Toilet leak in 2007 17.5 Gaucho

[Komrade]

Hi Forum,

I searched, but couldn't get any hits.
I had a tiny leak in the toilet once I got the trailer.. I initially thought it was connecting pipe, but it seems to be beyond the connection to the toilet, and has gotten worse.. I suspect (but not sure) it has something to do with the release mechanism.. the pump cycles on/off every few secs when it leaks now (so we just turn it off until we can fix it). The leak seems to come from under the toilet.

It's a wet bath, so the water leaks straight into the shower drain hole.

This is a 2007 BigFoot model.. The trailer is fairly new to me. My 2nd time camping, but I noticed the leak on the first trial.

I can barely fit in there.. maybe more so if I put away the couch.. does the front go off? is the toilet serviceable w/o removal?

Thanks

[Sea of Green]

I had a similar issue in my '96 17.5, with water leaking at the base. Replacing the toilet water valve did the trick and wasn't too difficult. My trailer has a Thetford Aqua Magic IV model toilet, so I bought a kit similar to this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Thetford-1316.../dp/B01LRHQL4S

There are videos on YouTube that can help preview the process - search for your specific toilet model.

[Gerry]

a picture would help, my casita deluxe toilet was leaking and the toilet itself was a Sealand toilet.
I got all I needed for parts a local RV dealer right off the shelf.

[Komrade]

Here's an image.. but I think you already gave me a pointer..

The maker of the toilet Thetford. I should be looking for threads on leaks on the porcelain thetford, or whatever the proper model is installed on BigFoots.

[Daniel A.]

I found on mine that higher pressure would allow it to leak as yours shows, when I reduced the water pressure it was fine. So at 50-60 pounds it leaked at 35-40 no problem.

[mszabo]

Make sure the water line is tight and not leaking. Most likely you need to replace the water lnlet valve.

[Komrade]

Originally Posted by Daniel A.

I found on mine that higher pressure would allow it to leak as yours shows, when I reduced the water pressure it was fine. So at 50-60 pounds it leaked at 35-40 no problem.

I didn't know you can regulate pressure with these pumps. Will look closely.
It looked fancier than ones I replaced in the past with some see through gauge.

[Komrade]

Originally Posted by mszabo

Make sure the water line is tight and not leaking. Most likely you need to replace the water lnlet valve.

As per my original post, the water does not seem to leak at inlet.

[Komrade]

Aqua Magic® Style Plus
a little behind inlet
crack either due to age, quality, or poor winterizing.. seems to be "at seam"

I had great trouble removing the front cover.
Looks like I will need to remove the bowl (in order to do any plumbing repairs) which is also a major PITA.

The 17 bathroom is really tight.. one of those times you wish you had a "dry"

Thetford lists few fix kits.
https://www.thetford.com/part/aqua-magic-style-plus/

Edit: this one Thetford 34100
https://www.amazon.com/Thetford-3410.../dp/B003D50KM2

[CharlesinGA]

Just remove it altogether then do the repairs. Looks like you found a cracked fitting. If you do remove it you need a new seal for the bottom, its a dense molded foam. You can find them almost anywhere, Amazon, most RV places, etc.

Charles

[Komrade]

The kit linked on amazon above comes with the flange.
Will look for bolts holding the toilet.
Much prefer to take the whole thing out if easy enough..
Thanks for your recommendations.

[Gerry]

I removed my Toilet a few years back in my Casita because the seal leaked. getting the toilet off and back on again, was the hardest messiest job i ever tackled.
On mine, I had to stick my hand inside holding tank, to try and get some vise-grips onto the head of the toilet bolt, unseen.
in the cramped space, with me, being a large man and an artificial hip, and the wife standing over me keeping the flush pedal pushed down so the ball would stay open was a big Pain in the A__.

[Komrade]

The removal was relatively painless. Took advantage of the 'wet' bath, and just put toilet on the side to do all the work right there in the bathroom.

Key (to relatively painless) was a ratchet wrench, as the space is really tight behind the toilet for wrench movement. Socket wrench didn't work (none of my sockets fit as space between bolt and toilet is inadequate).

Tested with city water inlet, seems good so far. Left it on, will check later.

Glad I didn't have to go through the Casita experience described above.

Thanks again, forum.

[Komrade]

Well.. This didn't last long, and correlated to all reviews on amazon.

Glad it was discovered prior to a trip (took my yet unsold Casita instead)
Not glad I bothered to replace this piece (it wasn't broken, but was part of the kit), and threw out the old yellowed one.
The replacement thing maybe survived 20-30 flushes before breaking.
I ordered another "made in USA" replacement, and will try to figure out how to re-enforce it with glue/tape or maybe metal.

They do say "If it ain't broken, don't fix it!"..

[Komrade]

I am going to strengthen the $30 replacement of this beauty with a washer cut for cable and glued on the outside, as well as use JBweld filling the hook cavity that they chose to not be solid out of best intentions to give me a best deal, I am sure.

Will share in a separate thread, since this is off topic.

[Komrade]

Well, it didn't work out exactly as planned. Not gonna bother with another thread, as idea wasn't too genius.

I filled the new part with JBweld epoxy (and waited a day as it seems to take a while ot set), and glued the spliced washer with super-glue of some sort, but the washer popped off after installation of the toilet and few activations of the toilet pedal (glue don't like lite flex?)
Hopefully the Epoxy I added will be good enough to prevent me from going through this ordeal again.
If I had to do it again, I would probably either melt the washer in (tricky as if you overheat it, you ruin the part) or used epoxy to hold it in place (seems to have some flex to it)

I've seen this part referred to as drive arm and activation arm.

[Komrade]

Well, the fooker broke again. Luckily not in the middle of the night while camping, so we changed plans from "dry camping" to "camping with a bathroom"

This time used construction glue instead of crazy glue and jb weld on the lever.
Only to discover that wasn't the only thing broken (now it's also the "waste ball" 34117)..
Will buy yet another sheety part. Soon will have enough in sheety parts for a new toilet..

Will post pics if it works.

[Komrade]

Originally Posted by Komrade

Will post pics if it works.

Here it is.

[Komrade]

well, this lasted less than 2 years and less than a dozen trips.

next attempt will include drilling the washer and/or finding better glue as it popped off together with plastic breaking.

[Casita Greg]

I got rid of the plastic Thetford toilet and just replaced it outright with a SeaLand 511 porcelain bowl with a real wooden seat. I never cared for the plastic Thetford, which I compared to a permanently mounted porta-potti. They are cheap plastic crap IMO, and are also well-known for cheap plastic flushing component failures. They only install them, like most trailer/RV components, because they are cheap. You get what you pay for.