self priming?

[steve]

i tried to search, since i am certain this question has been asked before, but since i came up empty handed, here's my dilemna. everything seemed fine when i put the boat away last winter. today, i seem to hae a problem with my groco msd. in the dry flush position, the pump handle evacuates whatever is in the bowl just fine. however, in the "take in water" mode, no water is drawn into the bowl. I checked to be sure i had the seacock open (i did). before i start tearing things apart, i thought i would check with the expert to give me some ideas of what to try first, second, etc. do these pumps lose their prime? might it simply need lubrication or replacement of seals? any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

If the pump can't prime, it's sucking air

So check your intake hose for a split in it...if that's not it, a rebuild MIGHT help 'cuz winter is hard on rubber parts, especially if there's no lubrication in the toilet to protect 'em. How old is it, and how long since it's been rebuilt (if ever)?

 

[Don]

If it is a Groco HF ......

it is probably the flapper valve on the pump assembly. It is under the retangular cover on the pump (held on with 6 screws). It is clear plastic and has an upper and lower flap. Replacement part from WM is $15 or just get an entire rebuild kit for $50. Groco heads are very simple to work on.

 

[steve]

old

i've had the boat for three years, and i have not rebuilt, and the vessel is 15 years old, so who know. sounds like a rebuild is in order. btw, if the hose had a split, wouldn't it leak water when the intake is open (if the split is below the waterline, which i think most of it would be)?

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

If it's that old...

If it's still the original toilet, it's likely to be the obsolete HE model, or possibly the even more obsolete HC. The only parts are available any more for the HC and HE are rebuild kits...no hardware parts any more. So if a rebuild kit doesn't fix it, it's toast...and you're still out the cost of the kit. Groco does offer "upgrade kits" that converts HC and HE to HF...but they're just new pump assemblies plus the adapters to make 'em fit the old base...and because they have to be special-ordered, cost as much as a whole new HF toilet off the shelf from WM, B/US etc.Manual toilets in that price range only have an average lifespan of less than 10 years--and they typically only last that long if they're meticulously maintained. So if yours IS original, it's been living on borrowed time for at least as long as you've owned the boat...and IMO, you're better off replacing it than trying to repair it.So your first step should be to find out what your toilet is: HC, HE, or HF. And the only way to do that is by calling Groco--preferably with the toilet in front of you so you can match up identifiers while you're on the phone with 'em. Their phone number is 410-712-4242. Btw...a split in the intake hose wouldn't necessarily leak. If the pump can't pull in any water, there wouldn't be any water in it TO leak.