Head Refurb or Buy New?

halyardz · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2002

I''ve got an older Wilcox-Crit head on a 1980
boat. Should I go with the refurbishing kit or just buy a new replacement? It is currently working OK but am getting a bit of water from the top of the pump shaft. Those gaskets have to be tired.

Jeff_H · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-2002

If all you are getting is a little water at the pump shaft, it is cheap and easy to simply replace the packing seal. The last boat that I owned had a really basic Brydon-Boy, which was not a great head, and it was fine after 17 years, except for replacing pump shaft seals. The Wilcox Crit''s are higher quality heads and are expensive to replace with an equal quality (not that the rebuild kits are cheap).

Jeff

Starlite · #3 (**permalink**) 06-18-2002

A replacement seal for the Wil-Crit is a pretty inexpensive repair. I too, had a 30+ year old Bydon Boy, which the pump and joker were completely shot. It was $50+ for the full rebuild kit, but I found a new replacement Wil-Crit for $99. Used the opportunity to do a complete rebuild of the head (new flooring, hoses), but it turned ito quite a project.