I have a Hunter 356 that is not quite one year old, but the handpump on the head is squeaking and groaning. Is there some type of lubricant or service that I should do?
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
It needs lubrication
I'm surprised it needs it this soon, 'cuz factory lubrication usually lasts at least a year, sometimes two. Buy a tube of teflon grease--available from auto parts and swimming pool supply stores. Remove the top of the pump...put a healthy squirt of the grease in it...pump a few times to spread it all over the inside of the cylinder...replace the top. You're done. Should take you all of 15 minutes. This should be done on a schedule as preventive maintenance...waiting till it starts to squeak and becomes hard to pump is very hard on the seals and other rubber parts in the toilet as well as the inside of the pump cylinder. In most climates, once a year is often enough...but since you use your boat year round, better make it every 6 months.
I'm surprised it needs it this soon, 'cuz factory lubrication usually lasts at least a year, sometimes two. Buy a tube of teflon grease--available from auto parts and swimming pool supply stores. Remove the top of the pump...put a healthy squirt of the grease in it...pump a few times to spread it all over the inside of the cylinder...replace the top. You're done. Should take you all of 15 minutes. This should be done on a schedule as preventive maintenance...waiting till it starts to squeak and becomes hard to pump is very hard on the seals and other rubber parts in the toilet as well as the inside of the pump cylinder. In most climates, once a year is often enough...but since you use your boat year round, better make it every 6 months.
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Bob
Head Lube
You can buy this product at West Marine or Boater's World. We use it on our 320 and it works great.
You can buy this product at West Marine or Boater's World. We use it on our 320 and it works great.
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Anything just poured down the head
makes keeping the toilet lubricated a never-ending job 'cuz anything poured down the toilet just washes right back out again in only a few flushes. It also costs a lot less to replace the factory factory lubrication once or twice a year than it does to pour something down the toilet every couple of weeks. A tube of SuperLube is about $4 and last for several years...a quart of Head Lube, which MIGHT last a season, is $10. But...to each his own.
makes keeping the toilet lubricated a never-ending job 'cuz anything poured down the toilet just washes right back out again in only a few flushes. It also costs a lot less to replace the factory factory lubrication once or twice a year than it does to pour something down the toilet every couple of weeks. A tube of SuperLube is about $4 and last for several years...a quart of Head Lube, which MIGHT last a season, is $10. But...to each his own.
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CJ
Olive oil
On our head a 1/2 cup of olive oil poured in the bowl and pumped through takes care of the squeek in our head and it's usually on hand. I do this maybe once a year. Just don't use vegetable oil, it's properties break down the rubber seals. CJ
On our head a 1/2 cup of olive oil poured in the bowl and pumped through takes care of the squeek in our head and it's usually on hand. I do this maybe once a year. Just don't use vegetable oil, it's properties break down the rubber seals. CJ
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Half a cup???
I hate to break it to you, but that's a complete waste of 5 tablespoons of olive oil...'cuz at most only one tablespoon remains in the pump...the rest is flushed out immediately...the rest in a week or two. Once year may prevent the head from squeaking, but doesn't provide any lasting lubrication. Use olive oil if you want to, but to do any real good, you need a tablespoon every two weeks. However, eliminating the squeak is only part of the reason for keeping a toilet lubricated...the other reason is to prevent wear on the seals, o-rings, valves and the inside of the pump cylinder doubling or even tripling their life and the time between rebuilds. Olive oil, vegetable oil, Head Lube and other liquids that are just poured down a toilet are too thin to provide enough of a "cushion" between the seals, o-rings etc and the inside of the cylinder, or protect the cylinder wall from being scratched by salt, sand grit. Teflon grease, otoh, IS thick and very slow to dissolve...which is why toilet mfrs use it and so do the mfrs of swimming pool pumps...and why new toilets rarely ever need any lubrication at all for at least a year. But all I can do is advise...if you want to spend 2-3 x as much money on repair kits and replacement toilets as you need to, just avoi a 15 minute annual job, it's ok with me.
I hate to break it to you, but that's a complete waste of 5 tablespoons of olive oil...'cuz at most only one tablespoon remains in the pump...the rest is flushed out immediately...the rest in a week or two. Once year may prevent the head from squeaking, but doesn't provide any lasting lubrication. Use olive oil if you want to, but to do any real good, you need a tablespoon every two weeks. However, eliminating the squeak is only part of the reason for keeping a toilet lubricated...the other reason is to prevent wear on the seals, o-rings, valves and the inside of the pump cylinder doubling or even tripling their life and the time between rebuilds. Olive oil, vegetable oil, Head Lube and other liquids that are just poured down a toilet are too thin to provide enough of a "cushion" between the seals, o-rings etc and the inside of the cylinder, or protect the cylinder wall from being scratched by salt, sand grit. Teflon grease, otoh, IS thick and very slow to dissolve...which is why toilet mfrs use it and so do the mfrs of swimming pool pumps...and why new toilets rarely ever need any lubrication at all for at least a year. But all I can do is advise...if you want to spend 2-3 x as much money on repair kits and replacement toilets as you need to, just avoi a 15 minute annual job, it's ok with me.
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Larry W.
lube it
Mary; Pour a couple of capfuls of mineral oil ( get it at the drugstore) into the bowl, give it a few pumps and let it sit for a while. Reapply as needed.
Mary; Pour a couple of capfuls of mineral oil ( get it at the drugstore) into the bowl, give it a few pumps and let it sit for a while. Reapply as needed.
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R.W.Landau
PAY THE PIPER!
I really don't know why so many people have Quick expensive fixes for a basic maintenence problem. If you do not fix the problem, it will come back and probably cost you more in the long run. The pump needs lubed! Lube it with what the MFG recommends. They know their pumps. The short term fixes will wear on the parts and body. Then you will wonder why this thing is a piece of junk. If it is maintained properly, it will work properly and last a good life. Peggy, I do not know why these people insult your knowledge and background. It might just be that they have not read your advice for 5 years to find out that YOU are the HEAD MISTRESS! If you do it Peggie's way, you won't do it twice! r.w.landau
I really don't know why so many people have Quick expensive fixes for a basic maintenence problem. If you do not fix the problem, it will come back and probably cost you more in the long run. The pump needs lubed! Lube it with what the MFG recommends. They know their pumps. The short term fixes will wear on the parts and body. Then you will wonder why this thing is a piece of junk. If it is maintained properly, it will work properly and last a good life. Peggy, I do not know why these people insult your knowledge and background. It might just be that they have not read your advice for 5 years to find out that YOU are the HEAD MISTRESS! If you do it Peggie's way, you won't do it twice! r.w.landau
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Sean
Squeaky
I've never actually had a squeaky head pump, and I've never lubed it. But, if it squeaks I'm going to spend the $4 and do the 15 minute cure. Probably the least expensive fix I'll ever have. Thanks for the info Peggy. Sean
I've never actually had a squeaky head pump, and I've never lubed it. But, if it squeaks I'm going to spend the $4 and do the 15 minute cure. Probably the least expensive fix I'll ever have. Thanks for the info Peggy. Sean
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Tom S.
Peggy, Is there a similar alternative
at West Marine or Boat US to the Teflon Grease. I don't know of any pool stores close by.
at West Marine or Boat US to the Teflon Grease. I don't know of any pool stores close by.
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RonD
Super Lube at WM
They carry it. At my local store I found it on the isle that had all the cleaning suppplies -- go figure! Also, I found it at some NAPA Auto Parts stores. As Peggie says, this is a really simple & quick job to lube the pump properly. What a difference it makes, too! I wish all boat maintenance were that easy.
They carry it. At my local store I found it on the isle that had all the cleaning suppplies -- go figure! Also, I found it at some NAPA Auto Parts stores. As Peggie says, this is a really simple & quick job to lube the pump properly. What a difference it makes, too! I wish all boat maintenance were that easy.
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Try Walmart
Home Depot, Lowes, auto parts stores. Teflon grease should also be used to lubricate y-valves, manual diaphragm pumps, and seacocks. Don't wait till the toilet starts to squeak or the y-valve is hard to move to use it...that would be like waiting till an engine starts to smoke to add oil. Lubricating the equipment on your boat should be a part of regularly scheduled PREVENTIVE maintenance, not a cure.
Home Depot, Lowes, auto parts stores. Teflon grease should also be used to lubricate y-valves, manual diaphragm pumps, and seacocks. Don't wait till the toilet starts to squeak or the y-valve is hard to move to use it...that would be like waiting till an engine starts to smoke to add oil. Lubricating the equipment on your boat should be a part of regularly scheduled PREVENTIVE maintenance, not a cure.
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Tom
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