# Oil tank whistle valve install



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

NO welding or soldering allowed due to the flammable fumes. Get a 18" or 24" pipe wrench and put a 24" piece of steel/plastic ABS pipe on the end of the wrench to give you more leverage. Did that all the time removing them and when I worked on steam. If all else fails you may have to rent a Ridgid black iron pipe cutter and cut the pipe and unscrew the nipples etc. I don't envy you the job.  Try not to rock the tank too much or it may spring a leak, no joke! Perhaps it is time for a new tank, they have fibreglass/poly square vertical types now. Won't corrode internally and leak like a old metal one.:whistling2:


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,... What are you using for wrenches,..?? 
Try Bigger 1s, with a cheater pipe like yuri says...
You may also need to use 2 wrenches, 1 to hold,+ the other to turn the pipe/ fitting...
Are you starting at the outside termination of the vent line,..?? 
You can't disassemble it from the tank end, nor anywhere in the run, *unless* there's a Union fitting...


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Are you trying to turn out just the pipe in the tank. Without removing the other parts of the vent pipe first?

Post pics of vent piping.


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## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

Righty/tighty and Lefty/loosey. LOL:thumbsup::laughing:


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## Mainah (Jan 18, 2008)

Do you already have a whistle installed??? if so it's likely sludged up and only needs cleaning-

all you need to do is put a quart of kerosene down the vent pipe and with the fill cap off blow real hard into the vent pipe, this will dislodge any sludge in the stem of the whistle-


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Mainah said:


> Do you already have a whistle installed??? if so it's likely sludged up and only needs cleaning-
> 
> all you need to do is put a quart of kerosene down the vent pipe and with the fill cap off blow real hard into the vent pipe, this will dislodge any sludge in the stem of the whistle-


And if any oil/kerosene is left in the vent pipe when the driver starts to fill it. It will blow out the vent.
They will stop filling and leave a bill. And won't return until they are paid to fix the vent pipe.


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## Mainah (Jan 18, 2008)

beenthere said:


> And if any oil/kerosene is left in the vent pipe when the driver starts to fill it. It will blow out the vent.
> They will stop filling and leave a bill. And won't return until they are paid to fix the vent pipe.


 
ok my bad, only do this if your tank is installed to code, your vent pipe will need to have the proper pitch back to the tank-


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

place the wrench right above (not on)the theads into the top of the tank put a piece of pipe on the handle of that wrench......has to be minimum 24" one...place the wrench so you pull down the lenght of the tank not from the side so it doesn't rock as before


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## toxic oreo (Dec 27, 2009)

After yarding on the pipe for about an hour to nothing happening, I called my equally handi (read not at all) dad. He showed up 45 minutes later with a case of beer and a metal cutting blade for my sawzall. Sliced the pipe that was screwed into the top of the tank in half, got a cheater pipe for the wrench, yarded the hell out of both now cut ends, and somehow got it all out. Whoo hoo.

Cue beer drinking.

Took new whistle valve (none was present previously), got new vertical pipe cut and threaded, went home. Drank a beer.

Bit of wrenching, twisting and sealant spreading later, and we have half an empty case of beer and a half new vent system with a whistle.

Wow....took half a day. Crappy job. Not fun. We figured that the tank and fill/vent system were installed circa 1950 (my wife was able to find the original documentation when the house was converted from gas). The rest of the system will be replaced in two years or so...I have to finish the other big job going on in the house first (wife and I have already completely gutted out one bathroom and are down to the studs).

thanks for your help! It was very much helpful!


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## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

Nothin that a case of beer and some power tools can't solve. :thumbsup: Good thing the sparks from that blade didn't ignite anything. Glad you got it going.:thumbup:


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