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rhwestfall
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Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 3:28 pm

Yes. DACOR is long gone....

Was gifted a pair of DACOR metal seconds (used to be paired with Olympic firsts) from a distant relative's estate. Is there hope for parts (seats in particular) to get these bodies running again? I love the old metal seconds. I have the Olympics too, but unsure what to do with them, not overly interested in them.

Thanks for any advice.
Bob

No Longer Awaiting my Kraken.....

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antique diver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 6:23 pm

rhwestfall wrote:Yes. DACOR is long gone....

Was gifted a pair of DACOR metal seconds (used to be paired with Olympic firsts) from a distant relative's estate. Is there hope for parts (seats in particular) to get these bodies running again? I love the old metal seconds. I have the Olympics too, but unsure what to do with them, not overly interested in them.

Thanks for any advice.
I still have some Dacor parts. Let us know what you need, and having photos of them might be helpful to insure getting the right things. I have schematics, so let me know if that will help you.
The older I get the better I was.

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rhwestfall
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:28 pm

here they are:
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Bob

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rhwestfall
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:31 pm

more:
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Bob

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rhwestfall
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:34 pm

I you have schematics or notes on how to disassemble, I'm curious. Getting the seat out is of importance. If I back out the adjustment nipple, how then to I get the seat out? Don't want to break something...

I found a exhaust on e-xxx (expires this evening in about two hours)
Bob

No Longer Awaiting my Kraken.....

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antique diver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 10:06 pm

rhwestfall wrote:I you have schematics or notes on how to disassemble, I'm curious. Getting the seat out is of importance. If I back out the adjustment nipple, how then to I get the seat out? Don't want to break something...

I found a exhaust on e-xxx (expires this evening in about two hours)

After removing the inlet/adjustment nipple, you can just pluck the rubber seat out with an oring pick. You may want to completely disassemble if there is any corrosion. These aren't difficult.

I'll try to get over to my building tomorrow afternoon to pick up the schematic and service info so I can get that to you. I'm pretty sure I have some good seats for those, but may not have any good exhaust valves. Shouldn't be to hard to find, and VDH may have something that will fit.

Also, I may have an exhaust Tee if you end up needing it. I'll let you know what all I find.

One looks like it may be a Pacer instead of Olympic. I could just see a glimpse of the front cover that looked different. ?
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antique diver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 10:17 pm

Bob, I just noticed that the VDH Manuals & Catalogs section has the Olympic second stage covered in the #1 manual for Dacor Dart, Olympic, etc. The Pacer second stage is covered in one of the others that mentions second stages. Looks like the same manuals and schematics that I have... so you can get started sooner. I'll still see what all I have.
The older I get the better I was.

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rhwestfall
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sat Dec 19, 2015 10:50 pm

AFAIK - They are both Olympics (I have the first stages that came with them). Both face plates have the indent for the label, but are gone... the white stuff was the remains of the sticker on the one.

These had a storied life - Honduras in the 70's, and also with Mel Fisher.....

I did get the one w/o the exhaust apart. I flipped the seat (figured it was worth a look - wasn't sure they were reversible, or that they came out) and it is like new on the back side! Need to understand how to re-assemble w/o cutting the seat. Saw the manuals, and beginning to read...

Need to secure the exhaust tee. The auction ended w/o me bidding...

exhaust valves are very supple, and I think they are okay....

This may be the simplest reg I have ever worked on... COOL!
Bob

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rhwestfall
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:47 am

update: I'm hoping its just "settling in", but it leaks ever so slightly with around 1500 psi in the tank, and (IIRC) 140 IP - using a SP MK-5 as my tuning stage. Turn the orifice/lever height in any further, and it becomes extremely hard to crack and won't purge.... The seat, although unmarked, might be hard (keep in mind, it may be 30 years old or more....

The seat stem had a single washer on it, that according to the literature is to add spring pressure on the seat. Maybe I need to source more? Maybe the spring?

Any thoughts?
Bob

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antique diver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sun Dec 20, 2015 4:51 pm

rhwestfall wrote:update: I'm hoping its just "settling in", but it leaks ever so slightly with around 1500 psi in the tank, and (IIRC) 140 IP - using a SP MK-5 as my tuning stage. Turn the orifice/lever height in any further, and it becomes extremely hard to crack and won't purge.... The seat, although unmarked, might be hard (keep in mind, it may be 30 years old or more....

The seat stem had a single washer on it, that according to the literature is to add spring pressure on the seat. Maybe I need to source more? Maybe the spring?

Any thoughts?
Probably just the rubber seat causing the problem, but look closely at the brass orifice for any damage or uneven surface. I'll go see what parts I can round up and get back to you tonight. I should have some good seats and a decent exhaust tee. Maybe more stuff like a spring and orifice, and possibly a new diaphragm.
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antique diver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Sun Dec 20, 2015 7:09 pm

Bob, I have several new Dacor rubber seats (age unknown but still feel normally pliable), and a good valve seat (threaded brass adjustable orifice device). The rubber seat in your reg has probably hardened and won't seal properly. The other cause can be a nick in the brass cone orifice. Look it over with a magnifier and also slowly run the end of your fingernail all the way around it feeling for tiny nicks. Another cause of sneaky leaks is failure to get the new seat fully inserted and perfectly flat and level in the carrier. Use finger tips and finger nails to work the seat into place to prevent damage from sharp tools. After installing a new one hold it up in good light at and angle to make sure the exposed black surface is not distorted.

Also pulled a very good exhaust tee off a later Pacer model and found that it installed just fine on the Olympic like yours. Warm them up in hot water and they go on and off easier with less chance of damage. My original Olympic tee was shot.
Dacor parts.JPG
Let me know what you need and we can probably come up with a reasonable price.
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Myxicola
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:59 pm

I just refurbished a half dozen Pacer second stages this summer, beautiful simplicity, balanced and good performance, tough too, won't let you down when you need it, good primary..as use the plastic fantastics as octo.
may do another 3-4

FossilDiver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Thu Aug 18, 2016 10:35 pm

I have a couple of the balanced Pacer 2nds, one metal and one plastic but internally they look the same. What I'm having trouble with are the seats leaking. They are the type that have a small hole in the middle for balancing. Are these seats available anywhere anywhere and if not has anyone had any luck making them from scratch? Getting a punch to make the proper size disc isn't a problem but getting a hole of the correct size and properly aligned looks like it may be a little difficult.
Btw, resurfacing them with RTV silicon makes the seats look perfect but only works for a short while before you start getting little bits of silicon with every breath. Don't ask me how I know this.

crimediver
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Fri Aug 19, 2016 9:43 am

Trident has comparable LP seats and I recall seeing some new aftermarket HP seats being offered for sale a month or two ago at Northeast Scuba Supply. That might be good to acquire some o f those.

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Bryan
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Re: Old DACOR metal seconds - life?

Fri Aug 19, 2016 11:22 am

My 2 cents on DACOR regulators
I loathe the double hose models for various reasons. The single hose Olympic and Pacer regulators were very well made, reliable and all around good pieces of equipment. DACOR chrome is 2nd to only Dave Ali's work in my opinion.
Several years ago I purchased an entire dive shop worth of DACOR parts......Spent a lot of time cataloging and putting them in the website store and in a years time I'll bet I didn't sell $50.00 worth of them but answered a gozillion questions asking why I didn't have such and such part or when would I get in Nautilus part etc etc.
Finally got tired of it and shipped all the parts out to Herman for his mad scientist laboratory of experiments.
If I thought it was worth the time and effort I'd make parts for them but the market didn't seem to support that.....This is something I'm exploring with the Healthways stuff right now.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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