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Blu_Hwy_Lady · 06-14-2011, 09:28 PM

I have a stinky problem that I've done extensive troubleshooting on. My '72 Safari has had a terrible odor problem for, well....years. It started 3 years ago. Terrible sewer odor. Checked the vents. All clear. Vent directly into black tank appeared well-seated but I put a ton of caulk around it just in case there was a tiny crack I couldn't see. Lewster replaced the gasket between the toilet and the tank, thinking nasty water was sloshing up and seeping into the plywood. That didn't help. He said the slider thingy needed to be replaced since the bowl didn't hold water. He thought that might be causing the odor.

The trailer sat for nearly 2 years after I split up with the boyfriend who had a truck. New bf (great guy, great truck) and I have been taking the trailer out and, no surprise, the problem didn't magically heal during Airylle's travel sabbatical. As an experiment, I tried stuffing a damp towel in the bowl to form a tight seal to see if it really is the slider thingy, and fumes are leaking up through the bowl. Even with the bowl "sealed" the odor is still horrific. Interestingly, the stench is strongest in the back closets.

I've tried different chemicals, have looked in the tank with a flash light and there is no crud stuck in there. I've rinsed and rinsed. I've poured in bleach. I've also left the release valve open to let the tank air out. That doesn't help either. The odor starts almost immediately as soon as any water flows into the tank, which is also weird. I have not tried the ice that research on another stinking toilet thread suggested. I really don't think residual crud is the problem.

So, great Air Forums people, here is a huge mystery. HELP
Glad to be back.

DanielB · 06-14-2011, 09:32 PM

Drop the tank.

**eubank** · 06-14-2011, 09:34 PM

Check those plumbing vents to make sure they're not plugged!

Lynn

Blu_Hwy_Lady · 06-14-2011, 09:34 PM

No, nothing dead. I have checked every square inch. When the trailer is parked and the tank isn't in use, the smell goes away. Also, as I said, I have checked the vents and even ran a snake down them to make sure they were clear.

MrUKToad · 06-14-2011, 09:55 PM

For a couple of dollars you could try some RV Boss:

RV-BOSS

It may or may not do the trick but it's worth trying.

Blu_Hwy_Lady · 06-15-2011, 01:44 PM

Aren't all these tank products pretty much the same? Yeah, some say they are more "natural" than others or don't have formaldehyde or whatever. I've tried different products and they all pretty much smell and look the same.

TinLoaf · 06-15-2011, 01:55 PM

You might want to make sure your shower drain has water in the trap because maybe the smell is coming from the gray tank. You'd be surprised at how bad gray water can smell.

Blu_Hwy_Lady · 06-15-2011, 02:02 PM

Since it's a '72 it doesn't have a gray tank... the one thing I wish it did have. There's a great thread I started a number of years ago about getting kicked out of a state park in CA for using a Blue Boy.

Jammer · 06-15-2011, 02:16 PM

Have you confirmed that there are no leaks in the vent pipe, either by filling it (and the black tank) with water to the rooftop or by some other means?

xrvr · 06-15-2011, 02:21 PM

Bad batterys smell like sewage, jim

DaveFL · 06-15-2011, 05:09 PM

Ventilation was the secret for outhouses in the public parks, so it could be the culprit also. No fans in the bathroom exhausting air causing a vacuum to pull air up and out of holding tank.
Find somebody that can make a smoke bomb to place in tank and see where excess smoke goes since you can dry it out between uses.

jdalrymple · 06-15-2011, 05:17 PM

If the bowl won't hold water, I would bet the smell is coming up through the toilet from the black tank. It may also be a bad seal between the bottom of the toilet and the top of the black tank. I would pull the toilet, fix the bowl seal and re-seal the toilet to the tank.

I understand you have looked into the tank, but a short trip with some ice and laundry soap in a half full tank cant hurt.

Hope you find it!

Wabbiteer · 06-15-2011, 05:49 PM

You say you caulked the vents - I found a black plastic pipe vent had sagged and dropped beneath the roof line - gasket, was a fun-killer for previous owners for sure.

Keeping water in all the traps is essential, every time you stop when towing and after you park trailer & level it put a couple of cups of water down each drain, sinks and bath, to ensure the trap traps stack gas.

mistermcfrug · 06-15-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdalrymple

If the bowl won't hold water, I would bet the smell is coming up through the toilet from the black tank. It may also be a bad seal between the bottom of the toilet and the top of the black tank. I would pull the toilet, fix the bowl seal and re-seal the toilet to the tank.

I understand you have looked into the tank, but a short trip with some ice and laundry soap in a half full tank cant hurt.

Hope you find it!

I'm with this comment. If you've got a 40 year old trailer and the toilet has never been removed, that connection could easily be bad. If the slide is defective, personally, I'd invest in a brand new toilet before I'd spend the time myself or pay someone to take off and then put back on an old toilet.

thecatsandi · 06-15-2011, 07:58 PM

Welcome back! I had hoped to see you when I was supposed to go to 4CU Rally. The trip got cancelled to have Gall Bladder surgery. Gall Bladder surgery got cancelled to attend my Fathers Funeral.

Back to your problems.
The toilet seal to the flange may have dried out. Your vacuum relief valve for your sink may have failed. If you have an O-ring in the toilet it may have a cut or shunk.
Glad you have a new SO as well.
Happy Camping.

rebelstand · 06-15-2011, 09:04 PM

We just had this problem...two days ago. It smelled so bad I almost passed out in the bathroom or threw up.

After doing some online research, we dumped the tank containing the chemical helpers. Flushed it twice with water. Filled it 1/4 with water and dumped half a box of baking soda. Let it sit over night and the smell has almost completely gone.

We quit using our vent fan which seemed to create more of a problem. We also quit using the toilet additives.

We plan on putting more baking soda and 1/2 tank of water when we move this week. Hoping it will slosh around and help clean out the tank some more.

Not sure if this will be a "permanent fix" or not, but it is working so far.

M. Smith · 07-25-2012, 09:21 PM

Did you ever get the problem resolved? I'm having the same issue - odor is strongest in the closet and under the sink. I've cleaned, checked the vent, the seals on the pipe, the toilet tank, etc. etc.