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lotto38's avatar
lotto38
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017

Black Water waste valve leaking

My black water waste valve is leaking. I cleaned the slide and still leaks a little. What else can I do besides putting on new plumbing
  • Well, you can try spraying silicon lube on the seals, but really, its just borrowed time.

    It's not that big of a job, its only 4 bolts, some gloves and a $20 wastegate.
  • lotto38 wrote:
    My black water waste valve is leaking. I cleaned the slide and still leaks a little. What else can I do besides putting on new plumbing


    Once they start leaking, you have no choice but to replace the valve/gate assembly.

    Typically not a big or hard job, but in some cases it is made difficult when in it is in a "bay" or the underside is enclosed.

    Four bolts is all that holds the valve assembly, but pretty much in every case you will have to separate the grey valve in order to be able to get the black valve out.. So, you may as well get a new black and grey valve and change both.

    New valves come with four bolts, new gates and seals.

    One good piece of advice I have seen is when reinstalling, use some Vaseline grease (I would suggest using a silicone grease which is used for lubricating water valves might be better since it won't attack the rubber) to "stick" the seals in place on the flanges of the pipes.
  • Mine kept leaking even after replacing the valve blade.

    Come to to find out that there were hair line cracks around the bolt openings that you really could not see unless you really got under there up close to look.

    These hairline cracks would let it leak and it would run down and make it appear that it was the valve blade.:R

    RV repair guy says he sees that all the time since the sewer lines coming out are free hanging and bounce around while traveling causing the hairline cracks around where the bolts go in.

    When he went to take the valve blade out again the bolt opening actually cracked in his hands!

    Had to cut and make a new sewer connection fix to add the new bolt holder, because that is a straight line pipe to tank. So check your bolt holes for hairline cracks regularly!

    Never a dull moment RV'ing. :(

  • Look closely at a brand new Valterra valve and you might see the cracks at the bolt holes.

    I had a brand new twist on Valterra valve that I carried for emergency sewer problems and it was useless because it fit too loosely.

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