That prolly explains your memory of the "second bit" that also needed removal after unscrewing the bottom visible bit of the 510 pin. I've found sometimes only the first part comes out, often times both come out together. You need both bits removed before the top "coil mount assembly" can be removed from the top of the deck.
Your description of the leak is consistent with something being wrong and not just some "weeping" or "condensation". I'd love to have that thing and tear it down side by side with a known working one (I have several) to see what's up. But since we cannot do that, I'm just going to throw a few general ideas at you with the hope that something makes sense to you and maybe fires an idea that you can test/check.
* Firstly liquid/juice has no business being down that center air hole or around the base pin, nor within the solid part of the lower deck - the bit that has the intake air holes and the adjustable airflow controller. That's why I think the plastic insulating ring around that center removable 510 pin ought not have any bearing on juice leaks. The juice ought be contained above the bottom edge of the glass tank - and above that "top deck", the bit with the 3 air holes immediately under the coil. IF there is juice where it ought not be, then I think something is wrong in the areas that hold the juice. A seal, an air leak or wick conducting juice badly or something along those lines.
* I've mentioned wicking before - you've re-done it several times so that ought not be the problem. But just the same, a wick touching the top deck (with the 3 air holes) WILL conduct juice down where it ought not go and will give you the leaks you describe. It's happened to me ... several times.
* A bad o-ring? I recall first breaking my new ones down and noticing the original translucent o-rings tending to "stick" to the glass tube. I've had some tear when I've removed them for that initial clean. Perhaps one of the two main o-rings on yours is damaged?
* A badly seated o-ring. The two o-rings each end of the main glass body tube are not round in cross section, but rather "L" shaped. The upright of the "L" goes up the inside of the glass tube. I do remember when doing my initial setup (tear down and properly clean everything) I found the original translucent o-rings a bit of a bugger to seat right, and it was possible to get the orientation incorrect. I found the replacement o-rings in the original kit (blue and red) seemed a better fit, better material and fought me less when installing them.
* It's always possible something is trapped where it shouldn't be - a bit of dirt under an o-ring/seal maybe?
* To much or too little wick - meaning the "right" seal isn't made in the cutouts at the base of the deck. That said, it seems to me that this atty is pretty flexible with what it will accept without issues.
* Very, very thin juice? Just wild guessing here. I use high VG. Maybe these things don't seal quite as well with very runny juice? Perhaps the wick needs to be thicker/seal tighter in those deck cutouts with thin juice? Like I said, just guessing with this one.
* I suppose it's possible there is a manufacturing fault in one part somewhere. I've currently 6 or so in daily rotation. All perfect. That's not to say you can't be unlucky though.
As you can see, wicking aside, I'm very much leaning toward a seal or air leak somewhere in the upper tank section that holds the juice.
AND I would expect you prolly have already thought of most of these things. I'm just hoping that throwing all these ideas out there might prompt an idea that helps.
GOOD LUCK with it. *fingers crossed* for you
. And then looking at both together I was thinking why is my old pin so long..... Anyway I used the pin assembly from the new tank and put it in my old tank..then the light bulb came on..and I separated the pin assembly. So i am running with the new pins in my old tank at the moment and there hasn't been a leak yet.. Once the juice is finished I will go back to old pins and see if it leaks..
