How to get to the black water vent nozzle

johan · 09-08-2006, 12:06 AM

We are driving a 1997 Winnebago Brave 25RC in the old world across the Atlantic river. Two years ago a Spanish truck driver was succesful in shortening our Brave up front by a couple of inches on a huge parking lot in the North West of Spain. As a result I believe the black tank has moved. Sometimes black water lies in the tank compartment and you can smell the odor.I also found a once white and damaged sealing ring in the black water tank which I believe must be from the vent connection to the tank . My question is how to get to the vent connection. Do you have to remove the fresh water tank and the bottom of the shower. It is all hidden and very difficult to get access to. I hate to start to find out that I am doing things wrong. Has anybody done this before or knows how to solve this.Thanks.

johan · 09-08-2006, 12:06 AM

We are driving a 1997 Winnebago Brave 25RC in the old world across the Atlantic river. Two years ago a Spanish truck driver was succesful in shortening our Brave up front by a couple of inches on a huge parking lot in the North West of Spain. As a result I believe the black tank has moved. Sometimes black water lies in the tank compartment and you can smell the odor.I also found a once white and damaged sealing ring in the black water tank which I believe must be from the vent connection to the tank . My question is how to get to the vent connection. Do you have to remove the fresh water tank and the bottom of the shower. It is all hidden and very difficult to get access to. I hate to start to find out that I am doing things wrong. Has anybody done this before or knows how to solve this.Thanks.

FrankieJ · 09-08-2006, 04:14 AM

... have you tried calling the Winnebago service number. They have been very helpful to me in the past. Sometimes they hit the problem on the mark and other times ... not so accurate. But, they are friendly and patient and eager to see your problem resolved. FJ

Clay L · 09-08-2006, 04:22 AM

They may not all be the same, but the two Winnebagos I have had have a molded tube - an intergral part of the tank - projecting from the top on the holding tank. The vent tube coupler slips over the tube and is clamped. The coupler is flexible but I don't know how much give there is.

The first thing I would check is the toilet gasket that the tube on the bottom of the toilet goes through to get into the tank. The sealing ring you mentioned sounds like that gasket.
The toilet is easy to remove - most have two nuts that have to be removed, then the water is disconnected and then the toilet can lifted out.

johan · 09-08-2006, 04:41 AM

Thanks for the reply: the first thing I did was to remove the toilet and at the moment it still is. I cannot or rather I am hesitant to use force to remove the toilet flange it does not rotate and you cannot lift it easily. Next week I will fill the black tank and try to find out where water spills first. It is a very silly design those two tanks on top of each other and the third one is next to it.
Winnebago Brave 25 RC / Modelyear 1997 build in November 1996. On the road in 1998.Milage 75000 kM.

Geechee · 09-08-2006, 10:34 AM

johan,

You can access the plumbing schematics at the Winnebago homepage by clicking on:

Resources
Manuals & Diagrams
Plumbing Diagrams
1997
Brave
WCF25RC

And you will get a PDF (97_f25rc_plumb.pdf) file of the plumbing for your MH. If you contact me @ [email protected] I will send you the file.

Geechee

AFChap · 09-08-2006, 05:12 PM

Since you are in the "old world," I recommend you communicate with Winnebago Owner Relations via email at [email protected] ...actually, email is my preferred method of communication with them on this side of the pond too. In your initial email, be sure to include the s/n of your rig. They should be able to tell you anything you need to know about your specific rig.

johan · 09-08-2006, 10:19 PM

Thanks for all the advise. This site is full of treasures:I found the drainage system drawing and it confirms my suspicion that the part I found in the black water tank is a 1 1/2 inch grommet either from the vent connection or the drain line from the small sink next to the toilet/shower. Still I am not sure how to fix the connection. I could live with it if I keep the black water tank at low level in order to prevent a spill while driving because that is what happens at the moment. I will check with Winnebago Service Dept.

Geechee · 09-09-2006, 05:57 AM

johan,

Having spent time in your part of the world, I am impressed with the fact you only have had one run in with the truck drivers. Where in Switzerland do you live? Good luck with finding a solution for your vent problem.

Geechee,

johan · 09-09-2006, 07:22 AM

Hi Geechee:
Well we,the three of us: my wife, the dutch shepherd and myself live close to the Rhine and the black forest between Zürich and Basle. By the way I had to google your Bichon and I must confess that I never heard of this breed . The german explanation added Havanna to the name and stated that in the past some dogs were smuggled out of Cuba and survived in the US. So you must have one of those survivals.Yes sometimes driving a little bigger one in Europe can give some headaches and white nuckles. We had some rough rides on some islands in Croatia but survived well. I have to solve that odor problem I believe I know how but I need a confirmation.

Geechee · 09-09-2006, 12:31 PM

johan,

I retired from Bosch in 2005, so I know your area pretty well. In the good old days, I would fly Swiss Air in and out of Zurich and drive to Stuttgart. My wife and I both enjoyed our time spent in the Rhineland. However, I can't imagine driving our Brave on any thing but the major highways. You have my respect for taking yours to Coratia. What does a yearly CH highway pass cost for your Brave?

It seems that the Spanish sailors took the Bichons on their early voyages to the new world and that's how the Cuban side got started. Ours is a Bichons Frises which is from the original French breed of the dogs. PePe' is spoiled rotten,but loves to travel. So far he has been in 43 states and 5 Canadian provinces. When I bring the Brave home he gets all worked up and can't wait to get on the road.

MFG,

Geechee

johan · 09-10-2006, 06:22 AM

Geechee:
In the good old days I used to travel from Zürich to New York down town Manhatten Broadway No 2 If I remember well to visit American Electric Power who at that time had its headquarters in New York. Later they moved to Columbus Ohio a bit closer to their customers. And of course with Swissair flight # SR 100.It sometimes is a small world is not it. Well I am paying 650 Swiss Francs per year ( about 520 US$) to get on the road and not only for the highways it is simply a tax to leave your driveawy. The funny thing is that as soon as I cross the border I can file a request to get money back on a timely basis. So if I stay one month outside Switzerland I get back 1/12 of the above sum. But of course I must pay in some countries toll.Not in Germany and some other countries. Well sometimes you get lost in particular in Spain and Italy and all of a sudden some railroad bridge is too low or there is a sudden weight restriction so you must be a little bit more careful entering medieval cities and yes in Madrid I hit a steel pole which protects the pedestrians on their part of the road and yes that is an awfull and expensive noise: I can still hear it. Well talk to you later.

johan · 09-26-2006, 12:36 AM

In the mean time I checked with Winnbago Service Dept and I was told that by removing the shower pan I should be able to access the vent connection which is below the pan. My dealer said that he has to remove the entire shower. Well I do not know who is right and who is wrong but I will ask my dealer to do it for me and then we will see.