Leaky waste tank

[Don Bradner]

Hard to explain the cracks being there, and nowhere else, otherwise. I think
that there's a good chance this particular job will not have to be repeated.

Realized my sig was missing, which is important for what vehicle is being talked
about:

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

On 8/15/2007 at 5:21 PM Terry Neal wrote:

>Don,
>
>Sounds like the tank material was maybe weakened by the tank heater over
>the years? Good to know & certainly something to check for the rest of
>us. You should be good for another 25 years now.
>
>Terry Neal
>Bozeman, MT
>82PT40 6V92TA
>74FC34 6V53T
>
>
>
>Don Bradner wrote:
>
>> Spent the day removing the tank, just tons of fun! The bottom has 3
>> major (6 inches or more) fractures in a somewhat semi-circular
>> pattern, and numerous small cracks that don't go through yet. The
>> bottom bears the slightly melted pattern of the tank heater, and all
>> of the cracks are within that area. I have never used the heaters, and
>> hope to never be in a situation where they would be called for.
>>
>> I sanded the bottom, and the local RV outfit where I removed it will
>> fiberglass the entire bottom this afternoon evening. Hope to reinstall
>> tomorrow or Friday.
>>
>> Steps in the process, for anyone who cares:
>>
>> Remove the sensor wires, disconnect the vent pipe (which is also the
>> sink drain) then remove the shroud. I don't know if all such units
>> have a rubber coupler on the vent, but that certainly makes it easy.
>>
>> Remove the rivets holding the door frame, plus 4 screws at top center
>> inside and the gas strut, then take the door and frame off. This would
>> make the shroud removal easier, but I did the shroud 2 days ago at
>> home, and just removed the door today.
>>
>> Remove the toilet. Mine is an electric Microphor, so there are 4 wires
>> going to the control unit and 8 wires from the control. I removed the
>> control and jotted down where each wire went then removed them.
>>
>> Remove wax ring and 8 screws holding the flange, then pull the pipe
>> out of the tank. It is held by a hose clamp, and after removing the
>> clamp I found that the easiest way to pop the pipe out of the fitting
>> was with a nail bar using a 2x4 for the fulcrum and to distribute the
>> force over a large enough area. Came free easily that way.
>>
>> Remove the Dupree valve. On mine there is no way to do that without
>> irreperable damage, so first thing this morning I called Stephen
>> Birtles and got a new valve body and 2 paddles (the grey needs
>> replacing) on their way - should be here Friday. I used an air
>> reciprocating saw (one of the few tools I've not found sufficient need
>> to buy, so used the RV shop's) to saw through next to the valve body
>> on the tank side, and in the elbow on the drain side.
>>
>> Remove a second piece of shroud. Couldn't get the one screw holding it
>> to budge, either before the valve was removed, or after, so used a
>> cutoff blade to get rid of it. will drill a new hole on replacement.
>>
>> Slide the tank out.
>>
>> After that I cut off the cross-pipe from the curbside about 8 inches
>> from the Tee. Everything from there out will be rebuilt with new parts
>> - Tee, street Ell, valve body, extended street Ell, and hose connector.
>>
>>
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