SP pilot regulator

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Luis and rsingler thank you very much. Luis, can you get that into the VDH Manuals? Have not started tearing into the pilot yet, it’s my winter project when I get down to my boat. Think I read something about a ball bearing and a rocking boat.
 
Finally, the bottom half of the poppet retainer assembly does NOT disassemble!
20181127_185511.jpg

That's the flange just to the left of the orange oring where the pin protrudes.
Despite this diaphragm that looks like the knife edge slips inside the retainer:
Screenshot_20191106-100128_Chrome.jpg

Part 99 knife edge is press fit inside the retainer and cannot be removed or serviced. They means that the famous "6 tiny bubbles per minute" that are "supposed to leak" from a properly tuned Pilot are actually likely a leak from a deteriorated knife edge seal against the extremely tiny oring #94.
20181127_230421.jpg

Can't be fixed, except by using the softest duro you can find for that oring.
 
The Smallest o ring is the almost impossible on to change.I know Pete Wolfinger made a tool to line it up.
 
I returned to this project today, and had success removing the stop. During the process, the button (shown in red square) dropped out and I did not notice which way it needs to face for reassembly.

The button has a convex side and a flat side with tiny metal rod in center. Does the convex side make contact with the piston and flat side with rod face down towards the pilot pin, or other way around?
pop2.jpg
 
The convex side up; the oring side faces down. Its very soft oring seals against the tiny inner volcano at the bottom of the poppet.
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The convex side up; the oring side faces down. Its very soft oring seals against the tiny inner volcano at the bottom of the poppet.
Thanks! With button direction correct and tiny -002 oring installed on flat side, I then followed repair manual step 22 and put dab of silicone grease on piston end to hold button in place. Lowered the poppet over the piston and the -002 oring appears to be installed that easy?! Fingers crossed, at least for now the poppet retainer is reassembled.
 
Project completed, a long time goal of mine has been achieved.
Paired with MK5 and 109, this Pilot is fully rebuilt, tuned, and ready for a dive. :)
I have the same setup with a d400 instead of the Pilot. I think the Pilot is a little too exotic for me. Sure is pretty, though.
 

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