old 80's scubapro reg, 3 pic's

[HeatCker]

dove today and my buddy mentioned he had an old scubapro reg
is this a good reg and is it worth fixing
could it be connected to an mk17 with a new hose
hopefully the local scubapro shop can service it if it is worth fixing
thanks in advance
hope the pics loaded ????

 

[herman]

What you have is not vintage, it's older modern gear..a MK-2 first stage (looks like) and a 108 second. Perfectly good regs that can easily be rebuilt. While neither are high performance, they are solid workhorse regs that will last a life time. Depending on what parts they need, it may be a little cost prohibitive to have a shop restore them but they are an easy DIY project with aftermarket parts. That would be well worth doing.
And yes you can use the 108 with a MK-17 or any first stage for that matter. While not high performance it will be a lot better than any second sold as an "octo" today.

 

[HeatCker]

thanks for the reply herman
i'll see what the shop quotes and go from there
if i can get it working i'd use it as an octo/spare reg
where would one get aftermarket parts for this reg

 

[herman]

Check out the single hose section at Vintage Double Hose. Store - Vintage Double Hose Those are very easy regs to DIY.

 

[ygthad]

Thanks I was thinking of having mine redone..

 

[HeatCker]

herman, i believe you are right about the first stage being an mk2
both the mk2 and mk3 look similar in the pic's but it looks like the mk2 has a longer lower section
from reading i assume this 1st stage is a piston type for warm water
it sure is a lot heavier than my mk17
i took the second stage apart and laid out the parts
did i read somewhere that you can soak the metal parts in a vinegar solution to help clean them
thanks again guys

 

[herman]

The MK-2 and 3 are unbalanced flow by piston regs of very similar design. Lower end models but solid work horse regs none the less. Not a good choice for cold water work but fine for warmer waters. The 108 second stage (which you have a little more to take apart) is a very solid regulator that would make a great octo for your mk-17 or when matched with a balanced first stage makes a perfectly good primary second stage. Add a 109 second stage as your primary and the set would be a good and very reliable reg for warm water vacation use. The MK-2/108 also are a very good pony bottle reg. While not a high performance reg, it is def my favorite "stuck on a deserted island with one reg and a compressor" choice. All in all , a reg worth servicing and a perfect first DIY reg.

The proper cleaning solution for the metal parts is a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar. Don't soak it too long and rinse well but it is a very effective (and safe)cleaner. The rubber parts just wash in dish detergent....if the metal parts are not corroded (green) it's fine to clean them in dish detergent as well.

 

[HeatCker]

thanks herman ..
the demand valve seat has a bit of an impression in it, can i just flip the rubber seat over and use the back side, that side looks good
that little spring is a lot stronger than i thought it would be
it's tricky putting the square shaft back in the square hole to try and get that nut back on
thanks for your help

 

[HeatCker]

another question .. does the little brown washer go back in first then the lever then the adj nut or... lever first then the washer then the nut i should have paid more attention

 

[redacted]

another question .. does the little brown washer go back in first then the lever then the adj nut or... lever first then the washer then the nut i should have paid more attention

The washer goes between the lever and the nut. There should also be a another plastic insert in the housing that the lever rides on.

With the LP seat removed, assemble the poppet stem and spring into the housing an push it upwards as you install the insert, lever,washer, and nut. Tighten the nut just enough to hold with no threads showing above the nut. Then install the demand body (it looks like yours has the earlier fixed orifice). Now you tune it by tightening the nut. It should stop leaking somewhere between one and two threads showing above the nut. While it should not be necessary with this model to depress the lever as you make any adjustments, it is still a good habit to practice.