Leaky thing replaced, new one leaks too

[chrisd37]

http://www.chrisandannette.com/Airst...5/P1010016.JPG (larger pic)

The red handled drain valve that came with the trailer was leaky, so I replaced it with the pictured one which leaks too when open for draining. It dribbles out the top and from the little spinny thing on the side too.

The only thing in common between the old one and new one is me , so what did I mess up?

Do these things melt inside if you torch them too much or something?

(I know the rubber drain tube is a bit tight on its corner there.. I will get back to that one with a copper elbow eventually..)

Thanks!

[Lumatic]

Give it a little time for the washers to seat themselves and the leak may stop. If it still leaks take off the little spinny thing and your will find a phillips head screw you can tighten a little. If that doesn't work take a wrench and remove the valve stem and replace the washers. You should not have to replace the whole leaky thing.

[eubank]

Looks like the replacement job I did once on our rig, same location.

The only problem I could find was that the replacement drain valve was of poor quality. It was the only one for sale at the hardware store.

Oh, and Made in China.

Now that whole area is made of Pex. I don't know where it was made, but at least it doesn't leak.


Lynn

[chrisd37]

I will give that screw a try thanks.

Replace the washers... are they rubber or some other material i might have melted? I could've melted the old one too. The old pressure regulator was being too effective and had to be replaced to get a pressure above zero. That caused me to torch everything there at least twice..

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by chrisd37

I will give that screw a try thanks.

Replace the washers... are they rubber or some other material i might have melted? I could've melted the old one too. The old pressure regulator was being too effective and had to be replaced to get a pressure above zero. That caused me to torch everything there at least twice..

Rubber or plastic. I imagine it is possible they were damaged by the heat. They are strictly standard hardware store issue and very cheap. Take the valve stem with you to the hardware store so you can match up the right washer.

[azflycaster]

Here is a good tip for future work:
Remove the inside pieces of the valve when you are installing it. The top piece should unscrew and all of the piece that can and will melt can be removed.

Pull it apart now and replace any of the damaged pieces.

[Kevin245]

Try tightening the packing/jam nut under the red handle.

[featherbedder]

where is valve located as I have never found setup as pic? only way I can drain tank is with water pump. I pur. 76 31 sov new in 76 my other 5 prev as 1 argosy all had tank drains I do not winterize put in heated mach shed saves lot of work and worry about freeze up thks. farmer bill

[chrisd37]

Hi farmer Bill, it is in the very rear of the trailer on the road side. It's a center bath setup that had twin beds in the rear bedroom. That stuff was all under one of the beds.

Kevin245, that part is tight. Leaks anyway.

[chrisd37]

farmer Bill here is a better pic for seeing where all that stuff is located:
http://www.chrisandannette.com/Airst...5/P2010012.JPG

It does match my service manual, so I think it's where it goes.

[SaabLover]

I think you would do well by replacing the valve seals. I always remove the the inner valve when soldering it in to keep it from burning. It should only cost a couple dollars.

By the way which Saab is that in the window? I have a 1992 900 convertible.

[Sixty3TW4US]

Number of reasons for leak, heat damage, debris under the washer, defective valve. I prefer the ball valve their maintenance free instead of the rubber washer type that need maintenance.
Good Luck!!

[chrisd37]

I'm sure I must have melted its innards. I am going to pick up another new one of these valves and stick its innards in the previous new one. If that doesn't fix it, uh...

SaabLover, too funny. I saw your name and wondered if you looked out the window of my Airstream pic. It's a 1987 turbo convertible, my other project for while I wait on Airstream parts!

Here are a few pics the day the Saab came back from getting some body work and a paint job WebForm1 and here I am suffering through installing 4 springs and 4 Bilstein HDs WebForm1 .. Next up is a Garrett T3/T4, fancy wastegate, rising rate FPR, performance fuel pump, redtop injectors, fmic, new vinyl seatcovers all around, new to me door panels and window seals etc etc etc... I got my 2nd APC in the mail the other day from Ebay.. Will be tweaking!

[chrisd37]

farmer Bill, maybe I am confused as to what sort of trailer I have? It says Sovereign on it but it also says Land Yacht. It has an "I" VIN which sounds like an International. The blue wraparound stickers claim it's an Excella. All I *know* is it's 31' with a center bath and rear twin beds, manufactured in late 1975 for model year 76.

[azflycaster]

The VIN of an Excella would start with the letter "E". The letter "I" means that it has the International trim package and since it is 31', the model is a Sovereign.

[Wayne&Sam]

Based on where you said it was leaking, it would be the packing nut and the bleeder (the gizmo on the side. Try tightening both before you replace everything. If the tightening the packing nut works and the bleeder still leaks, just take it off and replace the gasket in there. If you do replace the valve, I don't see any need for one with a bleeder.

[Lumatic]

Farmer Bill,
All Sovereigns are Land Yachts, but not all Land Yachts are Sovereigns. The Sovereign (originally named the Sovereign of The Road) was the largest AS made in the 70s. An Excella is an upscale Sovereign. So you have the top of the line model of the top trailer made at the time.

[chrisd37]

I have the top of the line model of the top trailer made at the time? Wow. It doesn't feel like it at the moment!! 2 more weeks and it should be relatively stellar, I reckon!

So, I went out and bought a new thing so I could pull its valve/innards out and stick them in the old one. It turns out, when these things are new, the valve does not want to come out no matter what. They don't seem to come apart until they are ruined. Now I recall that's why I didn't take it out when sweating on the last new one a few days ago.

SO.. The new one I bought today is threaded female. I sweated a male threaded connector to the trailer plumbing and sweated on an elbow onto a threaded male adapter for the drain side (to which I attached the rubber hose). Perfect!

Threading it on there with all that pipe being against the floor was interesting, but I got it done without busting any previous sweat joints. Yay! That area is FINALLY watertight with or without the city hose, and with or without the drain valve open.

And yessir, the last new one I sweated on a few days ago was burnt to a crisp inside. Definitely buy these things threaded if you need one.

Oh, and I did it without burning my hands or igniting my socks. Finally I get the hang of plumbing just in time to be done. Ha!

[SaabLover]

Originally Posted by chrisd37

I'm sure I must have melted its innards. I am going to pick up another new one of these valves and stick its innards in the previous new one. If that doesn't fix it, uh...

SaabLover, too funny. I saw your name and wondered if you looked out the window of my Airstream pic. It's a 1987 turbo convertible, my other project for while I wait on Airstream parts!

Here are a few pics the day the Saab came back from getting some body work and a paint job WebForm1 and here I am suffering through installing 4 springs and 4 Bilstein HDs WebForm1 .. Next up is a Garrett T3/T4, fancy wastegate, rising rate FPR, performance fuel pump, redtop injectors, fmic, new vinyl seatcovers all around, new to me door panels and window seals etc etc etc... I got my 2nd APC in the mail the other day from Ebay.. Will be tweaking!

Hey Chris,
That is one great looking C900T. I really love the color. I had a 87' 900 8V for 7 years. The body and paint were mint "Rosen quartz". I sold it to get my present one. I always wanted a vert so when I found this one in 02' with 43k on it I sold the 87'. That was when I still lived in NYC. I never drove it in the winter, not my only car. I've only been in FL for just over a year and man the sun has already destroyed the the top. I am sure it was already on it's way as it was the original. It is also in need of a paint job now but the interior is in great shape no cracks in the dash and all the seats are still in great condition. Here are some shots before I left NYC as I haven't really taken any resent pics.


This at the Brooklin Br. right after I brought set of Aero wheels. I was trying them out on the rear to see if I would get any rubbing. I did on corners and bumps. I replaced shocks wt Bilsteins and raised the rear springs slightly 2". No more rub.


Shot at the Museum of Natural History



Just a little tungue and cheak here. I didn't have a TV at this time. I brought my burb a month after getting my AS.

[grtwhthuntr]

When you are soldering/sweating joints it is comon to open the valve (pulling the rubber disc/washer up into the stem) and wrap with a wet rag, this will ensure you do not fry the valves or other items. Some places carry a heat paste that is supposed to provide a heat barrier. I'm not fond of the paste but maybe others have had better luck with it.

One day I will be amoung the elite PEX users... one day.