# Freeing up stuck seacocks



## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

Is there any kind of penetrating oil that will work to free up seacocks that haven't been cycled in so long that they are stuck on the open position?


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## DrB (Mar 29, 2007)

Is the boat in or out of the water? In the water, you have limited options, especially since the seacock is in the open position.

If out, repost and I can give you a few ideas.

DrB


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## PorFin (Sep 10, 2007)

Leo,

What type of seacocks? Bronze tapered plugs? Stainless/bronze ball valves?


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## canadianseamonkey (Sep 4, 2006)

My bronze seacock for my engine was seized open. When the boat was hauled I removed the seacock, put it in a vice, heated up the outer housing with a torch in order for it to expand and I got it to finally move. I keep those suckers greased all the time now.


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## sea_hunter (Jul 26, 2000)

Ball type cannot be heated or the teflon seal will be destroyed. We had a number that were ceased one being a ball type which I decided to replace on a haulout that turned out to be the right decision. Heats not a good thing with most t-hulls but rapping them with a small peen sometimes loosens them. Tapered ones can be loosened without a complete disassemble from inside the boat but may need a rebuild. The safe course is to haulout.


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## asdf38 (Jul 7, 2010)

I have a stuck one and I'm currently out of the water. Not sure of the type but it's the larger kind for the holding tank outlet. Definitely looking for ideas. I had previously heard about boiled water.


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## newportermike (Nov 23, 2011)

Recently had experience with the boat I bought. It had been on the hard for two years and all the seacocks were seized. I had to dismantle them and regrease. These were the cone type bronze and it was a bit of a pain all right but now they are fine.


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## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

I believe they are all Bronze, tapered. Yes, am inclined to wait until its on the hard. Thanks, everyone!


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

My boat has 7 seacocks, and 5 of the 7 were froze when I got the boat. Soaking them with WD-40 for about an hour freed every one of them and they work just fine now. Some were tapered brass, while others were ball type. WD-40 sure cures a lot of sailboat ailments. 

Cheers,

Gary


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## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

travlineasy said:


> My boat has 7 seacocks, and 5 of the 7 were froze when I got the boat. Soaking them with WD-40 for about an hour freed every one of them and they work just fine now. Some were tapered brass, while others were ball type. WD-40 sure cures a lot of sailboat ailments.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Gary


Will definitely try that!


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

*Servicing Tapered Cone Seacocks (LINK)*


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

leogallant said:


> I believe they are all Bronze, tapered. Yes, am inclined to wait until its on the hard. Thanks, everyone!


When you haul out, since they are the tapered cone type, you should be able to take the cone fasteners off and drive the cones out by tapping the shaft with a small hammer - keep the nut on the end of the threads to avoid damaging them.

Once it pops loose, take the nut off, remove the cone, put some fine valve lapping compound on it, slip it back in place and revolve it a few times. After doing that, pull it out and check the pattern to see if it needs more lapping or if you have a nice even area of bright metal.

When it looks good, clean ALL the compound off both the cone and the inside of the valve body, put a little grease on it and reassemble the valve. Voila - new valve. If you do this every couple of years, or as required, those valves should outlast you and maybe your children.

Edit: Guess I should read to the end of the thread before responding! Maine's post couldn't be much clearer. (as usual)


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Maine, just asking: Have you tried Krytox greases and oils? They tend to make everything else look like a poor attempt at lubrication. Pricey, sometimes damn pricey, but the stuff is toally unaffected by temps from -70F to +700F. Impervious to oxygen, chlorine, sulphur, and a mess of caustic substances. Doesn't migrate, doesn't break down. 

Lithium greases...yeah, they work for Lionel trains and fishing reels, got a track record back to the 1950's and beyond...but they're still mainly loved because they are inexpensive and non-staining.


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

hellosailor said:


> Lithium greases...yeah, they work for Lionel trains and fishing reels, got a track record back to the 1950's and beyond...but they're still mainly loved because they are inexpensive and non-staining.


I beg to differ - white lithium is the best grease I've found for winches. Goes on clean, stays clean - doesn't seem to pick up & hold dirt like heavier greases. Relatively low viscosity lets the winch spin freely and you CAN grease your pawls & springs with it - no stiction to jam them up.


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## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

PorFin said:


> Leo,
> 
> What type of seacocks? Bronze tapered plugs? Stainless/bronze ball valves?


Sorry, they are not tapered plugs after all, they are bronze ball valve.


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

leogallant said:


> Sorry, they are not tapered plugs after all, they are bronze ball valve.


When you haul, seal the outside of the through hull fitting, remove the hose and fill the seacock to above the ball with WD40 or another penetrant. Let it soak and then start working the valve until it's free.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

WD40: Has its uses, but once you've used PBlaster or Kroil (the latter available only direct from the maker) you'll find your can of WD40 gets used more for polishing formica and less for stuck parts. WD40 only penetrates and lubes, the others actually chemically attack the corrosion bonds and usually work better than a TV Minister on a pledge drive.

A problem with any one of them may be the seals on the bronze ball. if they are teflon, they should be impervious. If they are rubber--then any one of the penetrants may attack the rubber. I'd want to open up the valve, rinse it out, lube it with a proper lube to get that stuff out of it afterwards.

Another option might be Loctite's new freeze spray. A spray can loaded with a matched lubricant and freezing agent, so when you spray it on something that's stuck, it freezes the part up and penetrates to lube. Freezing things often unsticks them as well as heating them would, but with no danger of heat damage. If the can says safe for rubber parts, that's the one I'd try first.


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## asdf38 (Jul 7, 2010)

hellosailor said:


> Another option might be Loctite's new freeze spray. A spray can loaded with a matched lubricant and freezing agent, so when you spray it on something that's stuck, it freezes the part up and penetrates to lube. Freezing things often unsticks them as well as heating them would, but with no danger of heat damage. If the can says safe for rubber parts, that's the one I'd try first.


Well it sounds like a good idea to me. I just bought a can off ebay (ebay is good for random things) to see if it can fix my stuck head outlet. I'll post my results.


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## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

hellosailor said:


> Another option might be Loctite's new freeze spray. A spray can loaded with a matched lubricant and freezing agent, so when you spray it on something that's stuck, it freezes the part up and penetrates to lube. Freezing things often unsticks them as well as heating them would, but with no danger of heat damage. If the can says safe for rubber parts, that's the one I'd try first.


I'm assuming you're hauled when you try this or a try with WD40 to penetrate?


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## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

If you're sure the castings are not weakened by electrolysis (look for pink rather than fresh bronze color), you might try plugging the hole with a temporary wood plug rather than paying for a haul. +1 on penetrating oils. They need time to work or a little heat to draw them in. A LITTLE heat can go a long way although you have to be very careful not to melt the seats in the ball valves. They should be a lot easier to free up than tapered valves.


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## VallelyJ (Nov 21, 2008)

If you're going to use a penetrant, use Kroil or PB Blaster. WD-40 was developed for displacing moisture from wiring, and it's mostly just kerosene and marketing (WD=Water Displacement). It will penetrate, but not very well. I like it for cleaning small greasy parts, but never bother with it on frozen or rusted stuff. PB blaster will loosen big nuts on farm equipment that's been sitting outside for decades.
If you have the rubber plug seacock that has a small t-handle opposite the lever, they come apart very readily and can be cleaned and greased (when the boat is out of the water).
I freed the badly-neglected ball valve type with the above 2 penetrants, when the boat was on the hard. You have to be able to spray into the thru-hull from the outside.
John V.
Alajuela 33


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