Can I Jerry-rig a Jabsco O-Ring?

[IdoraKeeper]

If the o ring is intact, you may have some deformation of the seal land. Silicon sealant adhesive should take up the slack till you can determine which part is out of spec. Nothing more enjoyable than working on the output side of a marine toilet that is on use or plugged up. ��

[Elie]

When an O ring do not fit, I usually make one simply. I take a longer one, cut it the right size and reglue the cut part with Crazy Glue. I've even fixed a rubber pump impeller that had his vanes partially cut. It worked! but I replaced it later. For the O ring, the job is final!

[masonc]

Take the old pouring to a car parts store, they Wil have a offering collection. Try a larger thickness ring with the same diameter.

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

You can cut and glue orings to the size you want. I think it's Iso 5 sec glue you use. So just buy some orings that are oversize, (but the right cross section diameter)cut with a sharp razor blade and glue.

I guess everyone knows to cut the material at an angle and not straight across when making o-rings

[Sailorbob8599]

Another thought just came to me; You're sure it's an o-ring problem and not something more expensive?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Sailorbob8599

I guess everyone knows to cut the material at an angle and not straight across when making o-rings

Never heard of that! The Parker "DIY o-ring" kit that I've carried for year has a fixture for cutting the stock to length, and it definitely cuts at 90 degrees. Seems that it would be very hard to get a scarfed joint aligned well enough to make a good seal... hard enough with a perpendicular joint!

Jim

[a64pilot]

I have always cut them at a 45, I thought that the way
Like packing flax

[01kiwijohn]

Oh, you're in the BVI. Find a local contractor, one who has an excavator, or other earth-moving machine, and I'm sure he will have an O Ring splicing kit. When you cut the material, make sure it is just a little on the long side so that it will compress the ends against each other, when in the groove. Make sure you cut it square. That way, with such low pressure to contend with, it probably won't even require you to use the adhesive, supplied with the kit, and will probably outlast the head. It's a static joint. As a heavy equipment mechanic, I must have made a bunch of these.

[Balance]

Not sure how your O ring is installed, but if it fits over a male fitting.
You can carefully remove the o ring and wrap maybe one or two turns of white teflon tape around the recess and reinstall the O ring.
The idea is the Teflon pushes out the o ring just enough for positive pressure.
Silicone grease is better for O rings as I believe petroleum jelly will cause deterioration long term.

[Zanshin]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I applied some silicone to the groove yesterday and put the O-Ring on top. I let it cure for 24 hours and just tried it. Unfortunately it leaked. But this time I used a magnifying glass to look for the leak source and it turns out that there's a microfracture in the plastic housing and that is where the drip is coming from; the O-Ring was perfectly good. Now I'm really SOL since that part is not available alone and is part of a major repair kit costing a significant proportion of a new head!

[JPA Cate]

Zanshin,

Sorry to hear that. The plastic housings are very brittle. Over the years have seen some pretty ugly attempts to stop same from leaking, usually involving vast amounts of sealant. Whether you opt for the new head, or the replacement bits, be sure to not over-tighten anything. Jim always lubicates the screws going into the plastic, and uses the lightest possible touch to tighten, just enough to prevent leaks, none of this using most of your strength stuff.

A.

[boatman61]

Some hemp strands and Plumbers Mait.. smear strands with goo and roll between fingers then shape to size and insert into groove.. smear a bit more on to hold in place and reassemble..
Can also work on hairline fractures.. but smear all round the contacting surfaces..

[Char99]

Hi
My Mexican friends turned me on to Toilet Bowl wax for such things. I keep a small piece of it in my tool box.

[a64pilot]

Depending on what kind of plastic it is you may glue it, PVC I'd use pipe glue, most other plastics I'd try model airplane glue, or and I mean this not too jokingly, 5200. The trick though would be to keep it from running.
I'd even try hot glue, what have you go to loose?