Replacing flush valve in SeaLand Toilet - Post #1

[Fran L]

Note: There are more than 10 photos in this sequence so there will be two posts. One with photos 1 to 8 and the second with the remaining photos.

Background: We have a 2005 Deluxe Scamp 5er with front bath.
During a recent trip we discovered that our toilet was leaking badly whenever the Scamp was attached to a water supply. We had to disconnect the water from the Scamp to stop the leak for the rest of the trip. The suspected culprit was a cracked flush valve in the toilet pedal. The only way to check it out was to remove the toilet.
You will need: a flathead screwdriver (the shorter the better), a 7/16 box end wrench and slip joint pliers. Some rags and/or paper towels will come in handy.

Here is how we did it. It actually was not that difficult so don’t let the number of steps deter you. I’ve just detailed everything. I don’t have pictures for Part 1 - Removing the Toilet and Flush Valve but you can reference the reinstallation photos to get your bearings. It is helpful to have your SeaLand/Dometic Toilet Owner’s Manual handy too!

PART 1 - REMOVING THE TOILET AND FLUSH VALVE:
1. Disconnect the Scamp from any water supply. Flush as much water out of the toilet as possible so you won’t have water spilling out of hoses when you disconnect them from the toilet and remove the whole thing.
2. There is a hose that goes from the pedal to the back top of the toilet which supplies water into the tank when you lift the pedal. The hose is attached to a boxy contraption with a hose clamp. No need to mess with that clamp – leave it attached to the boxy thing. That boxy thing is the vacuum breaker kit and it is just pushed into a hole at the top back of the toilet. Disconnect it from the toilet by just pulling the vacuum breaker kit straight back. It should just pull out. You will ultimately need to disconnect this hose from the flush valve in the pedal but that is easier to do once the toilet is off and you can get into the pedal area.
3. If your toilet has the pedestal cover kit on it (the plastic cowl around the base of the toilet which hides the connections), you will need to remove it. Ours was already just hanging there because we (and the previous owner) couldn’t get it to fit right. It is supposed to snap into place, hinging at the side of the toilet opposite the pedal. So just take it off.
4. Next step is to remove the toilet bowl from the base mount. (Note: there are 3 major pieces to the toilet: the toilet bowl, the base mount and the plastic black water tank.) Around the base of the toilet bowl is a metal strap which is holding on a plastic two part collar. The metal strap is just like a big hose clamp. The release screw should be around the back of the toilet. Contort yourself around so you can reach that screw and loosen the strap just enough to allow the 2 piece plastic collar to come apart and out. Be sure not to let the strap come apart completely and things will be a lot easier for the reassembly.
5. With the strap loose and the plastic collar taken out, grab hold of the toilet bowl and twist slightly and lift to break the seal and separate the toilet bowl from the mount base. Put it someplace out of the way. When you remove the bowl, note that there is a small stub sticking up from the rubber surface of the mount base and there is a notch in the edge of the toilet bowl base. These must fit together when you position the bowl as you replace it onto the mount base later.

NOTE: In our Scamp the black water tank vent pipe was wedged tightly against the flush pedal (grrr!) so we had to also remove the mount base in order to get the side cover off the pedal and reach the flush valve in the pedal. If yours has the vent on the other side you should be able to do the rest of the work without removing the mount base. Just release the side cover of the flush pedal by pressing the button on the top back of the pedal and pulling that side cover off (disengaging the little catch at the front) revealing the flush valve.
6. If you can reach it, unscrew the connection of the incoming water line to the back of the flush valve. Ours had a plastic screw on collar securing it to the valve.
7. There are 4 bolts holding the mount base to the plastic tank. Undo the nuts and washers on those 4 bolts with your 7/16 wrench. Lift the mount base (along with the pedal and flush valve) off the tank just far enough so that the pedal is clear of the vent pipe. If you were unable to do step 6 before, then you are still connected to the incoming water supply line and you can’t go far until you disconnect the incoming water line from the flush valve. Remove the flush pedal side cover by pressing the button on the top back of the pedal and pulling that side cover off revealing the flush valve and providing better access to the incoming water line so you can disconnect it.
8. Once you are disconnected from the incoming water supply line you can take the base mount, with the pedal and flush valve still connected, someplace where you can work more comfortably! No need to remove the pedal from the base mount!
9. Remove the flush valve from the pedal and base mount by undoing the 2 screws on the face of the valve. Now you should have just the flush valve and the hose and vacuum breaker kit that went to the top back of the toilet bowl. Hurray!
10. If you decide you need to replace the flush valve then, you will need to remove the hose that goes to the vacuum breaker kit so you can reattach it to the new valve. Release the hose clamp at the valve end of the hose and pull the hose off. It was really hard to do! We had to wedge a screwdriver under the edge of the hose to help get it over the flange on the connector.



PART 2 - REPLACING THE FLUSH VALVE AND REINSTALLING THE TOILET (with pics!)
1. As soon as we had it out, it was immediately clear that our old flush valve had cracked and was the source of the leak (as other members had suggested to us!)

2. Obtain a new flush valve that matches the old one. Most RV Parts places will carry them. Ours cost $52 – ouch! Looked after the fact and found it on Amazon for $28.52 but then you have to wait for it. http://www.amazon.com/SeaLand-SE314349-Water-Valve-Kit/dp/B000XBBISO
Since we weren’t sure our flush valve was cracked, we didn’t know ahead of time that we would need a new one. Live and learn.

3. Reattach the hose from the vacuum breaker kit to the new valve.

4. Secure the new valve to the pedal and base mount using the 2 new screws that came with the new valve kit. Don’t tighten too much or you can break the valve housing.

5. Take everything back to the Scamp and position the mount base nearly onto the seal so you can reattach the water supply line to the new valve. Again, if you were not blocked by the vent pipe to begin with in Part 1, then your mount base might not even have been removed!


6. Once the water line is reconnected, put the side cover of the pedal back in place, engaging the front catch first and then snapping the main part of the cover into position.

7. Position the mount base on the seal and 4 bolts and secure with the washers and nuts. Be careful not to over tighten these nuts, but be sure they are secure.


8. Place the metal strap which had held the 2 part plastic collar in place onto the mount base BEFORE putting the toilet bowl on.


Continued in: Replacing flush valve in SeaLand Toilet - Post #2

[Fran L]

Here are the rest of the instructions and photos.

9. Place the toilet bowl onto the mount base and secure it with the two part plastic collar held in place by the metal strap. It takes a bit of adjustment to get plastic collar together and metal strap in place and then get the screw tightened. Note that the plastic collar will have a wide gap in the back – just be sure the pieces are keyed together in the front in the same relationship as when you took the collar off. Position the tightening screw at the back of the toilet and tighten securely. The plastic collar should now be holding the bowl firmly in place on the mount base. This takes a bit of adjustment to get all the pieces in place and then get the screw tightened. It helps to slide the metal strap above the collar pieces and then bring it down over the collar when it is in place.





10. Reinstall the vacuum breaker and flush water supply line into the hole in the back top of the toilet bowl. All hoses should now be back in place and the toilet secured on the base.



11. If your toilet had a pedestal cover then now is the time to put that back on. We left ours off because we could not get it to stay in place. Every time we moved the pedal it would force the cover off. It’s just cosmetic.

12. While we had the toilet off, we took the opportunity to install a cut off valve in the water supply line. (You can see it in the photo near where the water supply line emerges from the bathroom wall.) This way we can shut off the toilet water if we want and still have water to the sinks. This could come in handy if another leak developed. Some Scampers routinely turn off the toilet water and use pitchers of water to flush. Some turn it off whenever they are not in the Scamp in case a leak occurs while away and floods the Scamp before they get back. It seemed like a good idea to us! I described that process in an earlier post: Installing cutoff valve in toilet water supply line




We hope that this turns out to be helpful for others. Each time we tackle a project we learn more about our Scamp and feel a little bit more confident in trying new things! Thanks to all the other members who supplied ideas, suggestions and support! Paying it forward!
Fran in NM