Thetford flush valve leak

[66Overlander]

We got the water hooked up on our '66 Overlander this weekend so we could check for leaks and verify how bad the water valve leak was (the PO told us about it before we bought the trailer). Well, I think more water may be leaking from the water valve (the valve that controls the fresh water that is used to flush the toilet) below the toilet than is actually making it into the toilet bowl. In fact the water sprays the rear compartment pretty good during a flush. I've got to do something about this.

The label on the toilet reads "Thetford 01945 Slide-O-Matic, Ser. No. 13988, WPOA Approved T1268". Well that's what the label on the metal plate that the valve is attached to reads, in any case. There is writing on the valve itself, but I forgot to copy it down. The valve appears to be rivited to the metal plate and the plate appears to be screwed up to the Porcelain bowl with at least 4 screws and bolted to the main dump valve body with at least 2 bolts. I wish I had a digital camera so I didn't have to try to describe this so accuarately.

Are replacement water valves for this type of toilet available anywhere? If so, how hard is it to get this toilet apart and replace it? Remember that this toilet is bolted up underneath the fiberglass toilet surround, so you can't just take off one thing at a time and lift it out of the way.

If I could get some other sort of water valve I might be able to find a way to plumb it in if I had to.

Or I guess as a last resort I could perhaps try to clean off all the grease and try JB weld or something to seal the leak. Do you think this might work?. I say last resort, because if it didn't I think that stuff would be pretty hard to remove.

Anyway, thanks again in advance. Just getting this trailer going again has become a bigger adventure than we may have bargained for. All problems are solvable, I'm sure, but every day seems like two steps back and maybe occasionally one step forward.

Joe

[AYRSTRM2]

Joe,

we too just bought a '66, though a Safari. I do not know about the toilet leak but I wanted to tell you that we are experiencing the same "adventure" you are. It is taking us longer to get it up to speed too.

We knew that the kitchen faucet (original) leaked. I know how to replace faucets, so I dove right in. First problem: Really difficult to reach nuts on the faucet, I spent an hour just to get those off. I buy the faucet, and get it home to discover that the flared copper doesn't just fit on the faucet. Back to the hardware store for fittings. Now I have to cut the flares off! This means the sink has to come out. But I can't get the channel locks to the nut on the drain to disconnet it from the solidly glued up PVC drain pipe. So back to the store for a drain wrench, which has tooth on it and so I grind it down. And then the nuts are STUCK. I give up and hacksaw the PVC. So now I need to rebuild the PVC drain. I at least can now get the faucets attached. I cut the flares off and attached to the compression fittings to the faucet. I attach the pipes, tighten every thing up, step back and realize that due to my inexperience with flared fitting I let the tubes slip out. Now the fittings are done for and I need new ones. I go to the hardware store, buy the PVC pipe to rebuild the drain and get new fittings. (BTW, this was Do It Best store and they had RV supplies, including a Thetford adapter for the waste drain) I go home, get the faucets hooked up and working. I then start cutting and fitting the PVC and everything is good. I open my PVC cement and it's dried up!!!! By this time it was too late to go back to the store, so I'm hitting Home Depot tonite on the way home tonite.

And in the middle of all of this, we discover that not only is the water pump not hooked up, but that it doesn't work. And the floor immediately underneath is rotten.

So, Joe, what you are experiencing, sounds about right! Let me know if you need any advice, since we have the same systems.

John

[53flyingcloud]

Joe,
The valve could just be "by-passed"..if it's the one I think it is..
Is your valve located up under the toilet seat lid, as part of the lid's hinge assembly?
If it is, then there's almost no way to replace it other than to by-pass it.
In order to do that, you'll need to take the toilet out completely and, then install a tubing to go around it, secure with stainless steel clamps~~
Did this on mine three yrs ago and, it has worked perfectly ever since.
No pictures to show...sorry~
ciao
53FC

[66Overlander]

53FC,
Nope my valve is not up under the rim. It's on a plate right above the slide valve that dumps the bowl. So I can see it and reach it and the lines going to and from it very easily, but I don't see a way to remove the valve without totaly dissasembling the toilet, athough disconnecting the lines should be pretty easy. A check of the Vintage Airstream Club Archives last night netted the information that there are no replacements for this valve. Because of the under surround mounting toilet mounting in the '66, replacing the entire toilet is not an attarctive solution either.

My options appear to be either to just disconnect it and rely on the sprayer (when I get it rebuilt, hooked back up and working this may be the short term solution) or "engineer" in a new valve and somehow tie it into the foot pedal linkage. Does anyone what type of valve I could use for a replacement (ball valve?)? I probably need one that is meant to be frequently cycled. I think with a little effort (well maybe more than a little effort) I could get the foot pedal linkage to move a new valve and thus "bypass" the existing valve. Was this what you meant by "bypass".

Joe

[66Overlander]

Just thought I'd let all the '64 to '66 owners out there know that it is possible to replace the original brass "water valve" on their original Thetford Slide-O-Matic toilet without removing it from the coach or really disassembling much of it. This is important because this toilet mounts under the fiberglass surround.

Our valve was leaking profusely around the shaft going into the valve. The original valve was labelled ' 1/2" Salisbury Brass Body Teflon Seats ' and has some other hard to make out "fine print" on it. A direct replacement is no longer available.

I was able to purchase a Thetford Part No 09868 Water Valve Replacement Package, which is designed for the Aqua Magic SL & SH Starlite, GL & GH Galaxy, and CL & CH Constellation toilets. The plastic valve bolts right in place of the original brass valve (hard but possible to do without removing or diassembling the toilet) with the addition of a couple of readily available pipe fittings. I did have to modify the original actuating lever slightly because the diameter of the shaft on the new valve is smaller than the diameter of the shaft on the original valve. I should note that I also had to cut the original copper lines and connect it using some 1/2" ID high pressure hose and hose clamps.

It seems to work great on a couple of "test flushes" so far, but won't get an official workout until next weekend.

Should anyone want more detailed information of what I did, feel free to PM me.

Joe

[technautica]

Originally Posted by 66Overlander

Just thought I'd let all the '64 to '66 owners out there know that it is possible to replace the original brass "water valve" on their original Thetford Slide-O-Matic toilet without removing it from the coach or really disassembling much of it. This is important because this toilet mounts under the fiberglass surround.

Our valve was leaking profusely around the shaft going into the valve. The original valve was labelled ' 1/2" Salisbury Brass Body Teflon Seats ' and has some other hard to make out "fine print" on it. A direct replacement is no longer available.

I was able to purchase a Thetford Part No 09868 Water Valve Replacement Package, which is designed for the Aqua Magic SL & SH Starlite, GL & GH Galaxy, and CL & CH Constellation toilets. The plastic valve bolts right in place of the original brass valve (hard but possible to do without removing or diassembling the toilet) with the addition of a couple of readily available pipe fittings. I did have to modify the original actuating lever slightly because the diameter of the shaft on the new valve is smaller than the diameter of the shaft on the original valve. I should note that I also had to cut the original copper lines and connect it using some 1/2" ID high pressure hose and hose clamps.

It seems to work great on a couple of "test flushes" so far, but won't get an official workout until next weekend.

Should anyone want more detailed information of what I did, feel free to PM me.

Joe

HI Joe:
Great post. I have just removed toilet from my trailer as the preliminary move to replace rotted plywood floor. I expect the floor rotted out because of a leaking toilet, so I am very interested in your info. Were you able to get info on other replacement parts for this toilet? The whole lower body of my toilet is in pretty bad shape, but if possible I would like to retain slide-o-matic. If you had to do floor work and have any strategies I'd be very interested. Thanks James

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by technautica

. . . Were you able to get info on other replacement parts for this toilet? . . . If you had to do floor work and have any strategies I'd be very interested. Thanks James

James,
No, I didn't remove the toilet from the trailer as that looked like a major project with the toilet mounted under the fiberglass surround. All I did was remove the water valve from the toilet (a bit of a job) and replaced it with the new plastic valve. I had to buy some plumbing fittings (elbows, etc.) at a hardware store to make this work, but it wasn't too hard. The hardest part was modifying the original lever arm to fit on the smaller shaft new valve.

I actually didn't get an info on how to replace the valve with a later model from anyone. I just went to the RV parts store and looked around, bought what I thought might work, and improvised. This summer/fall we camped for over 4 weeks on the replaced valve and all is working fine.

Our trailer does have some floor rot along the rear of the toilet compartment (due to rear end separation as far as I can tell). It has not progressed to where the toilet mounts. When I have eventually get this area dry I intend to use a marine epoxy to "restore" integrity to the rotted floor. If you seach on "floor rot" "or "epoxy" on this site, you'll get some hits that explain what type of epoxy to get and how to apply it to a rotted floor.

I hope this helps. Good Luck!

Joe

[AirHeadsRus]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I would just continue this one. My
Thetford Traveler toilet water valve is leaking from the top of the brass stem post. Right now it is just a drip only when the water is on. I can use the ball valve to cut the water off at the toilet so it does not cause big trouble but it is something I need to fix.
Has anyone replaced one of these? It looks like you may be able to unscrew the bottom and slide out the stem. I hope they have a kit or something to put back in.
I have an Airstream dealer close by and may be able to get the part from them.
Thanks,
Joe

[AirHeadsRus]

Found the part at J D Sanders in Alachua, FL. It is made by Dometic and called SeaLand Water Valve part # 385314349 if anyone else has this problem. Took out the two screws and disconnected the water supplies and screwed the new one in. Very easy but cost $45.00.

[ALANSD]

I'm adding to thsi older thread..is this the valve that was repaired? Mine is a 66 Overlander with the Thetford under the surround model too. It is dripping some water at the box where the screws are ...

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

I'm adding to thsi older thread..is this the valve that was repaired? Mine is a 66 Overlander with the Thetford under the surround model too. It is dripping some water at the box where the screws are ...

Hi ALANSD,
Your photo is not looking too familiar to me, but then we sold our '66 Overlander back in late 2004 or early 2005. As I remember it, the flush valve was out in the open in the curbside of the toilet, connected to the foot pedal with a linkage. Unfortunately I don;t have any photos of how mine looked.

Yours looks like it it is enclosed in some sort of porceline surround perhaps more on the street side of the toilet. Maybe yours has a different toilet.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

[ALANSD]

thanks Joe, I will check the model number and post it for anyone who can advise.

[chief5725]

Help! I'm new and I have toilet troubles too! My 73' Sovereign started leaking after I got it to SC from Fla. I pulled the toilet from the floor and found a wax ring like the ones you use for a house toilet under it. Is this normal? Oh......I'm sorry. I fogot to introduce myself. I am Mark Two Blades Williams from Lexington, SC. Am I in the right place for this?

Two Blades

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by chief5725

Help! I'm new and I have toilet troubles too! My 73' Sovereign started leaking after I got it to SC from Fla. I pulled the toilet from the floor and found a wax ring like the ones you use for a house toilet under it. Is this normal? Oh......I'm sorry. I fogot to introduce myself. I am Mark Two Blades Williams from Lexington, SC. Am I in the right place for this?

Two Blades

Hi Mark,
I can't speak for 1973 exactly, but I have had the toilet out of our '94. It seems but then (and likely by 1973, too) there is a foam rubber donut that is used to seal the toilet to the "closet flange" on the floor, not a typical house toilet wax ring. Those foam donuts are available anywhere that RV toilet repair parts can be found. They are often included in repair kits with other parts such a flush valves, but I think they can be purchased separately.

[chief5725]

Hi Joe. Thanks for the info. I have an RV dealer up the road and I will look at the foam ring again. I just did not know to trust him or not. His place is "John's RV and Campers" on hwy #6 & I-20 in Lexington, SC. If anyone knows of him can he be trusted? I see you have a number of A/S. I love older things because the were made in the USE with PRIDE. Which one do you like best?

Two Blades

[chief5725]

Thanks Joe. I will check to see what the dealer up the road has. How can you tell if a dealer is truthful or not BEFORE dealing with them?

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by chief5725

Thanks Joe. I will check to see what the dealer up the road has. How can you tell if a dealer is truthful or not BEFORE dealing with them?

Other than asking for others opinions if you can find someone who can offer one, you just have to trust your own instincts.

Regarding the foam ring, I think they are pretty standard, so I suspect that any brand would work, but Thetford and Sealand are the typical brands these days.

A couple of pointers:

1. When you reinstall the toilet, if the base is plastic and the bowl will not hold water, try loosening the hold down nuts a little. It is OK if the toilet rocks a little. Overtighening the hold down nuts warps the plastic base and can make it leak worse. Loosening the nuts a little may slow or stop the water leaking out of the bowl. This worked for me on my '94.
2. If you are seeing leaking water on the floor, it is very likely something else, not the foam/wax ring that is leaking. It could be the flush valve that turns the water on when you step on the foot pedal. Or is could be a hose fitting - I've personally dealt with both.

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by chief5725

I see you have a number of A/S. I love older things because the were made in the USE with PRIDE. Which one do you like best?

Hi Mark,
I missed this comment last time. I like them all for different reasons. I really do not have a favorite.

The '55 is my restoration project - 2.5 years into a planned 2 year restoration, with at least 2 years yet to go. The intent is to use it for local rallies when finally finished.

The '63 was going to be the next restoration project but will probably go up for sale soon because at the rate the '55 is going, I won't be able to start on the '63 for years.

The '94 is our "usable" trailer. It has a great floor plan for extended trips for us.