Cocktail Time
Well-Known Member
- Jul 9, 2007
- 1,208
- Boat Info
- 1998 400 Sundancer, Garmin 840xs GPS, Furuno Radar, B&G GPS pilot etc.
- Engines
- Cat 3116's, Westerbeke 7.6 BTD
Folks, I have a Ritchie FN-201 Navigator compass on my boat that was slowly over time losing it's fluid. It finally looked like crap and the dome was all hazy and no fluid drove me nuts. I have a GPS but still, if it's on the boat, it needs to work.
Anyway spoke to Ritchie and they would refurbish for about $179. However, the guy I spoke with suggested I do it myself. So for $12.77 it looks and functions properly. They sent me a new diaphram (the part that was leaking, dome o-ring and filler plug o-ring). The fluid was cheap and was in stock at Westmarine but you can use odorless mineral spirits too.
Tools and parts- small phillips head screwdriver, O-ring kit, Quart of Isopar L (fluid, sold at Westmarine or odorless mineral spirits) Turkey injector, a squeeze bottle or a small funnel to pour the fluid back in the filler hole, headlight polish, clean shop towels and a micro cloth.
First, you need to drain out as much fluid as possible. Drain it from the filler plug (phillips screw on side) Taking the thing apart was really simple. Start at the bottom and take out the two screws and set aside. Pop the flat circular cover off and do not mess with the compensating bars, they have flathead screw looking ends to adjust sticking out, leave them alone. Next take the screws out that hold the bowl to the diaphragm retainer. Next remove the eight screws holding the dome on. You can now pop off the dome and clean both sides as well as polish it with the headlight restorer. Reassemble in reverse order replacing the diaphragm and dome o-ring when you are re-assembling. Re-fill using the Isopar L through the filler hole and in my case an injector, but a squeeze bottle or small funnel will work too until all the air is out and replace filler o-ring and screw and you are done! Also while the dome is off, you can change light bulbs if you want, mine were fine.
I still have some polishing of the bezel or I might use some trim restorer on it, but overall an easy project.
$20
and an hour and it's like new. Here is the parts and service manual:
https://www.ritchienavigation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ritchinavigation-servicemanual.pdf
Anyway spoke to Ritchie and they would refurbish for about $179. However, the guy I spoke with suggested I do it myself. So for $12.77 it looks and functions properly. They sent me a new diaphram (the part that was leaking, dome o-ring and filler plug o-ring). The fluid was cheap and was in stock at Westmarine but you can use odorless mineral spirits too.
Tools and parts- small phillips head screwdriver, O-ring kit, Quart of Isopar L (fluid, sold at Westmarine or odorless mineral spirits) Turkey injector, a squeeze bottle or a small funnel to pour the fluid back in the filler hole, headlight polish, clean shop towels and a micro cloth.
First, you need to drain out as much fluid as possible. Drain it from the filler plug (phillips screw on side) Taking the thing apart was really simple. Start at the bottom and take out the two screws and set aside. Pop the flat circular cover off and do not mess with the compensating bars, they have flathead screw looking ends to adjust sticking out, leave them alone. Next take the screws out that hold the bowl to the diaphragm retainer. Next remove the eight screws holding the dome on. You can now pop off the dome and clean both sides as well as polish it with the headlight restorer. Reassemble in reverse order replacing the diaphragm and dome o-ring when you are re-assembling. Re-fill using the Isopar L through the filler hole and in my case an injector, but a squeeze bottle or small funnel will work too until all the air is out and replace filler o-ring and screw and you are done! Also while the dome is off, you can change light bulbs if you want, mine were fine.
I still have some polishing of the bezel or I might use some trim restorer on it, but overall an easy project.
$20
and an hour and it's like new. Here is the parts and service manual:
https://www.ritchienavigation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ritchinavigation-servicemanual.pdf
