Imperial 5100 Toilet

[JHoward]

Boy these neglected boats can eat up ones time. The pump handle on our head froze up.
The unit is a Imperial 5100. Defender has a kit for a:

Wilcox Crittenden maintenance kits contain all of the parts necessary to perform regular maintenance procedures on Wilcox Crittenden marine toilets, including inlet valve spring, inlet lever seal, backwater check (joker) valve, piston ring and "O" ring, flap valve, and marine head lubricant.
Maintenance parts are manufactured to strict standards to ensure that they meet or exceed the quality of original equipment.

Do I want to rebuild this thing or just replace it with new? If so, model recommendations appreciated.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

W-C bronze "thrones"--Winner, Skipper, Imperial and Junior--were built to last 100 years...they're definitely worth rebuilding and maintaining. The only question is, are the parts needed to free up the pump HANDLE included in the PUMP rebuild kit. I have the exploded drawing and parts list and can email it to you if you need one.

Interesting that kit includes "head lubricant," 'cuz these toilets in the days when they were built didn't have any rubber parts in the pump...those parts were leather. Leather soaks up oil...which is the reason why the practice of putting vegetable or mineral oil down the toilet to lube it got started. However, rubber doesn't absorb oil, so putting oil in the toilet doesn't work very well in modern toilets. But because oil was used for decades, people continued using it without knowing why it worked on old toilets but just washes out of modern toilets in a few flushes. So unless these are newly mfr'd kits that have replaced leathers with rubber, a tablespoon of Mazola 2-3x a year is all the "head lube" these toilets will ever need. You might even try a little to see if it'll free up the pump handle.

 

[JHoward]

Peggy
It also had a small leak at the water inlet pedal. Give the Mazola treatment a try before I rebuild or replace it?
I used to call myself Cap'n Grumpy, but since my old shipmate and I moved on, I am much happier. You gave us a lot of good advice back then and I had your book too. I should get another copy. Good to hear from you.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

The water inlet pedal needs a gasket or other seal that's most likely in the rebuild kit...so I don't think Mazola will help that. It's a wonderful toilet...price was over $800 when it was discontinued...the Groco Model K for about $1100 is the only thing close to it that's still being built in the US. So a $110-120 rebuild kit for less than the price of a "disposable" Jabsco is definitely worth it IMO. Worst case, you should be able sell the toilet for more than the price of the kit.

I've pretty much retired from active net participation, but find myself between projects right now and it's been too rainy for golf or tennis...so I haven't been able to resist sticking my nose back in again.

 

[JHoward]

Bronze Thrones

Peggy - Please email the exploded drawing to: jhhuonder@hotmail.com and thanks for the help. I just got married on Friday last to my boat partner, Mary Jo. We'll need that toilet in good working order.

W-C bronze "thrones"--Winner, Skipper, Imperial and Junior--were built to last 100 years...they're definitely worth rebuilding and maintaining. The only question is, are the parts needed to free up the pump HANDLE included in the PUMP rebuild kit. I have the exploded drawing and parts list and can email it to you if you need one.

Interesting that kit includes "head lubricant," 'cuz these toilets in the days when they were built didn't have any rubber parts in the pump...those parts were leather. Leather soaks up oil...which is the reason why the practice of putting vegetable or mineral oil down the toilet to lube it got started. However, rubber doesn't absorb oil, so putting oil in the toilet doesn't work very well in modern toilets. But because oil was used for decades, people continued using it without knowing why it worked on old toilets but just washes out of modern toilets in a few flushes. So unless these are newly mfr'd kits that have replaced leathers with rubber, a tablespoon of Mazola 2-3x a year is all the "head lube" these toilets will ever need. You might even try a little to see if it'll free up the pump handle.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Stand by for incoming email...and congratulations to you and your new bride!

 

[geek_guy]

We just went through the same mental exercise. The water inlet was leaking. I tried to tighten and it was frozen. Finally got both the pump handle and the inlet pedal moved so I could try and tighten the water inlet by the pedal.

I believe that these are really great long lasting toilets. However you can replace with a cheaper model for nearly the same price as the rebuild kit. Rebuild kit for my SKipper was 142 plus tax and shipping. New West Marine was on sale for 159. There are some things that are awfully nice to be new. For my first mate this was one.

Besides I worked on the leak and handles for longer than it took to replace the entire unit. When the disposable one is to disposable time, I think it may again be a happy fresh new one.

 

[JHoward]

Just installed new Jabsco compact, manual, now it wont flush, clear the bowl, handle hard to0 push. Where is the vent on the 37C ?