I have never worked on Mares.

As a general guess, I would start with taking out the snap ring and cleaning the filter. Then i would soak the DIN connector in place and clean it up as best you can. In the long run I think you need a new DIN connector.

Thank's for the Advice !

I was thinking about desamsembly everthing, and soak it on warm water and vinagre on my ultrasonic machine tho.

I will try with the punch and hammer like you said, and as i saw on the diagram for mares 52x the din connector is a separated piece too, so last chance with an force pliers trying to remove all together, and just buy new one and assembly.

Again thank you very much for your help

 

[Tanks A Lot]

You can hold or pull the whole DIN retainer with a tool such as this.

Whenever I had to loosen a broken, what Mares calls DIN O-ring seat, I started by pulling the whole retainer with the above-mentioned tool, spraying it with an anti-seize and waited for a day or two. Afterwards, it would go into the freezer and after a few hours into boiling water. Due to the ever-so-slightly different diameters of the two parts, the outer part will expand ever-so-slightly more, giving you a chance of it cracking slightly loose. Then I used, as Rob suggested, the biggest screw extractor that would fit. Instead of a screw extractor, gently hammering in a Torx that is larger than the opening works as well. This tapping can have the additional benefit of maybe loosening the two parts.

I'll be honest, I did not have all that much success using either technique and maybe only got half of what I worked on separated this way. The problem with the screw extractor is that it spreads the already thin DIN O-ring seat apart, essentially wedging it into place. The Torx technique suffers from very much the same problem, albeit I felt I was more successful in using it.

Fairly often, I ended up drilling the part out. If you drill it out, I always aim to drill out a "slice of pizza". With such a slice removed, you eventually can fold inwards the other sides of the DIN O-ring seat. This took me a fair amount of time, as the chances of damaging something are great if you are not careful.

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