Slippery Slope - Doing my own ScubaPro Maintenance

[northernone]

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 )
View attachment 486336

Gen 3 ( 1990 - 1999 )
View attachment 486337


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 )
View attachment 486338

Gen 4 (note the cover pin, which differentiates from the Gen 3)
View attachment 486339


Gen 5 (aka restyled Air4 - 2005 and on)
View attachment 486340

Loving this thread.

I have two 1st Gen in unserviced working condition (I don't dive an air 2) if someone would put them to use. Reg set had the air 1 I was after.

 

[Couv]

Loving this thread.

I have two 1st Gen in unserviced working condition (I don't dive an air 2) if someone would put them to use. Reg set had the air 1 I was after.

Perhaps @aalbert could work out a deal with you and use the 1st gen he has in hand as a parts donor instead. I think I have a stash of 1st gen parts somewhere boxed away. After the house has recovered from renovations I'll try to dig it out.

Couv

 

[aalbert]

New diaphragm cover for the 109 came in today... Seems a hair lower in height than the old, but is more supple... Installed and retuned .. at this point the only thing this one is missing is the S-Poppet , but I think I will just hold out for a very clean late model balanced adjustable ( in case you have one that you want to get rid of, I have the following available as trading material - For Trade - Misc U.S. Divers and Sherwood for Scubapro ). Haven't noticed a discernible performance difference, but I am sure it is there.

New diaphragm cover on the right (and seeing this pic makes me think a totally clear diaphragm and diaphragm cover would be pretty cool))

 

[aalbert]

Work load is simmering down a bit, so a little spare time on eBay resulted in my purchasing a Mk20 w/ G250 and two consoles, as well as a Mk10 w/G250 and a console.

The G250 combo showed up today. Looks to be a post recall unit (two vents) and in pretty decent shape. Hooked it up to air, and no leaks were detected and performed reasonably (though the exhaust valves needed a little back pressure to unstick from the case).

I expect I will start the rebuild process on some of these pieces in the coming days/weeks.

Mk20, G250, Scubapro EDI computer, and traditional console

Two vents indicate that the saddle has made its way through the recall program - Scubapro® Recalls MK 20 Scuba Regulators for Service

Mk10 and D350 as pictured by the seller - item is in transit, but from the photos I am expecting a clean unit.

Also sourced three service kits from a single seller - D400, G250 (with a covetable balanced poppet), and Mk20.

 

[aalbert]

Curiosity got the better of me, so I cracked open the G250 to see what poppet it had - was happy to see that it already had the balanced unit.

Found a little more corrosion inside than I expected, so it will be taking a long trip to the spa (acid bath).

 

[aalbert]

Realized that I had a rebuild kit laying around, so went ahead and cleaned the G250 up, and put her back together .. no exciting action shots, and fortunately no stabbing myself with o-ring picks.

Other D350 & Mk10 came in .... Looks impressively clean, though the depth gauge looks like it had some water intrusion etc. at some point in its life. Also I have started tagging regulators as they come in, as to their rebuild status, etc. so I can keep track of them.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I mark mine with a sharpie. I put the rebuild date if rebuilt. Insp if just inspected. A plus symbol if it passed IP check for creep and write the final IP numerically on the 1st stage body.