Jammed dump valves

[cs641]

I have a 76 Landau MH and I noticed all of my dump valves are stuck for all of the holding tanks. Any good advice on freeing them?

[SLEETH]

sounds like time for replacement=no future problems

[Elandan2]

With the most common brands, Valterra and Thetford, you have to be careful you don't pull the shaft out of the paddle inside the valve.  My suggestion for the easiest way to free them up is to remove the 4 screws around the valve and remove the paddle assembly.  Hopefully your tanks are empty, otherwise the results could be disastrous. Once they are removed, you can inspect and free them up or replace.  The Twis-Loc valves that we manufacture, do not suffer from this problem.  The valve gate and shaft assembly are one piece and it is impossible to break them inside the valve body.  In addition, our valves use a wedge shaped gate that will release as soon as it is moved.  Rick 

[cs641]

Full tank on this one, unfortunately.

[TerryH]

Should it be necessary to remove the paddle assembly while the tank is full you may want to find a friendly "honey wagon" operator and make a deal with him to pump out your black tank from inside. Let him know that the tank flange hole is 3" diameter so he has a reducer if needed.
If this is the route you go, I would suggest you unbolt but do not lift off the head before he gets there. When he arrives remove the head and have a connected garden hose handy. Pump out, fill with the hose, pump again. This should leave you with a minimal amount in the tank, far easier to deal with than when full.
Make sure you have a new toilet flange gasket on hand. They generally come with new bolts and nuts as well.
While the head is out you can clean the inside - head upside down. Most are a free fall from the bowl to the tank flange and can get nasty over time.
Best of luck, and do take a look at Rick's Twist-Loc valves.

[yellowrecve]

If the valve blade is near the outlet, spray it with silicone lube. Sometimes that is all it takes to free the blade. It's the dry side that sticks unless there is something jammed inside.

[Rickf1985]

I see you are in NY, It's not frozen is it? That will be the first thing to freeze in cold weather and it does not take long.

[yellowrecve]

Good catch. They would not all be stuck at the same time..

[Aaarrghh]

I just changed mine. I got a new one from Camping World for about 12 bucks. The whole business comes off the tank by loosening a couple clamps. The bolts were rusted real bad and had to be ground off and hammered out. Putting back together with SS bolts and nuts so next time it won't be so hard.

[M & J]

Yeah but I think his tanks are full.