Pleased to report I survived the 2018 replacement of the Joker valve. I have to say I felt a bit like a proctologist approaching the head with a tube of SuperLube and nitrile gloves.
I first flushed a couple of gallons of fresh water down the bowl. Then I took the boat over to the pump out and sucked what ever was in the holding tank out. More water like a vet giving a horse an enema. Water in suck it out, water in the vent hole suck it out. Fortunately I was at the pumpout station early and no boats in line. Finally when I saw clear water being suck out I decided I could call it quits.
Then back to the slip where I approached the bowl. I had all my tools #11 box wrench for the 4 pump base screws and two #14 wrench’s for the joker valve housing. I had a strainer in the sink basin. And back up tool box in case I got into a bind.
I chose to replace the joker valve first. I had called Peggie and she said “it really doesn't matter.”
It was easier to get too and I did not want to have lube on my gloves till I had to.
You need to get friendly with the bowl. Like back in college when she became you best friend after your first drinking experience. My Rartain PHII has a plastic skirt at the base. You need to remove the skirt. Velcro is used to hold the two ends together. Kind of like the hooks on your girl friend’s bra, you get your fingers on both ends and gently bend and twist the two pieces apart. You hear the Velcro unzipping. And you smile.
Next I got into position over the bowl and removed the 2 nuts and bolts of the joker valve fitting on the main exit hose at the back of the toilet. Easy stuff. 2 wrench’s righty tightie lefty loosey. The bolts came out. Placed them on the paper towel on the sink counter. Opened up the fitting and the old joker valve popped right out. When I examined it it gave me it’s smile. The valve was shot. Probably why a little water would seep back into the bowl. Ok bad stuf goes into the trash, New valve inserted. Flap vertical. ( I read that in Peggie’s book) Reverse the procedure. Tighten the bolts. Throw up your hands and yell Whaaaa Hoooo. No longer a Joker Valve virgin. That part is not a difficult task, as Peggie reminded me. And It needs to be done “Once a year”.
Now for the pump lube. 4 screws with hidden nuts. I grab my favorite straight slot screwdriver and #11 box wrench. Lean down on the bowl cover back two screws first. I was lucky I could hold the screw driver with one hand and move the wrench a quarter turn. I would have used a ratchet but there was no room around the nuts. 2 screws and nuts removed. Placed on the paper towel. Lean back stretch, now the 2 front screws. These were easy. Placed on the paper towel. 4 screws 4 nuts.
Lift the pump up off the base a bit. Grab the SuperLube, stuff it up under the pump and give it a squeeze. This being my first time, I just had to reach up there and explore. You guessed it lube was everywhere. I think I squeezed too hard. Oh well in for a penny in for a pound. I smooched the lube in and around inside the pump. While at it cleaned off the grit and lubed the bottom valve of the pump.
I grabbed the extra paper towels and tried to clean up. I got to say lube got everywhere, and I was being careful. Probably should have tossed the gloves and got new, but I was almost finished and things were going smoothly. So I wiped my hands and the area, then grabbed my trusty screw driver and reached for the 2 back screws. (There are all the same size) The screws slipped right into the upper and lower holes after I nudged the pump a bit to align the holes. Next I reached for the nuts... Remember the strainer in the sink basin? One of those little nuts squirted out of by lubed gloved fingers and dove right into the sink trying to escape. HA HA not this time. Mister Strainer caught it and a run to the chandler was averted. Once the nuts were on the screws it was a simple matter to snug them up finger tight. I then inserted and snugged up the front 2 screws. I then tightened all of them just medium. I’ll watch and if needed snug them up again should I see a leak.
Added some fresh water and see if it works. Waaaa Hooo. Success.
Only issue I’m not sure if my trusty straight slot screw driver will speak to me for a while. It appears I slopped some lube on the handle. It was a bear trying to hold the handle and tighten the nuts. That Lube is slippery stuff.
All said it took about an hour. I’m sure I can get that down closer to 30 minutes. It is a job you need to do. Do it now. Nothing says loving like a smell free functioning toilet for the Admiral.
