Sea cock maintenance

[bwasileski]

Hi.

As I'm preparing for my spring launch, the sea cocks in the head (yes, the ones for the holding tanks) have begun to get a bit stiff. Before launching I decided to take off/apart the hardware, clean and grease them. I have found them nearly impossible to remove. Not only are the quarter so tight I can barely get a wrench in the area to work but fitting are on so tight I fear damaging them in the course of trying to unscrew them from the fitting to the through hull.

I put a torch to them to try and loosen them but only got a fraction of turn. I'm concerned to heating them up for too long as the heat can damage the fiberglass and epoxy unseating the seal.

There's a hex nut shape forged on each end of the sea cock cylinder. I was wondering if anyone had found or used a socket and bar to take these off in such close quarters.

I'm looking for suggestions, thanks in advance.

-Bryan

 

[Stu Jackson]

What kind of seacocks are they?ix:

 

[xcyz]

Are you looking to only replace the seacocks or the thru-hulls along with them?

 

[Gunni]

Whoa! No heat unless you are doing a complete replacement....which you may be headed for now. There are plastic parts inside. Exercise the valve regularly, if necessary remove the hose and lube the ball with a shot of PB blaster or Boeshield.

 

[bwasileski]

I'm not looking to replace the sea cocks. The boat is a 2004 with only 5 seasons on it. I'm really just looking to service them and make them easier to open and shut. Just to be clear, these are ball valve type sea cocks. I've been told they're maintenance free but they've sure gotten stiff to open/shut over the last year or two. I just don't want to be in a situation where I need to shut them I cannot shut them all the way.

 

[bwasileski]

Whoa! No heat unless you are doing a complete replacement....which you may be headed for now. There are plastic parts inside. Exercise the valve regularly, if necessary remove the hose and lube the ball with a shot of PB blaster or Boeshield.

There doesn't seem to be any access to the ball. It's almost like it's cast inside. I was careful with the heat only hit it a the nut on the end. So far everything seems normal. It just doesn't open/shut as easily as it I remember or would expect.

 

[bwasileski]

Are you looking to only replace the seacocks or the thru-hulls along with them?

I'm just looking to service them. There's no need to replace them. The boat is practically new. The through hulls don't need anything either. there's a bronze elbow between the seacocks and the hull. They're in perfect condition.

 

[bwasileski]

What kind of seacocks are they?ix:

These are ball joint type sea cocks. Like I was telling others, it seems as though the ball is forged inside the cylinder and no way to take them apart. It's like they're maintenance free but in need of some maintenance.

 

[Gunni]

OK, so exercise the valve regularly. "exercise" means rotate the valve arm. Close the thru-hull valve every time you leave the boat for the day, open it on return. By the end of the season you will know which valves need further action (if any).
Fair winds.

 

[Stu Jackson]

These are ball joint type sea cocks. Like I was telling others, it seems as though the ball is forged inside the cylinder and no way to take them apart. It's like they're maintenance free but in need of some maintenance.

Marelon or metal?

 

[Beneteau 321]

Seacock Mtc

With the valve closed remove associated hose and spray a penetrating oil into the valve--allow to sit for at least a day then exercise valve.Repeat process untill valve is free to operate.(I have used this method with success)Also depending on the valve type there may be an external adjusting nut on the valve stem which needs to be loosened and spray lube in this area also.Retighten when finished but not too tight.