SEIZED SCREW CAP FOR WASTE

[dtoydogd]

Can anyone help?

I just purchased a Cape Dory 25D.

Absolutely love the boat.

I am unable to pump out the waste holding tank, due to a seized screw cap any suggestions ?

Thank You !

[JWEells]

Heat up a teapot's worth of water, pour it on the seized cap and see if it gets you somewhere. If the heat alone doesn't work, pour more hot water on the cap to get it hot again, and immediately apply a thick grease around the cap's edge and leave it for a bit. As the metal cools, it will draw grease down into the threads.

[Steve Laume]

A gentle tap in the right direction with a large flat dull screw driver should do it. I am not suggesting you use the screw driver in the slot in the usual manner but tap the outside edge of the slot in the direction you need to go. Grease the O ring and threads before you put it back so you never have to deal with this problem again. You might want to check fuel and water while you are at it. A bit of grease on all of them would be a very good thing, Steve.

[Boyd]

I had the same problem with my boat, unfortunately nothing I did would budge the cap. Seems the PO sealed it with something permament. Probably to help with holding tank odors. The cause of the odors was elsewhere but thats a different story.

Try the suggestions from the previous posters first but my way out was to remove the entire assembly. I had to use Antibond to unbed the fitting from the deck. I then put the fitting in a vice and heated it with a propane torch to nearly glowing before the cap would give. This of course destroys the O ring. No problem as they are readily available at your local plumbing store. I used a wire brush on my grinder to restore the fitting to a nice bronze color. All in all a lot of work but cheaper than buying a new Spartan fitting.

I use silicone O ring grease on both the threads and O rings of my deck fills. Makes life much easier and keeps seawater out of the tanks.

Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale,Fla.

[Ed Haley]

Differential heat/cold might do the trick if heating alone with boiling water doesn't work. Spray the threads with Liquid Wrench and put an ice cube on the cap, allowing it to sit for 5 minutes. Then pour the hot water on the outside ring and quickly apply turning pressure on the cap in whatever way you can.

The hot water alone will normally do the trick. Sometimes extra tricks will provide the treat you desire!