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09-23-2018, 04:11 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
2001 30' Limited
Tucson
, Arizona
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 42
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Water dripping from gray tank "cover"
Hello all! We've had our 2001 Classic Limited a year in July. Noticed a water drip in the outer corner of the belly pan of the gray water tank. The hole looks deliberate as if it was drilled there. Is this normal? Is our gray tank leaking and the water accumulating and draining through this hole?
Please see pic, it's a bit distorted due to the water...
We appreciate any thoughts as we have not been able to find any information on this issue.
Thank you!
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09-23-2018, 05:56 PM
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#2
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Overkill Specialist
Commercial Member
2020 30’ Globetrotter
2014 23' International
Dadeville
, Alabama
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 4,516
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Does it drip if the gray tank is empty?
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09-23-2018, 06:21 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2000 25' Safari
Davidson County
, NC Highlands County, FL
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,493
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The metal pan is not the tank. The pan surrounds the plastic tanks, black and gray.. The metal is not designed to hold water.
The only way to know what is leaking (tank, adapters, valves, or pipe) is get access to the tank enclosure.
Two choices: cut an access hole or remove the pan.
This is what I did>
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f444...es-162941.html
__________________
Alan
2014 Silverado LTZ 1500 Crew Cab 5.3L maximum trailering package
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09-23-2018, 06:27 PM
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#4
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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^
Yes, and is it one cover for both tanks?
What I did with ours,(one cover/both tanks), when I noticed it was leaking. Drain both, let it sit until it stops dripping.
Add 1-2 gal at a time waiting 5min or so until you notice the drip again. If it starts with 5gal or less it's most likely the dump valve.
I used 3m 5200 to seal the new valve to the tank...POI WAIT until it completely cures.
Small tubes available on Amazon.
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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09-23-2018, 08:37 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1995 25' Excella
xxxxx
, xxxxxx
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,351
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Empty both the black and gray tanks. Put clean water in each. Add different color food coloring to each. Put a catch pan under drip. The water in the catch pan will tell you which is leaking.
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09-23-2018, 11:15 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Stick a white paper towel in the catch pan to make it easy to determine the color
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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09-24-2018, 01:42 AM
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#7
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2 Rivet Member
2001 30' Limited
Tucson
, Arizona
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 42
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Thank you for the information! I'm fairly confident that this leak is from the gray as the water is very clear. We are new full timers and are using potable water now and showering at the shower house, very little water is going into the gray tank. I'm more than likely going to have to take the Airstream in for this service. We will research and find a dealer with a good rep as I'm thinking this is too big a good for me!!!
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09-24-2018, 05:05 AM
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#8
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pride&Joy
Thank you for the information! I'm fairly confident that this leak is from the gray as the water is very clear. We are new full timers and are using potable water now and showering at the shower house, very little water is going into the gray tank. I'm more than likely going to have to take the Airstream in for this service. We will research and find a dealer with a good rep as I'm thinking this is too big a good for me!!!
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Be sure of the competence of the dealer you take it too...Airstream themselves screwed up ours.
They use a T-bolt clamp on the flange connection. It was overtightened which deformed the flange, eventually cracking it. 👎
I used 3m 5200 sealant on the flange which sealed w/o over tightening. 😂
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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09-24-2018, 06:03 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
League City
, Texas
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,139
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I'm not sure if you are describing the same issue we had, but the first generation of the Airstream Interstate was notorious for having the gray tank connections either crack or shear off completely, resulting in exactly the symptoms you describe. The way to tell for sure is to drop the tank shield and inspect the connections (it's easy - the tank shield unbolts from the all-thread supports that attach it to the frame). This series of blog posts here describes that process in detail, with many pics.
I've heard anecdotal reports that this type of gray tank plumbing repair costs about $2,000 - $2,500 if done by a service center. It cost us less than $100 to DIY it (plus about 6 hours of labor). My husband and I actually completed the same repair for one of our friends because we didn't want to see him get gouged at a repair shop.
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09-24-2018, 06:30 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Cedarcreek
, Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 527
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We just got our '06 25'FB back from the dealer in Springfield, MO not a week ago. She had developed a leak in the black tank last spring (same description as yours, only nasty water dripping from the weep holes in the outer cowling). They confirmed the tank was cracked.
The repair was to remove old, purchase new "blank" tank and spinweld the proper fittings (evidently can't just buy a ready to install tank for an '06 AS), then replace and test. Quoted as a 16hr job at shop rate plus materials and incidentals.
Sounds easy, however they evidently received the first tank and spinwelded all the fittings only to find out the tank didn't fit in the space. Round 2: get new tank, measure for fit, then spinweld fittings. Got hung up on one fitting that didn't fit which they had to reorder 3 times, service tech was out with family issues, yadda, yadda, yadda...
Bottom line, it was fixed properly (best we can tell to date) and the work appears to be done cleanly and professionally. It did cost an arm and a leg, as all professional AS repairs will, and it was in their hands for 3 months. I was beginning to think I could have repaired the crack with some of that magic "flex seal tape" AS seen on TV, but in the end, glad we went with the dealer repair.The Mrs is happy so therefore, so am i.
Only criticism was the lack of communication and updates from the dealership insofar as prognosis, snafus, delays, etc. The final cost was right in line with original estimate (plus new tank sensor added) and they didn't charge me for the failed attempts.
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09-24-2018, 12:40 PM
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#11
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4 Rivet Member
2000 30' Excella
Toledo
, Ohio
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 493
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pride&Joy
Hello all! We've had our 2001 Classic Limited a year in July. Noticed a water drip in the outer corner of the belly pan of the gray water tank. The hole looks deliberate as if it was drilled there. Is this normal? Is our gray tank leaking and the water accumulating and draining through this hole?
Please see pic, it's a bit distorted due to the water...
We appreciate any thoughts as we have not been able to find any information on this issue.
Thank you!
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It's an easy fix if you have the tools and don't mind laying on your back to do the repair . Takes some time and your dump valves are no doubt ready to be replaced We have a 2000 and I did it last year
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09-26-2018, 01:18 AM
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#12
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2 Rivet Member
2001 30' Limited
Tucson
, Arizona
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 42
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I will be emptying the tank soon and will check. Thank you!
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