Report on Leveling Valve Assembly Refurbish

[waldo love]

>
> I've removed and refurbished both leveling valves successfully. While I agree
> with the detrimental remarks made about the pot metal valve bodies, I feel that
> I must conserve my bucks if I'm to stay in the GMC MH game. There are enough
> things that I can't repair.
>
> The villains were deteriorated O Rings and pitted valve seats/bores. The seats
> along with old O rings leak. The pitted bores restrict free movement of the
> valve in closing.
>
> The valve seats were refaced (remember hand lapping engine valves?) using
> kitchen cleanser and oil (couldn't fine my lapping compound) with my jury rigged
> valve tool.
>
> The valve cylinder bores were honed using a 1/4" hardwood dowel with a slot
> (bandsaw width) cut into one end. Insert a strip of 400 or 600 wet/dry paper in
> the slot and wind it around until it just fits the bore. Oil the bore & chuck
> the dowel in a cordless drill. Hone only long enough to remove pitting.
>
> Reassemble with 5/32" ID x 1/16" dia. O rings. I was unable to obtain a good
> silicone lube, so I used petroleum jelly liberally in reassembling.
>
> Beware the old (VERY OLD) gaskets. Breaking them will ruin your day.
>
> Now when I raise my unit to the maximum and place my valve in "HOLD", the air
> bags stay full while the rest of my air system leaks down overnight.
>
> Has anyone had experience with a failed check valve between the compressor and
> the storage tank? From my schematic etc in my maintenance manual, this seems
> the next logical villain.
>
> Comments on remaining problems will be appreciated.
>
> Waldo
> 76 Palm Beach (early VIN)

 

[ron & gina]

Hi Waldo,

Yeah I guess I'll try to repair my leveling valve, and if I run in to
trouble I'll replace from Gateway. Not to good at alot of things but I do
try!!! Did you make new gaskets for your leveling valves? If so what did you
use?

I also had tk. leak down, I replaced my bad check and it stopped most of my
leaks. But its starting again, So guess I have to snoop around again.

Ron&Gina
73 Pumpkin-Rose
Ft. Mohave, AZ.

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Waldo Love
To: GMC Motor Home List
Sent: Saturday, November 06, 1999 9:14 AM
Subject: GMC: [Fwd: Report on Leveling Valve Assembly Refurbish]

> >
> > I've removed and refurbished both leveling valves successfully. While I
agree
> > with the detrimental remarks made about the pot metal valve bodies, I
feel that
> > I must conserve my bucks if I'm to stay in the GMC MH game. There are
enough
> > things that I can't repair.
> >
> > The villains were deteriorated O Rings and pitted valve seats/bores. The
seats
> > along with old O rings leak. The pitted bores restrict free movement of
the
> > valve in closing.
> >
> > The valve seats were refaced (remember hand lapping engine valves?)
using
> > kitchen cleanser and oil (couldn't fine my lapping compound) with my
jury rigged
> > valve tool.
> >
> > The valve cylinder bores were honed using a 1/4" hardwood dowel with a
slot
> > (bandsaw width) cut into one end. Insert a strip of 400 or 600 wet/dry
paper in
> > the slot and wind it around until it just fits the bore. Oil the bore &
chuck
> > the dowel in a cordless drill. Hone only long enough to remove pitting.
> >
> > Reassemble with 5/32" ID x 1/16" dia. O rings. I was unable to obtain a
good
> > silicone lube, so I used petroleum jelly liberally in reassembling.
> >
> > Beware the old (VERY OLD) gaskets. Breaking them will ruin your day.
> >
> > Now when I raise my unit to the maximum and place my valve in "HOLD",
the air
> > bags stay full while the rest of my air system leaks down overnight.
> >
> > Has anyone had experience with a failed check valve between the
compressor and
> > the storage tank? From my schematic etc in my maintenance manual, this
seems
> > the next logical villain.
> >
> > Comments on remaining problems will be appreciated.
> >
> > Waldo
> > 76 Palm Beach (early VIN)

 

[waldo love]

>
> Hi Waldo,
>
> Yeah I guess I'll try to repair my leveling valve, and if I run in to
> trouble I'll replace from Gateway. Not to good at alot of things but I do
> try!!! Did you make new gaskets for your leveling valves? If so what did you
> use?
>
> I also had tk. leak down, I replaced my bad check and it stopped most of my
> leaks. But its starting again, So guess I have to snoop around again.
>
> Ron&Gina

Ron,

I have a couple of suggestions if you're going to repair your valves.

Go in the driver's side of the engine compartment and disconnect all lines going
into the coach. There are unions on all lines there. This will allow you to
pull the valves far enough from the instrument panel to get to the connectors on
the back.

When you disassemble the valves, LOOSEN the three allen head bolts about 1/16th"
and tap the side smartly with a screwdriver handle. This should separate the
halves without tearing the seal. Very carefully loosen the seal from the front
side of the valve. With luck you can reuse it. Once this is done, finish
separation and remove the springs

Remove the O ring on the spring side of the valve. You can then push the valve
out thru the front. If it hangs up, that's pitting and corrosion in the
cylinder. Work it back & forth with some penetrating oil and push it on out.

Then it's grind valve seat, hone cylinder, polish piston, clean up and
reassemble.

Incidentally, my coach is still standing tall - like someone slipped it a triple
dose of VIAGRA.

Also removed the hose - compressor to check valve - at the check valve to see if
I could detect a leak back thru the valve. I could not, so reattached the hose.
The tank pressure is now holding. Go guess----------. The check valve appears
to be relatively new and is all brass.

Maybe you'll luck out, as I apparently have, and the leveling valves will solve
your problem entirely.

Best regards,

Waldo

 

[homebase1]

NICE WORK, Waldo !!

Mikeb

 

[tom warner]

Looks like everyone is having the same problem old leveling valves. Are
there many that would be interested in a new leveling valve (same valve that
cinnabar uses) at about 1/2 the cost of the one from cinnabar?

>Hi Waldo,
>
>Yeah I guess I'll try to repair my leveling valve, and if I run in to
>trouble I'll replace from Gateway. Not to good at alot of things but I do
>try!!! Did you make new gaskets for your leveling valves? If so what did you
>use?
>
>I also had tk. leak down, I replaced my bad check and it stopped most of my
>leaks. But its starting again, So guess I have to snoop around again.
>
>Ron&Gina
>73 Pumpkin-Rose
>Ft. Mohave, AZ.
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Waldo Love
>To: GMC Motor Home List
>Sent: Saturday, November 06, 1999 9:14 AM
>Subject: GMC: [Fwd: Report on Leveling Valve Assembly Refurbish]
>
>

>> >
>> > I've removed and refurbished both leveling valves successfully. While I
>agree
>> > with the detrimental remarks made about the pot metal valve bodies, I
>feel that
>> > I must conserve my bucks if I'm to stay in the GMC MH game. There are
>enough
>> > things that I can't repair.
>> >
>> > The villains were deteriorated O Rings and pitted valve seats/bores. The
>seats
>> > along with old O rings leak. The pitted bores restrict free movement of
>the
>> > valve in closing.
>> >
>> > The valve seats were refaced (remember hand lapping engine valves?)
>using
>> > kitchen cleanser and oil (couldn't fine my lapping compound) with my
>jury rigged
>> > valve tool.
>> >
>> > The valve cylinder bores were honed using a 1/4" hardwood dowel with a
>slot
>> > (bandsaw width) cut into one end. Insert a strip of 400 or 600 wet/dry
>paper in
>> > the slot and wind it around until it just fits the bore. Oil the bore &
>chuck
>> > the dowel in a cordless drill. Hone only long enough to remove pitting.
>> >
>> > Reassemble with 5/32" ID x 1/16" dia. O rings. I was unable to obtain a
>good
>> > silicone lube, so I used petroleum jelly liberally in reassembling.
>> >
>> > Beware the old (VERY OLD) gaskets. Breaking them will ruin your day.
>> >
>> > Now when I raise my unit to the maximum and place my valve in "HOLD",
>the air
>> > bags stay full while the rest of my air system leaks down overnight.
>> >
>> > Has anyone had experience with a failed check valve between the
>compressor and
>> > the storage tank? From my schematic etc in my maintenance manual, this
>seems
>> > the next logical villain.
>> >
>> > Comments on remaining problems will be appreciated.
>> >
>> > Waldo
>> > 76 Palm Beach (early VIN)
>
>
>

 

[ron & gina]

I might have got the valves wrong? I thought the valve in rear wheel wells
where the leveling/height valves those are whats leaking on mine. Tho with
my recurrence of tk. press lost might need work on both valves(dash/wheel
wells).

thanks again
Ron

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Waldo Love
To:
Sent: Saturday, November 06, 1999 4:16 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: [Fwd: Report on Leveling Valve Assembly Refurbish]

> >
> > Hi Waldo,
> >
> > Yeah I guess I'll try to repair my leveling valve, and if I run in to
> > trouble I'll replace from Gateway. Not to good at alot of things but I
do
> > try!!! Did you make new gaskets for your leveling valves? If so what did
you
> > use?
> >
> > I also had tk. leak down, I replaced my bad check and it stopped most of
my
> > leaks. But its starting again, So guess I have to snoop around again.
> >
> > Ron&Gina
>
> Ron,
>
> I have a couple of suggestions if you're going to repair your valves.
>
>
>
> Go in the driver's side of the engine compartment and disconnect all lines
going
> into the coach. There are unions on all lines there. This will allow you
to
> pull the valves far enough from the instrument panel to get to the
connectors on
> the back.
>
> When you disassemble the valves, LOOSEN the three allen head bolts about
1/16th"
> and tap the side smartly with a screwdriver handle. This should separate
the
> halves without tearing the seal. Very carefully loosen the seal from the
front
> side of the valve. With luck you can reuse it. Once this is done, finish
> separation and remove the springs
>
> Remove the O ring on the spring side of the valve. You can then push the
valve
> out thru the front. If it hangs up, that's pitting and corrosion in the
> cylinder. Work it back & forth with some penetrating oil and push it on
out.
>
> Then it's grind valve seat, hone cylinder, polish piston, clean up and
> reassemble.
>
> Incidentally, my coach is still standing tall - like someone slipped it a
triple
> dose of VIAGRA.
>
> Also removed the hose - compressor to check valve - at the check valve to
see if
> I could detect a leak back thru the valve. I could not, so reattached the
hose.
> The tank pressure is now holding. Go guess----------. The check valve
appears
> to be relatively new and is all brass.
>
> Maybe you'll luck out, as I apparently have, and the leveling valves will
solve
> your problem entirely.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Waldo