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Tightening an old steam angle valve

BrendanK
BrendanK Member Posts: 1
in Strictly Steam
Ok, my brother noticed that one of the radiators seemed to be leaking steam around the stem of the valve. Which of course means use some teflon thread to repack the valve, something I've done before.
What hasn't happened before is when I tried to turn the screw around the stem, the whole top of the valve started to unscrew. I tightened the valve top back up and was able to unscrew the stem nut without needing a second set of waterpumps to hold the stem top, but I just wanted to check if there's something more I should be doing in this sort of case? fully unscrewing the top to wrap the threads in teflon tape or something?

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,211
    using a backup wrench?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,989
    @BrendanK

    you should be ok. the packing nut was tighter than the valve body . Just retighten everything
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,971
    edited January 2022
    If it doesn't leak, leave it alone. The seal is actually a pair of machined surfaces at the top of the valve body and around the bottom of the bonnet.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England

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