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jeff&jess · 06-14-2006, 11:21 AM

Hello, I'm new to airstreaming, just set up house in a freshly purchased 31-ft '74 sovereign/ land yacht. (Do I call it a sovereign or a land yacht?) After about a week and a half of using our center bathroom, the flat horizontal "gate"/"door"/"valve" that opens when you flush and closes when you're done flushing does not fully close anymore. I"ve turned off the water and stuck a stiff piece of paper in there to try to sort of clean it out (the file I have on hand is too long to get into that space) to no avail. Any suggestions? It's stinky!

(Meanwhile I've put aluminum foil over the top of the bowl when not in use, while I await inspiration or assistance.)

Thanks, Jess Moore currently in El Paso TX

dwightdi · 06-14-2006, 11:39 AM

People make a tool out of a long handled screw driver and bend it 90 degrees at the end. You use the tool to dislodge the paper stuck in the slide valve recess. Go from the location that closes last into the middle to get it out.

InsideOut · 06-14-2006, 11:44 AM

Jess ~ Are you talking about the slide valve for emptying the black tank or the flapper between the toilet and the tank? We've use the coat hanger trick to clean the debris from the slide valve, but not the flapper...nothing usually gets stuck there.

Sounds like sprung spring in the flapper to me...

Shari

jeff&jess · 06-14-2006, 12:19 PM

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. First I have to either bend a screwdriver or find a wire hanger, not easy in these days of plastic hangers. Shari, I'm talking about what I can see as I look into the toilet bowl-- from toilet to tank. A thin flat piece of plastic that slides between two rubber pieces, activated by the foot-flush.

I'll let you know if it works when I get home from work tonight.

Jess

str8strm · 06-14-2006, 12:36 PM

We just had that problem with ours and a small flat blade screwdriver bent at 90 degrees did the trick. Got some small pieces of tissue out but it was enough to get it working again!

Minnie's Mate · 06-14-2006, 01:31 PM

If you are near a commercial roofing supply warehouse, ask for a "hooker".

No, really...it is a tool used in single ply membrane roofs to check the seams. (Also known as a seam inspection tool or seam tester). It is essentially an ice pick/screw driver shaft that comes to a point but is bent at a 90 degrees already. They are no more expensive than a screw driver and are already bent for you. Besides, when you pull into the truck stops and the security guard ask you if you are smuggling a hooker into the trucker's parking area in your Airstream, you can say yes!

InsideOut · 06-14-2006, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff&jess

I'm talking about what I can see as I look into the toilet bowl-- from toilet to tank. A thin flat piece of plastic that slides between two rubber pieces, activated by the foot-flush.

Yep, that's the flapper...not the slide valve which is the part for emptying the tank. Not sure the coat hanger/screwdriver will help with that. Ours needed a new spring-type device to snap the flapper closed after flushing. Before we fixed it, we had to lift up on the foot lever slightly to make sure it closed.

Shari

dwightdi · 06-14-2006, 03:54 PM

Old style johns have a swing vertically flapper valve. If the spring gets tired or the alignment gets out or the rubber seal element gets old, you will have a seal problem. Sometimes it is a little hard to get parts for an old one. New toilets use a slide valve made of plastic that swings between two rubber sealing elements. This is the one that has the paper in the slot problem. The hooker seems like the way to go but is not as long as a long screw driver so you have to stick your hand further down in the john. You need to train everybody to not be too fast with the foot valve and flush all the paper completely out of the john before closing the valve.

jeff&jess · 06-14-2006, 04:12 PM

I got a small chisel bent for me; same concept as the hooker or bent screwdriver or coat hanger. Nothing coming out. There's something large (~3/4" wide) at about 6:00 or 7:00 when directly in front of the bowl, but it feels like it could be permanent-- it's hard, does not give. I wouldn't be surprised if in our week and a half Jeff and I have not been fully flushing paper, have snapped off the foot pedal instead of letting up slowly.... An occasional component is that the water is still trickling in very slowly, too-- so the right half of the foot pedal set is still engaged as well: possibly then the spring thing Shari mentioned? There's still resistance to the pedals, though, and there is no extra lift to the foot pedal.

Hmmm.

Jess

jeff&jess · 06-14-2006, 09:25 PM

I'd like to thank the Academy, a 90-degree bent nail file, my trusty 90-degree needle-nose pliers, the bent chisel (but not much, because over the phone away on bus. Jeff said no! don't use a chisel! you may cut the gasket!), and most of all I'd like to thank my supporters at airstream forums.