Burnham v7, replace cover plate

[Joe acquiost]

Got an older Burnham v7 with a hot water coil. That plugged up years ago, and was blocked off.

Since domestic hot water was not supplied by the Burnham, took to turning it off in Summer. Noticed the seal began leaking when it cooled down but did not seem too bad and was not noticeable once it was back in service.

Well, of course, now it is worse and for the moment have left it on to avoid, or mask, the leak.

I know there is a cover plate/gasket/bolt kit available, but it looks like a VERY iffy deal to try and move those rusted bolts. I've asked a couple pro's for ballpark and it is WAY too steep for me. Almost would make sense to rip out and go to propane.

Planning to let it cool down and give it a go. I doubt penetrating fluids of any sort will be effective as the gasket seem like it would prevent penetration of the threads at all.

First, I guess to try penetrating oils, Kroil and the like, and just try to wrench them free. If that fails, rather than go Gorilla and chance snapping the bolts, to just grind them down, remove the cover plate/ aquastat/gasket, then apply heat via oxy/acetylene to each exposed bolt in turn and try vice grips or, mig/tig a nut to each bolt and try that.

Failing all that, I guess try drill/extract? Drill/retap is, of course, the last resort.

Any experience to share?

 

[Joe acquiost]

Well, the bolts came out a lot easier than expected. Now looking for any specs or suggestions on how tight to make the replacement bolts and if I should use lock tite or some pipe dope on the threads, to prevent backing out and rust forming.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

Anaerobic pipe dope it doesn't matter what brand. If the gasket surfaces are pitted expando pipe dope works very well to fill the pits in. Don't know what material the gasket is made out of just tighten baby steps and don't get big on them and use a alternating pattern.

 

[Joe acquiost]

Anaerobic pipe dope it doesn't matter what brand. If the gasket surfaces are pitted expando pipe dope works very well to fill the pits in. Don't know what material the gasket is made out of just tighten baby steps and don't get big on them and use a alternating pattern.

Some light surface rust, just cleaned right off. The gasket is some kind of thicker rubbery material, solid neoprene, hypalon maybe? The kind I would hesitate to put sealer on.

The thing that bothers me a bit is there were two cover plates, one a blank off and the other threaded for the aquastat. But the hole was 3/4 and the well housing is 1/2. Apparently there are both sizes used, and rather than get all nuts about it, I used a gray (iron, steel?) reducer, but that keeps the well from going in a far as it did. Probably not a big deal as it was kind of shielded by the tankless coil, sort of tucked into the loops.

I guess not to worry.

 

[Fitter30]

Just use a bushing 3/4 x 1/2. Gasket just put on dry watch when tightening that its not squishing out.

 

[Joe acquiost]

Just use a bushing 3/4 x 1/2. Gasket just put on dry watch when tightening that its not squishing out.

I tightened, by hand, with a normal open/box end wrench to where it it tight all around and the gasket began to bulge a bit.

I also noticed the temp/pressure gage was showing pressure while the boiler was empty. Tapping it did not change it. When I removed it, quite tight it was, it now reads zero. I'm thinking just replace it and not chance it.