Community Forums

carybosse · 05-26-2022, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noserider

Leak is into the discharge tube. Lol. Your right that does seem kinda gross!

Something about using a toothbrush and your emoji with the big smiling teeth makes it more gross.

Is the valve able to slide all the way closed? I would think that a leak internal could be because of worn seals or the valve not closing all the way, or a buildup of crud on the gate itself. Worn seals means replacement, I would think. Valve not closing all the way is probably an obstruction that the toothbrush might be able to clear.

If crud built up on the gate itself, it is probably on the upstream side, going to have to pull the valve to clean it. I found the valves to be fairly reasonably priced, I would have a spare in hand and just replace it.

noserider · 05-26-2022, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchstar411

My bad, my suggested fix was for outside the valves dripping. In your case it requires your wife with smaller hands to get to the seals within the drain. Just say you read it here on IRV2.com

LOL good luck with that!

Flyer15015 · 05-26-2022, 01:33 PM

There is a YouTube video somewhere, where a fellow drilled a hole just up from the pull handle, and squirted WD-40 in the slide. It made the blade go "home" and sealed his dripping grey water valve. He put a small screw in the hole.
Worth a try...........

Mike in Colorado

carybosse · 05-26-2022, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchstar411

My bad, my suggested fix was for outside the valves dripping. In your case it requires your wife with smaller hands to get to the seals within the drain. Just say you read it here on IRV2.com

And after he points her to this thread that described the wife taking on this task, she is going to be looking for some guy with the handle of Dutchstar411 to take his head and shove it up the drain.

If the toothbrush doesn't work, I would just figure on replacing the valve. I would run a bunch of water through all of the tanks, grey & black, before I got started, hopefully flushing the smell to a point where gagging was not an issue.

Dutch Star Don · 05-26-2022, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noserider

Leak is into the discharge tube. Lol. Your right that does seem kinda gross!

Only if you reuse the toothbrush!

If you do need to replace the vales 3" black and 1.5" grey, here is a little trick. Either take the sides of a plastic milk carton or one of those really thin plastic cutting mats and cut two squares, larger than the size of the new valve body.

Put a piece of the plastic on both sides of the valve body and then insert the assembly into place. Once it's centered, pull the plastic pieces out. This keeps you from rolling/bunching up the new seals while trying to install the valve.

PetesMH · 05-26-2022, 04:05 PM

Have you studied your valve and pipe routing? On my BSS the black tank valve is more or less accessible but the gray tank valve would be VERY difficult to replace. It is almost exactly in the dead center of the coach and facing forward. There is very little clearance and it is an impossibly long reach. During my PDI I asked the tech how it would be serviced or replaced and he said “the best way is to remove a section of the inside floor”! I THINK but am not certain it would not come to that but it’d be a close thing. I believe id live with a small leak into the drain pipe for a long time before I’d tackle the job.

noserider · 05-26-2022, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PetesMH

Have you studied your valve and pipe routing? On my BSS the black tank valve is more or less accessible but the gray tank valve would be VERY difficult to replace. It is almost exactly in the dead center of the coach and facing forward. There is very little clearance and it is an impossibly long reach. During my PDI I asked the tech how it would be serviced or replaced and he said “the best way is to remove a section of the inside floor”! I THINK but am not certain it would not come to that but it’d be a close thing. I believe id live with a small leak into the drain pipe for a long time before I’d tackle the job.

No I have not. I'll have a look over the weekend. It's in storage but not to far away.

Rev. Roy · 05-27-2022, 01:11 PM

I am sitting back getting a real chuckle at some of the comments. I have replaced several of the gate valves and have even torn one apart to "rebuild" it. It's easier to replace them. Someone told me the WD40 trick for lubricating the seals several years ago so I tried it, and haven't had to replace mine since. Someone else said you can use vegetable oil but I haven't tried that. Using a toothbrush to clean seals doesn't sound like something I could ever talk the DW into doing! She'd likely suggest what I could do with it.

redbaron73 · 05-27-2022, 02:09 PM

I have done the wd40 trick with great success. Keeps the valves freely opening and closing.

Dutchstar411 · 05-28-2022, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbaron73

I have done the wd40 trick with great success. Keeps the valves freely opening and closing.

DITTO

BCook57 · 05-30-2022, 03:17 PM

I had a small leak from the tank gate valve into the discharge pipe. It would collect maybe a pint of waste water between dumping. Quite a long distance to replace the valve. So, I simply added a second gate valve to the discharge pipe. Now, I attach the hose, then open the auxiliary valve, then open the main valve.

Works great, and no surprise when I take off the drain cap to attach the hose.

Mrtom · 05-31-2022, 03:13 PM

More than likely not the valve but rather paper stuck on the gate if the valve. Probably disassemble and clean

Dutchstar411 · 05-31-2022, 03:21 PM

For those that don't want their wife to clean it with a tooth brush, maybe this would be better... just saying...

https://www.amazon.com/CPAP-Tube-Cle...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

WVPete · 05-31-2022, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noserider

Mine have handles. I have not inspected them closely to see if there is a brand name visible.

I just replaced my black tank valve with a Valterra 3 inch valve from e-trailer.

It was not a hard job. The hardest thing is separating the two pipes after the valve is un bolted. You have to separate them to get the old valve out and the new one in. I think it took me a half hour because I was working by my self. With another person it would be easier.

Good Luck!