I have a set of replacement reserve-cap and filler-cap seals for my Svea 106, but I'm at a loss for how to remove the old ones. I had thought I could just dig them out with a sharp tool, but they're hard as rock and seem to want to remain where they are. So far I haven't resorted to brute force, because I'm hoping there's some technique that will make it easier. I've searched for threads on the subject, but so far without success. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
If hard, a pick poked into a seal should crack it, keep going around to break into pieces that can be shaken out. If still a little pliant, a couple hour soak or longer in acetone. Usually some force with a pick should start cracking them. Place cap in such a way you don't bend anything. Duane
If the seal is on a cap with no soldered parts, I use a small propane lighter to heat the rubber until it smoulders. Then use a small flat end screwdriver. Repeat. Tony
A set of hook and pick tools is valuable for this task. Second what @Tony Press said, use a bit of heat. Its amazing what just a few seconds of heating with butane torch will do to soften the rubber.
I would submerge the piece in warm oil first for one hour or so, always and when this not affect other o-rings in good shape around.
I'm trying the acetone soak suggested by Duane in #2. The seal is really hard--my hook and pick set barely scratches it. I hesitate to use heat, because a previous owner soldered a piece of chain to the cap and fastened the other end to a leg of the stove, apparently to prevent loss. It's unnecessary and I could unsolder it, but it's neatly done and part of the history of the stove, so I'm planning to leave it as is. If necessary I'll apply heat later, short of the melting temperature of solder.
And there was me thinking Victorinox made the little screwdriver on the end of the can opener on their penknives for this precise job.
I don't know how well acetone will work on rock hard rubber, works on Coleman caps where there is still slight softness. Small torch like mentioned by Tony might be your best bet, you aren't applying that much heat for very long. If the chain is to the side of the cap, you could shield that area, if attached to the top of the cap, not much chance to melt the solder. You're trying to soften the rubber enough to be able to poke something sharp into the rubber so it can be pulled out. It does take quite a bit to break the old rubber so it cracks, will be surprised. Duane
Throw my 2 bob into the ring. I use the heat method and the small sharp screwdriver method. However, if the seal is too hard it’s the heat. On small things like gland nuts which are hard to hold I’ve generally gone for heat. My fingers have thanked me after too many slips in the past.
My most used method is to use the most "hooked" pick from this set to repeatedly scribe the seal radially, until I break through. Then use the same tool to hook under the gap and snap/pull out the seal. Takes longer to describe (pun intended) than to do. Hope this helps
If it is immobile and adherent, and the scribing until split method fails, I’ve hand-drilled a 3-4 mm hole in the centre (away from sealing surfaces) and used a hook or right-angle scribe to lever out.
I pad the cap with a piece of leather, clamp it in the bench vise and use a jeweler's screwdriver as a chisel. I use a small wooden mallet to drive the chisel. As said above, once you chip out the first piece the rest breaks up and comes out easily.
Thanks for the information, everyone. Being lazy by nature, I let the reserve cap and filler cap soak in a small container of acetone for about 36 hours, and that worked extremely well. The previously petrified seals converted to something like wet, crumbly leather, and came out in big chunks with a few pokes of curved pick--no scoring or cursing needed. If only everything were this easy....
