Pumpout deck cap stuck

[Rockinar]

I bought a new to me boat. The cap on the pumpout fitting is stuck. My guess is it has not been uncapped in years and threads corroded. Any ideas to remove it? I tried to spin it off with a punch and hammer with no luck. Next ideas is to maybe drip some vinegar around the edge of the cap and let it soak and his it with the punch and hammer again. Maybe PB Blaster....

[Sailing Drummer]

Could be that you’ll be better off simply replacing it completely. There might be serious problems with the threads, so just unscrewing it solves nothing - once opened it might not even go back on. Pull the hose off from underneath. Release any backing nut (if there is one), remove the 3 screws in the picture and remove and replace it. You may have to pry it up a little or tap it up from underneath to remove it. But in the end you will be much happier knowing there won’t be any problems with loosening or tightening the old cap. A new one can be pretty inexpensive. Do a google search For deck fills, plenty of choices.

[Spindrift NH]

sorry if I’m pointing out the obvious but that cap says water not waste. I wouldn’t use pb blaster if that is a water tank">fresh water tank, reside could get down into the tank and be difficult get out.

[peghall]

If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you'll see that "waste" is clearly embossed on it.



--Peggie

[Rockinar]

Originally Posted by Spindrift NH

sorry if I’m pointing out the obvious but that cap says water not waste. I wouldn’t use pb blaster if that is a fresh water tank, reside could get down into the tank and be difficult get out.

It says waste.

[Scott Berg]

drill two holes, tap them, and put in 1/4" bolts about an inch apart. then take a wrench across them and open it... then replace the cap after cleaning the threads. or just replace the whole thing.... common project

[rbk]

Hit it with pb or your choice and if you’re brave some heat from a torch. Be careful to not overheat. Feel the fg deck around it as you go. Then hit with your hammer and punch again or a good spanner. If that doesn’t work just replace the fitting like mentioned above. Be careful torquing on that fitting too. It’s screwed into your deck and may rip out.

[stormalong]

Get a piece of steel plate that will fit in the slot. Use a large crescent wrench to turn it. You might need two people, one to hold the steel plate in the slot and one to turn the wrench. A whole lot more torque than a hammer and punch.

[TrentePieds]

For the cost of a complete replacement deck fitting and half an hours labour to re'n're it's hardly worthwhile to struggle with a stuck bung. Particularly since it's doubtful that bungs are available separately. Just bite the bullet and replace the entire deck fitting.

TrentePieds

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Rockinar

I bought a new to me boat. The cap on the pumpout fitting is stuck. My guess is it has not been uncapped in years and threads corroded. Any ideas to remove it? I tried to spin it off with a punch and hammer with no luck. Next ideas is to maybe drip some vinegar around the edge of the cap and let it soak and his it with the punch and hammer again. Maybe PB Blaster....

I had that problem on a previous boat.

I drilled two shallow holes exactly the size of the spanner nipples and it turned without too much difficulty. If it still won't turn make a longer lever by using a piece of pipe over the spanner handle to gain leverage.

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." --Archimedes

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by MJH

I had that problem on a previous boat.

I drilled two shallow holes exactly the size of the spanner nipples and it turned without too much difficulty. If it still won't turn make a longer lever by using a piece of pipe over the spanner handle to gain leverage.

===


I had that problem with a bronze water tank fill a few years ago. PB Blaster and a wrench extension did not do the job, neither did hammer taps. I ended up spraying it with R134A refrigerant until very cold. That worked fine and it popped right off.

[Tbalz]

Similar to the reply above, I had issue with several derelict deck plates. I utilized dust and lint removal spray from my local Office supply store. At $1.99/can, it was a very economical solution. I inverted the can and sprayed the liquid Difluoroethane directly onto the cap.

[slug]

Originally Posted by Scott Berg

drill two holes, tap them, and put in 1/4" bolts about an inch apart. then take a wrench across them and open it... then replace the cap after cleaning the threads. or just replace the whole thing.... common project

Yah...I destroy the cap...then replace with a new cap

I never much cared for plastic fittings...they just dont stand the test of time

.if you end up replacing go with metal , with a cap that uses a winch handle as a key

With these fitting remember to lubricate the threads and stockpile spare O rings

[michaeld]

I had the same problem. I did use a penetrating oil, but the "silver bullet" was a 5 lb hammer and wide blade chisel. I had to pound it pretty hard to get it to move. The cap was a bit mangled, but I won at the end of the day. After cleaning it up, I liberally applied Lanocote to the threads. Good luck.

[thunderhoof]

I had the same problem on my Beneteau 40.7. When I got enough leverage to turn the cap I was tearing up the cored deck rather than unscrewing the cap. I suggest you follow the advice that says to disconnect it from below and replace the entire assembly.

BTW I tried to undo the cap after I had it off the boat and no combination of heat, shock and torque would open it.