Squeaky Pump

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Jun 9, 2004
963
Hunter 40.5 Bayfield, WI
Peggy-
I have a Raritan PHII (new in 2005 and rebuilt in 2010) and a Jabsco (New in 2008). I get a lot of squeaking from both when pumping. I have lubed both piston shafts with teflon grease and still they squeak. Any ideas what is causing this?
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,946
- - LIttle Rock
Did you use enough?

And how did you do it?

To save a lot of typing, I'll cut to the chase...the way it SHOULD be done:

PH II: Remove the pump from the base. That should not require removing any hoses...however, it would prob'ly be a good idea to close the intake thru-hull first.

Jabsco: remove the top of the pump...be careful when you put the screws back...overtightening has been known to crack the pump cylinder.

Put a HEALTHY squirt of grease into the pump...Put the PH II back on it's base, put the top back on the Jabsco.. Pump a few times to spread it all over the inside of the pump cylinder...you're done.

A lot of people think it's the steel piston rod that needs grease...nope. Lubrication is only needed to protect things that rub against each other...the piston rod doesn't rub againsts anything. It's the things on it--seals, o-rings etc--that rub against the inside of the pump cylinder...they're what need lubrication and squeak when they don't have any.

Even more people just dab a little grease on each of the seals and o-rings...so little that it lasts almost no time. And anything thin enough to pour down the toilet--vegetable or mineral oil, or "Head Lube"--is also just gonna wash out in a few flushes. Thick teflon grease used as I described here should last all season, even two seasons.

So...where'd you go wrong? If you didn't go wrong, we need to get "HeadMaster" in here to tell use both why your PH II pump is still squeaking.
 
Feb 22, 2004
222
Hunter H340 Michigan City
Peggy
I have a Jabsco amd mine squeaks I did lube the O rings and it helps for a few uses and yep Squeak did it again and same results. Since I don't want to thought insane by doing the same over and over and expecting a different result well it squeaks.
Keith
 

DanM

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Mar 28, 2011
155
Catalina 30 Galveston Bay
I certainly won't claim to know much about marine heads but after a couple of years my Jabsco head became hard to pump. A friend recommended putting some "Super Lube" which is a synthetic, non-petroleum based PTFE lube into the intake before I took the pump apart. I pumped about a 1" ribbon of this stuff into the intake and the pump moved like new! Yesterday my pump seemed hard to pump again so I redid the 1" ribbon of Super Lube and it seems as good as new again.

When I checked my logbook I see that I put the first bit of Super Lube in the head pump in August of 2009 so it seems to last.

I mostly day sail though, so my head only gets used a few times a week.

For $5.99 a tube you might give it a shot?

DanM.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,946
- - LIttle Rock
SuperLube makes thick Teflon grease...

Which is exactly what I recommend...and what's in every toilet pump when it leaves the factory...which is why new toilets rarely need lubrication for at least a year, sometimes longer.

Keith...you said, I did lube the O rings and it helps for a few uses and yep Squeak did it again and same results. Since I don't want to thought insane by doing the same over and over and expecting a different result well it squeaks.

Which sounds like you did exactly what I described above that's the wrong way to use it: "Even more people just dab a little grease on each of the seals and o-rings...so little that it lasts almost no time." So if you don't want to do the same thing thing over again with the same result, this time put enough grease into the pump to last a while. Just stick the tube nozzle into it and give it a good healthy squirt. Too much can't hurt anything...but too little doesn't last.

Dan...you squirted it into the intake fitting instead of taking the top off the pump? That's interesting. However, it does require removing the intake hose, which can be a pain to get off AND put back. Removing the top only requires removing a few screws or loosening a hex nut.

SuperLube is the best...they make a full line of lubricants, but the only one you want is the thick grease in a tube. It comes and goes on the Ace Hardware site as they rotate their featured products, so you should be able find it in any Ace store...or you can get it from here: Super Lube source It's also the best grease for seacocks, y-valves, winches and anything that stays wet a lot...so that $5.95 tube is a good investment that should last you several years.
 
Jun 9, 2004
963
Hunter 40.5 Bayfield, WI
Peggy-
Yes, all I did was lube the piston rod-sigh. I will do it the right way this time. Thanks for your excellent help. YOu will notice I knew enough to not use the cooking oil or head lube. Something told me you would not approve.:D

Thanks again.

POTL
 
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