Thanks for he heads up sg.. That said, I have been getting my kits from VintageDoubleHose.com, who are located here in Florida, so I tend to get everything I need in a days. Would be great if you could put together some kits for the newer stuff that he doesn't do kits for.
Slippery Slope - Doing my own ScubaPro Maintenance
- Thread starter aalbert
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I feel good knowing that my old D400 is going to someone that is going to take such good care of it. Post pics after service please!
Finally put the quasi Mk10+ back together.. It is running standard Mk10 HP seat now, has the yoke knob from a regular Mk10, and full VDH o-ring set. I opted to leave the SPEC boot off, so it could be more easily rinsed etc. In the end this will probably be a 1st stage that I leave on my boat - will eventually figure out what 2nd stage I want to pair with it.
Pressure was initially low at 100, so I threw a thick VDH shim in, and it raised the pressure up to an acceptable limit. Pic below is after being pressurized for a night, and cycled 50-60 times.
As noted on my D-Series thread - ScubaPro D350 Adjustment (and soon to be overhaul) - I started to dig into my D400. It has been enjoyable learning how it works, and demystifying its operation. I have ordered enough o-rings to rebuild all of my D-Series and then some, and via the great contacts here, I will be able to source any other parts (and info) that I need.
Pressure was initially low at 100, so I threw a thick VDH shim in, and it raised the pressure up to an acceptable limit. Pic below is after being pressurized for a night, and cycled 50-60 times.
As noted on my D-Series thread - ScubaPro D350 Adjustment (and soon to be overhaul) - I started to dig into my D400. It has been enjoyable learning how it works, and demystifying its operation. I have ordered enough o-rings to rebuild all of my D-Series and then some, and via the great contacts here, I will be able to source any other parts (and info) that I need.
Good job @aalbert You're getting fully indoctrinated to the Dark Side. Pretty soon you'll be cutting young Luke's hand off.
Re the MK10- I'm viewing the pictures with old eyes and an old monitor, but it looks like your SPEC boot is actually a trim boot-note the holes. A SPEC boot does not have hole, but does have a cavity to allow grease to move in and out of the ambient chamber with the movement of the piston. At any rate, if you're going to keep the MK10 on your boat, I would suggest packing the ambient chamber with good old Dow Corning 111 silicone grease-especially if you don't have a SPEC boot. I know SP recommends PTFE grease which can help to lower the IP and is more O2 compatible, but for dependability, silicone is the way to go is fine for 40% O2 or less.
Super Star has a pretty good vid on how to do it here:
Re the MK10- I'm viewing the pictures with old eyes and an old monitor, but it looks like your SPEC boot is actually a trim boot-note the holes. A SPEC boot does not have hole, but does have a cavity to allow grease to move in and out of the ambient chamber with the movement of the piston. At any rate, if you're going to keep the MK10 on your boat, I would suggest packing the ambient chamber with good old Dow Corning 111 silicone grease-especially if you don't have a SPEC boot. I know SP recommends PTFE grease which can help to lower the IP and is more O2 compatible, but for dependability, silicone is the way to go is fine for 40% O2 or less.
Super Star has a pretty good vid on how to do it here:
BrianRPaterson
New
Hi,
I got back into diving recently after my teenage kids got their open water cert (SSI).
Some things have changed. No more deco tables or consumption calcs - just computers!
However, my biggest shock was finding out how much my LDS charges for a reg service. US$125!
Okay, that is probably for servicing everything, 1st and 2nd stages, spg, etc. But, I can buy a brand new Scubapro MK2 from the same store for US$170. That's getting close to being a disposable product.
Ok, I live in Hong Kong, and rent is expensive. And I appreciate the skill and man hours involved in a service. But US$125!
Anyway, long story short, I think the answer is to learn to do this stuff myself. Buy the tools instead of paying the LDS.
I'm fairly handy. I built a 21 foot sailing catamaran from scratch, although it did take a while.
Anybody have any opinions on where to start? I have a fairly new Scubapro MK17 set up which I bough 6 or 7 years ago, but has only been dived a few times. Our other reg is a pretty basic Apeks something or other.
Any advice and assistance on skills, tools and spare parts all greatly received.
Live long and keep diving
I got back into diving recently after my teenage kids got their open water cert (SSI).
Some things have changed. No more deco tables or consumption calcs - just computers!
However, my biggest shock was finding out how much my LDS charges for a reg service. US$125!
Okay, that is probably for servicing everything, 1st and 2nd stages, spg, etc. But, I can buy a brand new Scubapro MK2 from the same store for US$170. That's getting close to being a disposable product.
Ok, I live in Hong Kong, and rent is expensive. And I appreciate the skill and man hours involved in a service. But US$125!
Anyway, long story short, I think the answer is to learn to do this stuff myself. Buy the tools instead of paying the LDS.
I'm fairly handy. I built a 21 foot sailing catamaran from scratch, although it did take a while.
Anybody have any opinions on where to start? I have a fairly new Scubapro MK17 set up which I bough 6 or 7 years ago, but has only been dived a few times. Our other reg is a pretty basic Apeks something or other.
Any advice and assistance on skills, tools and spare parts all greatly received.
Live long and keep diving
Bob DBF
Contributor
couv - Thanks.. none of my other Mk10s had any boot, so I just assumed it was the SPEC. I haven't packed any with 111 so far (though one did seem like has at least partially packed when I got it). I have ordered some 111 in a tube, and will take this one apart again to pack it up (and probably replace the piston o-ring again at this point, since it has been apart at least 3 times so far as part of the shim adjustment procedure).
Brian - I was in the same boat as you.. My son is still surprised that I can quote out the old dive tables from memory 30 years after I was originally certified. Getting his D350 / Mk10 / Air2 serviced came out to around $270 US - but to make his mom happy I wanted to have one of the most highly recommended places service it - so it was worth it. The tools can start to add up, but it is definitely nice to have the proper equipment - and if you stick with one brand (in this case Scubapro) they work well cross platform. Best place to start is the checklist that Bob mentioned, and reading the hell out of this forum.
Brian - I was in the same boat as you.. My son is still surprised that I can quote out the old dive tables from memory 30 years after I was originally certified. Getting his D350 / Mk10 / Air2 serviced came out to around $270 US - but to make his mom happy I wanted to have one of the most highly recommended places service it - so it was worth it. The tools can start to add up, but it is definitely nice to have the proper equipment - and if you stick with one brand (in this case Scubapro) they work well cross platform. Best place to start is the checklist that Bob mentioned, and reading the hell out of this forum.
BrianRPaterson
New
I bit the bullet and paid for a professional service.
The moment of truth came when the tech showed me the bag containing the myriad new replacement parts that would be going into my first stage.
I'll follow the checklist (thanks) and gradually build up.
Cheers for now
The moment of truth came when the tech showed me the bag containing the myriad new replacement parts that would be going into my first stage.
I'll follow the checklist (thanks) and gradually build up.
Cheers for now
Finished rebuilding D400 #2... All went fine there - even rebuilt the poppet (little more info on that thread). Next on my D series builds will be the 350.
Ordered a reproduction purge cover from VDH for my 109 - hoping that might give a few more percentage points of performance (it already has the euro-poppet, new diaphragm, new exhaust diverter, etc. so it will be about as rebuilt as you can get, short of the S-Wing poppet).
Tridacna sent me a message about an older Air2 that he had, and we worked out a deal... which got me to thinking about my other Air2s - so I cracked open the equipment box, and dug out my old Air2 Gen 1 (from high school / college), and an Air2 Gen 3 (which was on a BC that I outgrew - sucks getting older and bigger) to get some pics... I also have a Air2 Gen 4 on my son's rig, and a Air2 Gen 5 on my most recent BC... So I will probably be starting another thread to go into detail on those, but figured i would start with a little info/parts seek here, along with a basic version pic comparison (minus Gen 2, which is more squared off than Gen 3).
The Gen 1 is missing the cap that goes on the exhaust valve - does anybody have a parts donor / stash of these ? Along those lines, there are various manuals etc. for the Gen 2 and later, but the only thing I can find for the Gen 1 is the parts diagram - does anybody have one they can forward (and I will repost for all to use)?
Anyway, here are the two units that I will be looking into rebuilding (along with the one that Tridacna is sending out).
Gen 1 ( 1979 - 1983 )
Gen 3 ( 1990 - 1999 )
Here are my others for reference for those looking at the differences - These have already been serviced or are fresh enough to not require service at this point.
Gen 4 ( 2000 - 2005 )
Gen 4 (note the cover pin, which differentiates from the Gen 3)
Gen 5 (aka restyled Air4 - 2005 and on)
Ordered a reproduction purge cover from VDH for my 109 - hoping that might give a few more percentage points of performance (it already has the euro-poppet, new diaphragm, new exhaust diverter, etc. so it will be about as rebuilt as you can get, short of the S-Wing poppet).
Tridacna sent me a message about an older Air2 that he had, and we worked out a deal... which got me to thinking about my other Air2s - so I cracked open the equipment box, and dug out my old Air2 Gen 1 (from high school / college), and an Air2 Gen 3 (which was on a BC that I outgrew - sucks getting older and bigger) to get some pics... I also have a Air2 Gen 4 on my son's rig, and a Air2 Gen 5 on my most recent BC... So I will probably be starting another thread to go into detail on those, but figured i would start with a little info/parts seek here, along with a basic version pic comparison (minus Gen 2, which is more squared off than Gen 3).
The Gen 1 is missing the cap that goes on the exhaust valve - does anybody have a parts donor / stash of these ? Along those lines, there are various manuals etc. for the Gen 2 and later, but the only thing I can find for the Gen 1 is the parts diagram - does anybody have one they can forward (and I will repost for all to use)?
Anyway, here are the two units that I will be looking into rebuilding (along with the one that Tridacna is sending out).
Gen 1 ( 1979 - 1983 )
Gen 3 ( 1990 - 1999 )
Here are my others for reference for those looking at the differences - These have already been serviced or are fresh enough to not require service at this point.
Gen 4 ( 2000 - 2005 )
Gen 4 (note the cover pin, which differentiates from the Gen 3)
Gen 5 (aka restyled Air4 - 2005 and on)
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