New Jabsco Head Not Working

[puffcard]

Not certain why anyone would rebuild a Jabsco head pump, when you can buy new complete pumps for $50-$60. I keep one on-board ready to drop in. Very quick and clean change out. My time and dignity is worth more than saving $10.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by puffcard

Not certain why anyone would rebuild a Jabsco head pump, when you can buy new complete pumps for $50-$60. I keep one on-board ready to drop in. Very quick and clean change out. My time and dignity is worth more than saving $10.

Might be just me, but I hate to add unnecessary plastic garbage to land fill. If a few rubber gaskets can fix it, I am happy.
Us Brits have little dignity [emoji3]

[cnsutter]

As an update, it is not the lever. I fiddled with it for a while, pushing it over to dry about as hard as I dare while pumping. Also eventually took the top cover off to inspect and the top gasket and everything seems to be in place and function properly.

I also removed the discharge hose and it still does not pump. So at this point it has to either be the joker valve or base valve. I am definitely not happy that I am completely disassembling a brand new toilet.

By the way, Xylem is not returning contact request from the website and the phone number listed on the website does not work. Does anyone have any accurate contact info for the company????

[peghall]

I also removed the discharge hose and it still does not pump. So at this point it has to either be the joker valve or base valve.

It's neither one. Why would you want to take a brand new toilet, still under warranty, apart to repair it. Return it for one that works!

By the way, Xylem is not returning contact request from the website and the phone number listed on the website does not work. Does anyone have any accurate contact info for the company????

Try 978-282-5246 That's the direct line to Paul Campagna, their toilet tech support guy.

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[1Sunseeker]

On mine I have to hold the dry lever over as far as it will go. I must continue to hold the lever over hard while pumping or it will not work.

[cnsutter]

Problem solved. I received a new pump assembly from the manufacturer. When I removed the old one the base valve was bad. Instead of being cut most of the way around like a flap, it was solid. New parts installed and it works great.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by cnsutter

Problem solved. I received a new pump assembly from the manufacturer. When I removed the old one the base valve was bad. Instead of being cut most of the way around like a flap, it was solid. New parts installed and it works great.

That's a new one for me. It certainly explains why the piston wanted to go back down when you pulled it up. I would have bet the problem was with the intake valves.

[mestrezat]

I've read all the posts from here to eternity about putting oil down my Jabsco and I've done so for years. Sometimes the pump handle moves easily and sometimes it a real bugger. I also read that the "approved" lube for it was "Super Lube". Decided to just take it apart and lube the inside of the pump tube. Took out the six screws and took out the pump assembly. Got a nice fingerfull of grease and coated the inside as far as my finger would go. Also put some on the "O" ring. Put it all back together and started pumping. Worked great but it would no longer pump the water(yucky stuff) out of the bowl. The shaft just went up and down(nice and smoothly though). OK, took it apart and put in a new rubber "O" ring(part #30 on the schematic). Lubed it as well and again, put everything back together again. Pumps water into the bowl very nicely but getting it all out is still a problem. Sometimes the pump seals enough to force the water out and sometimes not(but it sure goes up and down real nice). When I fill the bowl, it will pump most of the water out till it gets down the the narrow section at the base of the bowl and then it tries to squirt water back up out of the bowl(yuck).
Any suggestions? At least when it was hard to pump, it pumped everything out. Now that it pumps easily, it doesn't want to do it any where near as well.

[peghall]

I'm guessing it's time for a new pump...sticking your finger down in it most likely has some things out of alignment and the seals and o-rings are worn enough that it needs rebuilding anyway. A new pump costs about the same as a kit... and it's a lot easier to swap out a pump than it is to take one apart. When that one needs lubrication, just open up the pump and stick the nozzle on the SuperLube tube into it and give it healthy squirt--about a tablespoon. Then pump a few times to spread it all over the inside of the pump cylinder.

I'd also check your toilet discharge hose for sea water mineral buildup...in warm waters it can reduce the diameter of the hose to less than 1/2" in a very short time.

I just noticed you've just joined our merry little band...welcome aboard!

Peggie

"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[mestrezat]

All I did was take out the six screws and slowly pull out the plunger. Take my finger with the SuperLube on it and wipe it around the top three inches or so of the tube. No internal parts were moved or disturbed. When that didn't seem to aid in the pumping, I changed out O ring on the plunger and dabbed it with a bit of the Super Lube and reassembled. Goes up and down real easy but replacing the O ring didn't seem to make a difference, other than the ease of pumping.
As for the water. I'm tapped into my fresh water system so I don't get blockages.
Being in Curaçao, it might be diddicult finding a replacement pump assembly.

[peghall]

As for the water. I'm tapped into my fresh water system so I don't get blockages.

Every toilet mfr specifically warns against connecting any sea water toilet to the fresh water plumbing in their installation instructions because bacteria can migrate into it from the bowl. Just sayin....


Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[1Sunseeker]

Humm, I always rinse my Jabsco with fresh water after use. My theory is to rid it of salt etc. Then a squirt of the cheapest cooking oil I can find to keep it lubed. The last one lasted 15 years and then quit so I just tossed it and bought another. It was pretty cheap I felt.