stuck/jammed second stage orifice

[saltigagt]

Am servicing a mares abyss second stage. When assembling, i realised the orifice is stuck, and any stronger turning with allen key will slip. The orifice is jammed! I know there are orifice replacement kits available, but how do i remove the stucked nylon orifice? If not, can i find replacement for the orifice housing (not sure what it is called, but the metal part which holds the orifice and connects the LP hose to the second stage). Advise needed!

 

[redacted]

Let hot and cold do the work rather than force. The expansion coefficient of nylon is 4 or 5 times that of brass. So, go with alternating soaks in hot and then cold water to loosen whatever is bonding them. The cold soak should produce a gap in the threads between the orifice and the metal housing so try turning the orifice only after a cold soak. But give it 3 or 4 cycles of hot/cold before you try it. If at first you don't succeed, go diving and try again tomorrow. If the Allen wrench stops grabbing, you could switch over to an easy out but that is probably curtains for the orifice.

 

[saltigagt]

Thanks for the advise. Dont quite get u on the last part though if the allen keys doesnt grab, switch over to an easy out?

---------- Post added June 23rd, 2013 at 08:24 AM ----------

Awap... After reading it over, i get u. Was thinking the same in the worst case scenario. Thx for the advise

 

[herman]

I don't like doing it but often times a flat blade screwdriver can be wedged into a stripped allen key hole to remove it.

 

[saltigagt]

Thanks for the advise herman!

 

[axxel57]

If your orifice is jammed, it is important that you first start to put some liquid silicone or spray in and then try to screw it further inwards. This often works better first, because on the way out the barrel mostly is more dirty than on the way inwards.

If you should be able to move it inwards the silicone will lubricate the inner 'wall', so the way back is mostly much more easier.

If it is already impossible to screw the orifice inwards without damaging the orifice, then probably it is time to try awaps technique, but at least the slots for the Allan key, to put a certain pressure on it while removing the orifice counter clockwise, are not damaged yet.

So you get better chances to remove the orifice,being able to reuse it.

Good luck!

 

[triggerman365]

I've got the exact same issue with a Scubapro G200. The orifice is brass and does not want to turn. Is the treatment the same (liquid silicone, hot/cold)?

 

[redacted]

I've got the exact same issue with a Scubapro G200. The orifice is brass and does not want to turn. Is the treatment the same (liquid silicone, hot/cold)?

Basically the same. But since it is metal to metal, there may be a bit more of a corrosion problem. So, in addition to hot/cold, you may also want to tru US cleaner or even some vinegar/water bath after the hot/cold. Go easy on the acid - like 5 minutes at a time. Because you can not take advantage of the different expansion coefficients, you will wand to target the hot/cold. I suggest a good hot soak of the barrel and orifice. Then, drip small chips of ice directly on the orifice to get it to cool faster than the barrel opening the joint between them. Each cycle should disolve a bit more deposits and corrosion.

 

[beanojones]

I've got the exact same issue with a Scubapro G200. The orifice is brass and does not want to turn. Is the treatment the same (liquid silicone, hot/cold)?

Not that this helps this time, but going to the nylon orifice means this is less likely to happen again. Especially with ScubaPro who go with a slightly thinner O-Ring on the orifice which can allow a corrosive weld to bridge the air space.

For the OP, after getting after things with hot cold and an ultrasonic cleaner, what often helps is some kind of cordless impact driver. Yeah you can end up stripping things, but you can also break stuff free that is almost impervious to other means.

 

[triggerman365]

Got the orifice out. I'm pretty sure the o-ring is the original, old and brittle. Works great with a new o-ring. Plus, turned my G200 into a G200B.