Seized fuel deck fitting

Beach Bum · Oct 2, 2017

I had a same problem with water fittings once. Just use a winch handle and hit it with hammer. After 5-10 hits, fittings opened.

Ron20324 · Oct 2, 2017

I helped a neighbor with his. He cut the handle off a winch handle, put about a 24-inch pipe on it for leverage. It came out. I held it down into the socket while he muscled it loose.

Capn John · Oct 2, 2017

Replacement fittings from Beneteau are now SS instead of aluminum, so they don't seize and they aren't very expensive.

JRacer · Oct 2, 2017

Use "Lano-Lube" when you reinstall. Keeps them from seizing. McMaster-Carr has it.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#antiseize-lubricants/=19n8mfc

thinwater · Oct 2, 2017

dawniewilson said:
Busy weekend on the boat...one more problem. Anybody have any success opening the deck fittings for fuel/water/waste once they have seized? Any suppliers other than Benetau? I have faithfully covered them with Vaseline but it didn't help for long...thanks!

Lacking corrosion inhibitors, Vasoline is not really a very good choice for anything outside the medicine cabinet. This is kind of obvious, but the myth just won't die. Green Grease by Omni Lubes has tested many times better.

NYSail · Oct 3, 2017

I had same problem when I brought new boat home..... both waste caps would not budge and to top it off, prior owner looks like he had same issues and fitting was stripping. I tried and they would not budge. Supplier wanted 85 for just the original cap and 180 for entire fitting. Went to West Marine and replaced both with stainless fittings for much cheaper. They look nicer as well. I keep them all coated with Teflon grease. Good luck!

Capn John · Oct 3, 2017

NYSail said:
Supplier wanted 85 for just the original cap and 180 for entire fitting.

Yes, the Amiot supplier's prices are outrageous, but you can actually get the entire fitting from Beneteau for about $55.

JRacer · Oct 3, 2017

Wish I'd realized that before getting the caps from Rig-Rite. Yes, they were spendy!

NYSail · Oct 4, 2017

Capn John said:
Yes, the Amiot supplier's prices are outrageous, but you can actually get the entire fitting from Beneteau for about $55.

The ss look much better and will last longer and still were less expensive than ambiot fittings. Now just want to preserve last ones (3) so they don’t seize at the wrong time.......

jviss · Oct 4, 2017

Interesting. Is it corrosion of the threads that is causing the caps to seize?
I would imagine Tef-Gel to be the best thing to put on the threads. A very small amount, just enough to make a film on the threads, is all that should be needed. The stuff is incredibly tenacious, it sticks to surfaces and is tough to clean off. I do not imagine it is an issue, at all, for the fresh water tank caps.

Stainless is not always a bargain, either, since stainless steel threads can gall, making them seize, too. Same treatment, Tef-Gel, should prevent it.

And don't tighten, just screw them in enough to make the "O"-ring seal.

Ron20324 · Oct 4, 2017

NYSail said:
...Now just want to preserve last ones (3) so they don’t seize at the wrong time.......

USE them! Once a year I send an email to my condo group to "exercise" their under-sink shutoffs. Me, I never saw the one that goes to the dish washer, so it was frozen. $80 to replace by plumber.

NYSail · Oct 4, 2017

Yea coat them with Teflon grease..... it’s the salt water and aluminum. Have to bring it down to the o-ring for the fuel fitting otherwise water will get in.

Capn John · Oct 4, 2017

I'm not sure I'd want to use Tef-gel on the caps for potable water tanks after checking the Material Safety Data Sheet for it. Yes, any amount that got into the tank would be highly diluted, but still... Lanocote is probably a better option.

When we bought our boat we found the waste fitting was completely seized the first time we tried to do a pump-out. And I recalled then that we found the y-valve was in the "overboard" position when the boat was surveyed, so I suspect the previous owner hadn't used the tank for at least a couple of years. The caps for the water tanks and fuel get used enough that they haven't caused any problems so far.

NYSail · Oct 4, 2017

Ha yes the water tanks I use coconut oil

jviss · Oct 4, 2017

Capn John said:
'm not sure I'd want to use Tef-gel on the caps for potable water tanks after checking the Material Safety Data Sheet for it. Yes, any amount that got into the tank would be highly diluted, but still... Lanocote is probably a better option.

"Any amount" is not going to get into the tank.