Scubapro MK 5: Can 'old' 2 LP port turret be upgraded to newer 4 or 5 LP port turret ?

[scubafanatic]

I've got a couple very old '2 LP port turret' MK 5's, I want to use their ambient chambers as donor parts to move them over to my newer 4/5 LP port MK 5's, but I believe the attachment mechanism on the (2) LP port is something called a 'circle clip' whereas the attachment mechanism on the newer 4/5 LP port turrets is a hexagonal 'hollow' bolt. Is it possible to take said ambient chambers from the older 2 LP port turret' MK 5's and mate them to a newer style 4/5 LP port MK 5 turret ?

 

[Luis H]

Only the very early ones had the clip. They switched to the hollow bolt fairly early and most of the two port swivels used that bolt.

I am not positive, but I believe that you can replace the swivel turret in either case. I believe the chamber did not change, just the swivel.

I used to service both in the early 70’s, but I can’t remember the details. It has been probably over 40 year since I worked on one with the clip.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Correct, the cap is the same, whether it has a clip or a bolt.

You'll want a newer stainless steel bolt anyway as the original brass bolts have a bad habit of breaking if they have ever been over torqued.

The early Mk V had a single HP port and it was the smaller 3/8" size. The later ones went to 5/16" and then a pair of 5/16" ports, one on either side.

The yokes also got a little heavier, in three steps. The early thin ones, the later slightly thicker "3000" psi marked yokes and finally the heavy 9/16" screw yokes.

As you've noted the Mk I had a cap with a single port in the end, the Mk V initial had a 2 port swivel turret on a new cap, and the turret evolved to a 4 port turret and finally a 5 port turret with a port in the end.

You'll also seem some cap differences in term of the early caps having large ambient pressure holes, while the later caps had small 1/16" holes intended for use with environmental silicone. The Mk 10 started with the small holes and evolved to larger holes in a groove that that held a rubber boot to help retain the silicone. I don't recall if any of the final Mk Vs incorporated that feature in the cap or not. I suspect not, as the Mk 10 had a longer body and the ambient chamber was located in the body, not the cap.

 

[Luis H]

The early Mk V had a single HP port and it was the smaller 3/8" size. The later ones went to 5/16" and then a pair of 5/16" ports, one on either side.

I know you meant 7/16" ports

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Yeah....5, 7, they're both odd numbers.

 

[scubafanatic]

I've got a couple 2 LP port MK 5's that will be parts donors for my newer MK 5's, my plan is to move the ambient chambers from these two 2 LP port units over to a couple of my newer version 4/5 LP port MK 5's. I prefer the LARGE open ambient chamber holes of the earlier units, so that's my reason for swapping parts around, as the majority of MK 5's have the small ambient chamber holes, which I don't like as it's harder to keep them clean inside when I rinse/soak them. I send them out for service/conversions, so I honestly don't know the turret attachment system inside those 2 units, I guess I'll have to hope the odds are in my favor.