Freeing a stuck blakes seacock lever

[steve yates]

I have two of these where the levers won't turn, what's the best way to free them?
Thx

 

[Motor_Sailor]

If you're out the water; take off the ring by undoing the two securing bolts that hold the taper into the body of the valve.

Go outside the boat and with a hammer and a suitable piece of flat ended steel bar, knock the taper up and out of the body.

Service as Blakes' instructions

Reassemble.

If you're afloat just try wiggling it until you get board. Then take the boat out of the water.

 

[Tranona]

Back off the keep plate first which may relieve the pressure. do this by undoing the locknuts underneath and then unscrewing the screws. If it does not shift soak the top in penetrating oil which might seep down and soften the hardened grease which is what is causing it to stick. Final resort is bashing up from outside. Make sure the keep plate is still on as when the seal breaks it goes with a bang and could fly up into the cabin.

Clean and reassemble with proper Blakes grease. A tub will last a lifetime.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Last resort is careful heating of the outer body.

For the future:
(1) do not over-tighten the keep plate
(2) work the valve regularly.

Hint: you should be able to turn the lever with just your little finger - or toe - if the valve has been properly lapped and cleaned of all compound before being smeared with good grease. I use PBC (PolyButylCuprisil) because that is what I have from steam days, way back when I was still young.

 

[Gwylan]

assuming you are out of the water.
All of what they said - especially the drift from the outside with increasingly large hammers.


Not out of the water
A wall paper steamer hose can also help with the releasing and avoid excessive use of force - sometimes.

Where do you find valve grinding paste these days? Mine is so old it lasts back 30 or more years to when re-seating valves was what you did. Now it seems you can down load an App to do everything that's possible or necessary.

 

[VicS]

Personally I would use a piece of wooden dowel or broom handle rather that a steel bar for drifting out the cone.

 

[steve yates]

In the water now I'm afraid.

 

[Tranona]

Then the best you can hope for is to tap the lever a bit at a time and continue the penetrating oil treatment. May work, but if the cone has been static for some time, chances are it will need the full treatment from outside.

Good excuse to dry out somewhere nice and peaceful!

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

Lump hammer ...... used gently!

 

[Blue_mischief]

Personally I would use a piece of wooden dowel or broom handle rather that a steel bar for drifting out the cone.

A broom handle worked for me!

 

[Ludd]

In the water now I'm afraid.

In that case, all you can do is slacken off the collar(remember to back off the locking nuts first) then use a combination of WD40 or similar, heat on the body, and GENTLE effort applied to the handle.

 

[Topcat47]

Where do you find valve grinding paste these days? Mine is so old it lasts back 30 or more years to when re-seating valves was what you did. Now it seems you can down load an App to do everything that's possible or necessary.

Any auto factor (I got my last lot from ProParts in Waterlooville and a valve lapping tool).

 

[Ludd]

Steve, I've sent you a PM. Could have sent a pic on here ,but reluctant to go public! Quandary should know where I mean.

 

[Quandary]

Aaaah Steve, why did we not think of doing it yesterday when you were sitting on the sand.

 

[prv]

A broom handle worked for me!

And me. Just the right size for a Blakes toilet outlet.

Pete

 

[Burnham Bob]

My Trapper 500 manual (vintage 1978) says remove the handle and apply a spanner. I imagine the handles can break if mistreated.

 

[Iliade]

In the water or out, get outside the boat and gently & subtly wallop it with the biggest hammer you can find. Use a metal drift as wood will lose too much of the impact. Don't forget to loosen the retaining plate first...

Attempts to rotate a seized cone with a spanner on the top are highly likely to result in the requirement for a new and very expensive Blakes seacock.

 

[AndrewB]

If this is an underwater fitting left closed over winter, chances are some barnacles or grot have established inside the plug blocking it from turning. Best to get outside the boat and scrape it clean.

Am I alone in disliking solutions involving considerable force? Worst case scenario is that the seacock is already weakened and then breaks off - better have a large bung ready! Personally I'd replace any type of seacock that can't be unseized with moderate effort, or frees and then becomes rather too easy to turn.

 

[SteveSarabande]

Easier to replace it with a modern fitting. I have two seized toilet blakes on mine, they are both going in the bin when I lift out

 

[Tranona]

Am I alone in disliking solutions involving considerable force? Worst case scenario is that the seacock is already weakened and then breaks off - better have a large bung ready! Personally I'd replace any type of seacock that can't be unseized with moderate effort, or frees and then becomes rather too easy to turn.

Highly unlikely with the Blakes installed in a Westerly. The tapered cone is stuck with solidified grease. The housing casting is massive and firmly bolted to the hull with a large backing plate. The method described works and you would need more force than a human could apply to do any damage. Once cleaned up and regreased the valve will be like new, and stay that way if properly maintained.