Frozen Spartan Waste Deck Fitting

[The Patriot]

My CD 28 has a Spartan bronze waste pump-out fitting on the foredeck. It has not been opened in quite a while and I now find that it is "frozen." I tried a levered deck plate key but that only resulted in deforming the key. Is there some sort of spray or chemical treatment that might work?

[Neil Gordon]

Same cure as for frozen sea cocks, I would think. Penetrating oil and give it time to work. Then a big screw driver in the slot and give it a shot with a hammer. If that doesn't work, repeat the process. From what I've read here, patience with the penetrating oil is the key.

[Dick Spangler]

I have a thin walled aluminum pipe approx 1.25 in ID. I place this over the key sold by Spartan and use it for significantly increased leaverage. At the same time, I can press down on the key which prevents it from jumpng out of the slot. The Spartan key is expensive but robust. I can't imagine that you could bend or deform it. Of course, the penetrating oil will help a great deal.

[Parfait's Provider]

For those who have tried everything else, I find that KROIL works wonders on the motorhome. It takes time and patience, but a shot a day after a whack to help break things loose seems to do the trick. Don't get it in your eyes, it burns pretty good. Heat might help too, but you might have to replace the O-ring afterwards.

I'm not sure they have one especially for bronze or not, but here's the link: http://www.kanolabs.com/

[rhunter]

Sometimes liquid fabric softener will work on scaly,mineralized deposits. Pour a little on and let it sit .

[Warren Kaplan]

I had the exact same thing happen earlier this year. Couldn't get it open for nuttin'.

I sprayed some of the "blaster" stuff on it so that it would penetrate down into the threads. I left it overnight. I came back and used a large screw driver that fit into the key slot and I hit the screw driver a few hard taps with a hammer, in the counterclockwise direction for the cap. It broke it loose.

When I unscrewed it, there was plenty of "hardened deposit" in the threads ...no doubt from waste fumes that may have reacted with the metal. I cleaned it off and coated the threads with a thin coat of Morey's Grease. Now I make sure to open the cap every few weeks just to make sure it doesn't freeze up again.

[Ed Haley]

For really hard-sealed deck caps, I insert the ends of a pair of sturdy needle-nosed pliers into the holes and, while holding the pliers in the holes, I use a crescent wrench to turn the pliers CCW. It most always opens the cap.

Put a little grease on the threads when putting the cap back on so it won't happen again within a few years

[The Patriot]

For really hard-sealed deck caps, I insert the ends of a pair of sturdy needle-nosed pliers into the holes and, while holding the pliers in the holes, I use a crescent wrench to turn the pliers CCW. It most always opens the cap ...

Good points, and well taken. Of course the Spartan fittings in question have no holes, but rather a "split" that takes a deck plate key as referenced above.

[Ed Haley]

Holes or slot, the needle-nosed pliers and crescent wrench will work!

[Ed Norton]

I had to replace the liner in my above ground pool this summer. I had a lot of screws that would not come out. The guy I hired to install the new liner told me in his 20 years of experience with frozen bolts the best thing to use is automobile anti-freeze. He said he has tried all the magic cures sold in hardware stores non have worked as well as anti-feeze. Let it soak overnight and the screws or bolts will come apart easily in the morning. Just passing the info along. I didn't get to try it I had already drilled out the frozen bolts before I was given this advice.

Ed Norton
SLLEEK CD 27
#84
Fair Haven, NJ

[Boyd]

Should all the other suggestions fail and you are left like me with bent tools and no results, you may have to resort to the ultimate weapon, HEAT. Absolutly nothing would break mine loose from the grip of whatever corruption had invaded the threads, and driven by the desperation derived from a check of the Spartain price list, I disconnected mine from the hose below and used AntiBond to break the caulk bond from the deck, took it to the garage, set it in the vise and heated it to cherry red. At that point it she gave it up and opened. The odor was not pleasant.

After a bit of polishing and a new O ring she is now as good as new. I now use silicone grease on the threads and O ring. An annual opening and regreasing seems to help also. Spartain stuff may be pricy but it will take an amazing amout of punishment.

Heres hoping you dont have to resort to my solution. Cheers!

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

[rtbates]

After you get it off, be sure to lube the threads AND the rubber o-ring. I use silicon lube. That same lube will also extend the life of every rubber item on your boat. Be sure to get the face of the manual bilge pump diagram. UV as well as dirt plays havoc with it.