Desperate for Brnz. Seacock Help

[redsky49]

Okay. I did it. I forced a bronze seacock (Wilcox Crittendon) and broke the small handle clean off. I am hauled out and have been servicing the valves.



Seacock is still stuck and I am out of ideas. There is no clearance to tap the nutted end. I have tried PB Blaster, soaking it several times. I have tried to tap the valve body. I have cleared all the calcium buildup (valve is in open position).


My last two thoughts are to place a stopper in the valve outlet and fill with muriatic acid, or to try to find a small butane precision torch and try to heat the valve body enough to break it free.


Don't know how I am going to fix the broken handle, but would appreciate any suggestions to break the valve free. FYI, the seacocks were serviced 4-1/2 years ago. I just haven't exercised the valves enough.
TIA

[dfelsent]

Can you put a big socket over the handle end and a puller into and around it and get pressure on it that way?

[redsky49]

This is what I am left with:

[redsky49]

The missing handle is similar to the smaller adjacent seacock, just serviced.

[sanibel sailor]

I think you are stuck replacing it

[redsky49]

I'm so angry with myself. I might be able to put a vise grip on the stub. Reweld the handle?
Crap!

[Alan Mighty]

See page 2 of the attached pdf (that's if all goes well with my attachment process): Wilcox-Crittenden Seacock.pdf, about 848 KB

[Jammer]

Heat gun and get a wrench on the other end. Be gentle, have a fire extinguisher at hand just in case.

[stormalong]

Time to upgrade to plastic. No Corrosion, no electrolysis.

Your boat is glass reinforced plastic, why not your seacocks too?

[Don C L]

I'm with John, I say replace it. Sorry. Through-hulls and seacocks are really things that should be done right.

[HopCar]

The darn thing has got to be close to forty years old. It would be good for another forty years if you hadn’t broken it. If it was me I’d replace it. The boat is already out of the water, now is the time to do it.

If you are determined to save it. You could remove it from the thru-hull, back off the nut some and whack it until the cone pops free. You can then follow the instructions that Alan posted to refurbish it. When you reinstall it, mount it in such a way that you can reach the nut and give it a whack next time.

I have no suggestions for fixing the handle.

[Steve Bean]

Remove the nut from the end of the plug. Chill the whole thing, maybe with dry ice. Quickly heat the body, leaving the plug as cool as possible. Quickly tap on the threaded end, using a tool that you have made, shaped like a tall letter"C." The tool must be very strong. If the bronze is sound a welder can repair the broken stub with bronze. Lap the plug according to the instructions in the earlier post. It's a good idea to exercise seacocks regularly.

[jt11791]

You have to remove the nut and tap the cone out. If there is no room to tap, maybe some sort of puller arrangement? Once the cone is out, you can replace just the cone, much easier than the replacing the whole thing.

[sanibel sailor]

I assume you have Alvaro pulled the nut. There is an oversized washer that keeps tension of the plug in the barrel. That has to be removed before the plug comes out. Put the nut back on so the threads don't get damaged. Might be able to get a C-clamp on it somehow, bearing on the back of the plug with a spacer and on the body in front. Maybe PVC pipe? Doubt you will be able to apply much differential heat as the metal is in intimate contact. I'd go straight to a propane torch. Wet towels in surrounding area.

Bronze takes a good weld. Finding the right welder with experience and the correct welding rods might be a challenge.

[fish53]

Too important to play around with, get a new Spartan bronze seacock to replace it and then take care of it, your grandchildren will thank you.