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jornvango's avatar
jornvango
Explorer II
Nov 17, 2023

Grey tank valve replacement: am I missing something?

I noticed my grey tank valve leaking so I ordered a new one (Valterra) as I have done in the past.

When I removed the four bolts, however, I noticed that the assembly on the left (going to the opening where you hook up the sewer hose) is loose.  

I'll try to post a picture: in the picture, all the bolts are tightened, but I can simply pull the pipes apart.  The bolts are supposed to keep everything in place so I wonder if I'm missing anything?  Did the place where the bolts go break off from the RV pipe?

Thanks!

  • It looks like the flange is broken or the glue came loose for some reason. You can try cleaning and re gluing it back together or as opnspaces said cut the old flange off and glue on a new one. 

  • I took it apart.  The piece that bolts on from the left (you can see that piece in my earlier picture, bolted onto the valve from the left) is supposed to - I think - press the left pipe tight into the valve.  However, the piece simply slides of the pipe on the left.  It is not tightening anything. 

    When everything is bolted as shown in the picture, I can simply grab the valve and pull it to the right.  A gap between the valve and the left pipe opens up as shown in the picture.

    I don't know if anything fell off over time, or perhaps the piece that bolts onto the valve from the left was attached to the left pipe but broke off ... 

    Can anyone look at their grey tank valve assembly to see how the left pipe bolts onto the valve?

    Thanks

    • opnspaces's avatar
      opnspaces
      Navigator II

      It's broken. The pipe should be permanently attached to the bolted square. You'll probably have to hacksaw through the pipe at a convenient place downstream. The replace the left side broken part and ABS glue the new piece to the existing cutoff pipe with a coupler.

  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni

    it's hard to tell from the pic but something is going on, you will be able to tell more when you take it apart.