Can this valve be saved

jlt83

This valve is stuck. It’s likely from 1931. Any chance it could be made functional again? How?

mikedo

to try to fix it you would have to drain the system so you might as well change it. chances you can fix it are very small

Mad Dog_2

It depends..If it's a Gate Valve and the stem isn't snapped off, and you can get it apart, it's worth one good shot. Mad Dog

Mad Dog_2

We used to rebuild them in place with graphite packing & Teflon tape & packing. Mad Dog

HVACNUT

If the valve is open, and not leaking, why not just leave it? There's a ball valve right next to it.

Jamie Hall

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1849029#Comment_1849029

My thought exactly. Yes, it can probably be fixed — at least enough so that it will come close to shutoff. If it's been open for a long time, however, it is unlikely that you could get it to shutoff completely. Is it worth the effort? Hmm…

Intplm.

Leave it alone. Im guessing it's in the open position. The valve served its final purpose restricting flow just enough so that the ball valve on the same line could be soldered on with out disrupting the use of the building. Don't touch it.

jlt83

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1849026#Comment_1849026

Getting it apart is my main challenge. Am I right to believe there is a bonnet nut/top on the valve (so I need to turn the larger hex area while supporting the valve to stop it from twisting)? Just use two 3 foot wrenchs and see if it will open?

mattmia2

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1849074#Comment_1849074

Yes but you probably need a good box wrench or deep 6 point socket or line wrench to grab the bonnet.

EBEBRATT-Ed

If you really want to save it cut the copper tubing and unscrew the valve from the pipe and put it in a good vise. Put some heat on it and it will come apart.

Too much yanking with big wrenches will ruin it. Then clean it up lube it and repack it.

Or just put in a new valve.

As others have mentioned why do you need it? The ball valve was probably put in because the old valve was leaking by. and it is a Gate Valve.

Jamie Hall

Yes you can get it apart, the guys above have suggested.

The question is… can you get at the gate sealing surfaces in the body and on the gate well enough to get all the corrosion off and get them flat and sealing again? Umm…

mattmia2

I would use citric acid and not anything more abrasive than rubbing compound if the citric acid didn't get it all off.

Larry Weingarten

Hi, A question… why would the ball valve have been added? I'm guessing it was because the gate wasn't working well. I'd be tempted to remove the bonnet and then take off the gate and put the bonnet back on. This way it can't ever misbehave 🤪

Yours, Larry

hot_rod

get a 1-1/4 x 3/4 bell reducer and eliminate it, if that is a ball valve on the 3/4 copper?