[Zanshin]

I've got one electric head mount that I'm replacing and the Jabsco O-ring is a just a bit bigger than the groove it fits into. I cannot get it to stay in place and seat, as I have to turn the assembly upside down to get it into the space where I mount it. I've tried heavy grease and Vaseline to get it to stick, but to no avail. I'm getting quite frustrated as I've spent a over and hour of contorted position trying to get this simple replacement done. I've gotten half of the O-ring seated and partially mounted then tried to push a very thin watchmaker's screwdriver into the crack to seat the O-ring but regardless of what I try another part unseats itself!

Is there some semi-permanent adhesive that I can use here? Or some other thing I can try? The groove is, unfortunately, straight and not concave to allow pressure fitting. The O-Ring size that I'm using is correct, it has the same diameter as the old one which I'm replacing. The old one doesn't want to go into the groove, either!

 

[Quickstep192]

I’ve used a swimming pool product called Magic Lube that helps with pesky o-rings.

It’s hard to tell from the picture the parts that go together and are sealed by the o-ring.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Did you put the correct photo up?

 

[Quickstep192]

I only see this picture. Do I have the parts labeled correctly?

 

[Zanshin]

Oops, I did select the wrong picture, but the parts are as @Quickstep192 labelled them. The other face where the slot seats is part of the toilet itself and is bolted in place.

I finally got it seated by using Scotch-tape to seat the O-ring and keep it in place, then mounted the whole assembly and lightly tightened the bolts by hand. Then I eased the tape out and the O-ring remained seated. Then I tightened and tested for leaks. Success There had been one iron part that had corroded, and the corrosion on the electric motor is, luckily, only superficial and did not penetrate into the housing.

 

[Quickstep192]

I’m glad it worked out. Ain’t it great when something is difficult to do to begin with and then on top of that it is in a confined space?!?

 

[SanderO]

Regardless the corrosion is troubling.

 

[Zanshin]

@SanderO - no, it is not troubling to me. I know what caused it, have fixed the problem and determined that it is only surface corrosion to the housing on the electric pump. The corrosion has been scraped/sanded off the housing and painted over.

 

[Steve Bateman]

Wonderful design LOL grease worked for me.