Valve Replacement

[trinityspeedwash]

I have the following valve in a Coleman product manifold.

G.C. 9-211-21 Manifold Block Repair Kit | Car Wash Repair Parts

GC Manifold Block Repair Kits at the Best Prices! Keep your manifold blocks operating at peak efficiency.

www.kleen-ritecorp.com

Some of the valves are getting old and aren't working that well anymore.

I have replaced a few with new ones and that seems to do the trick and the product dispenses.

Question ... each valve is $41. Is there a trick to "revive" the older ones? It seems like they have product build-up and might need some sort of lubrication/cleaning to "spring" again. Maybe that is not a thing and I just have to bite the bullet every time, but I figured I would ask you guys for any tricks of the trade.

Thanks.

 

[Blanco]

You always clean them first and see what happens. That usually will solve 90% of issues. If that doesn't work then replace. If there are not closing all the way then you can stretch the spring a little bit too.

Is your chemical clogging them up? Wait for a rainy day and pull everyone of them out and clean them. I usually only replace when the brass threads on the stem are eaten away.

 

[Greg Pack]

Buy the stainless plunger assemblies for anything corrosive- presoak, tire cleaner, low pH foaming conditioner, etc.

G.C. Valves 9-211-41 Stem Repair | Valve Parts & Kits | Kleen-Rite

These genuine G.C. Valves stainless steel stems are the perfect replacement for broken or worn parts on your manifold.

www.kleen-ritecorp.com

buy once, cry once


sometimes certain wax products will cause the plunger seat to swell impeding flow. You can shave it flat with a razor blade.

 

[trinityspeedwash]

Ah got it. I am running the brass version, including for things like tire cleaner. Maybe stainless is the way to go.

Also just ordered this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P551RRS

Will give this a try with my existing ones and some WD40. Will report back.

 

[Randy]

You should never use a brass manifold for any of the corrosive chemicals. when you remove the valve stems you want to inspect the valve seat for any kind erosion of the seat. If you find any erosion you'll need to replace the manifold. We build our manifolds with stainless steel Kip valves, I've never had a problem with any of them in 42 years.

 

[Blanco]

The manifolds are stainless steel not brass. There is not going to be any erosion. Just the stem is brass. Greg posted stainless stems they make that I didn’t even know of. Stainless is always better but even with brass stems I’ve probably only had a few ever get eaten up and it was always the threads.

 

[Greg Pack]

Ah got it. I am running the brass version, including for things like tire cleaner. Maybe stainless is the way to go.

Also just ordered this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P551RRS

Will give this a try with my existing ones and some WD40. Will report back.

What product is building up?
Alkaline cleaners, try soaking in an acid to clean. Wax products might respond to a solvent. Naptha, paint thinner, brake cleaner,etc.

I've replaced all my plungers housings on anything corrosive. I think it's stupid for a company to make a stainless manifold with brass stems but it keeps them competitively priced I guess. It's used to be almost as cheap to buy an all stainless model, but I don't think Kleen rite sells them (but dultmeier did at one time).

 

[Randy]

The manifolds are stainless steel not brass. There is not going to be any erosion. Just the stem is brass. Greg posted stainless stems they make that I didn’t even know of. Stainless is always better but even with brass stems I’ve probably only had a few ever get eaten up and it was always the threads.

Most equipment manufactures that I've dealt with use the brass manifold because they are cheaper. There attitude get the equipment out the door as cheaply as possible. Over the years I've replaced a number of washed out brass manifolds, never had a problem with the stainless manifolds or stainless steel valves.

 

[Blanco]

I think it's stupid for a company to make a stainless manifold with brass stems but it keeps them competitively priced I guess. It's used to be almost as cheap to buy an all stainless model, but I don't think Kleen rite sells them (but dultmeier did at one time).

I agree it should be all stainless but ill take stainless block with a brass stem any day over brass on brass because It's certainly easier to change a brass stem in two seconds vs having to remove 6+ fittings/tubing and changing the entire manifold for the whole wash because one bay on the brass manifold has eroded. It's not like the brass stems only last a few months. I have and have serviced 20+ year old super savers with the original brass stems regardless of tire cleaner or foam brush. Even if you replace a brass stem that has been eaten way with another new brass stem then it will probably outlive both of us most likely.

 

[Greg Pack]

Blanco, I don't disagree they will last a while. My manifolds were about ten-fifteen years old before they all started failing. And I use hot presoak and tire cleaner in my SS compared to most. But after replacing them here and there, one day I walked it and found a mess. A plunger housing had popped off and sent a straight stream of tire cleaner onto the stuff sitting on my shelving unit five feet away, soaking the boxes of vending supplies. After that I replaced all the remaining ones with stainless.

 

[Blanco]

Blanco, I don't disagree they will last a while. My manifolds were about ten-fifteen years old before they all started failing. And I use hot presoak and tire cleaner in my SS compared to most. But after replacing them here and there, one day I walked it and found a mess. A plunger housing had popped off and sent a straight stream of tire cleaner onto the stuff sitting on my shelving unit five feet away, soaking the boxes of vending supplies. After that I replaced all the remaining ones with stainless.

I would probably do the same now that I know they make them in stainless. I never even knew that until you posted the link and there not that much more.