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E 35-3 waste pump out clogged

david poth

Member I
I have a 1985 35-3 and my waste pump out is cloged. It is definitely not the vent and have tried a snake with no luck. Any suggestions are hugely appreciated.
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
It might be helpful to know if it's the hose, either the deck pumpout or if you have a thru hull discharge, and if you have a whale gusher pump as many of us do.
There is also a"joker valve", a rubber piece at the bottom of the toilet just before the first hose there, that could be clogged.
Any info on where you suspect the clog might be, what hoses you have, and what you've tried already to get it opened would enable us to give better advice on next steps to try.
Frank
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Does the pump on your marine toilet work?
Are you trying to use the factory Whale and pump to empty the holding tank overboard?
And, if at a pumpout dock, will the tank empty?
I am curious as to where you would use a "snake" in a marine head system.
 

david poth

Member I
The toilet flushes fine. The deck pump out seems clogged, it will not empty . I have tried to use a snake gently from the deck with no luck. After trying to pump out there is liquid at the top of the fitting that takes several minutes to slowly drop. I do not have a y valve it appears that I have two outlet pipes on the bottom of the tank , one for the overboard discharge and one for the deck pump out. I have never tried to use the overboard discharge. The clog first happened about 4 weeks ago and l thought it may loosen up over time, it was the same yesterday.
 

david poth

Member I
I pumped out the tank several times last year with no problem until recently. The only valve I know of is the overboard discharge thru hull that has remained closed.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If you have a holding tank, overboard discharge and also deck pump-out, there should be a Y valve. Thru-hull valves are not related to deck pumpout.

On my '85 32-3 the critical valve was hidden under the head vanity sink.

Please put boat model, year and engine in the Signature line so the information is readily available.
 

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Kevin A Wright

Member III
If yours is the same as my 1986 E35, the holding tank is under the dining area settee. There is an access hatch in the holding tank of mine. You might have to remove it and pump out the tank from the inside then see what is clogging the line at the bottom.

Good Luck!

Kevin Wright
E35 Hydro Therapy
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
From another thread on this site I recall that someone else, with an EY model, had a factory holding tank with the exits - both for manual and dockside pump outs - coming from fittings on the bottom side of their tank. That's how our tank was built.
When I had Ronco fab up a newer larger tank I specified that both exits be installed in the top, with dip tubes with angled cut offs at their bottom ends.
Either way, a "paper clog" would certainly stop evacuation of the tank. You might want to open up the inspection port on top (if there is one) and hose out the whole interior. Not a fun endeavor ..... Yikes.
 

1911tex

Sustaining Member
Maybe as mentioned above by Loren...paper clog.

It is sometimes, even repeatedly, difficult to explain to guests on the boat, the rules for using the head...especially when they have an emergency.

I finally gave up and have a simple note in large letters "#1 ONLY" on the head toilet. "I have a #2 ONLY" on a Dometic 5 gal. portable toilet located in the shower stall. Very easy to explain! Sounds over simplified...but sometimes it is required. #2 toilet is super easy to empty, no smell, no clogs, etc.:

 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Something's wrong if a head can't handle the usual stuff. They're designed to do it, after all. Are kids involved?

Curious as to how many of us face clogged heads....
 

Nick J

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Blogs Author
I just rebuilt my 1984 35-3s waste system. I've read about calcium build up in the hoses, but I was still surprised how much the old hoses had and how little room was left. If the system is old and has there's a much Calcium build up as I had, it wouldn't take much to form a blockage.

My guess would be right at the bottom of the tank. The 35 requires a sharp 90 out of the tank to avoid the bulkhead. If that's not it, there could be a kink where it passes through the bulkhead and turns up the hull towards the pump out.
 

1911tex

Sustaining Member
Something's wrong if a head can't handle the usual stuff. They're designed to do it, after all. Are kids involved?

Curious as to how many of us face clogged heads....
Yes, youngsters are involved and they're parents..and you don't want to harp making them feel uncomfortable and unwelcome or they will not want to come back and that to me is a terrible thought.
 

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
I know that you started by saying that it is definitely not the vent, but...... The suction from the pump out pump is very strong. It can cause otherwise good vent hoses to collapse, then, no pooper pumper! We also had rust at the vent where it went through the hull which clogged up the works, too.
 

david poth

Member I
Thank you everyone for all the input. So. I’m pretty sure it’s a paper clog, 3 girls and have been using regular toilet paper. All #1 as our marina has very nice bathrooms. I’m going this weekend. I will definitely check the vent more closely and have purchased a chemical marine tank cleaner. Says pour in and wait 12 hours.
I have also modified a threaded cap with a hose fitting , I was thinking of trying to flush the clog back into the tank. Any thoughts on that one? I do not have an inspection port. Really don’t want to have to add one, how would that be sealed to prevent odor?
 

Ralph Hewitt

Member III
If you have a holding tank, overboard discharge and also deck pump-out, there should be a Y valve. Thru-hull valves are not related to deck pumpout.

On my '85 32-3 the critical valve was hidden under the head vanity sink.

Please put boat model, year and engine in the Signature line so the information is readily available.
Off subject, see in your picture the bottom drawer slide.
Do you know where these are available? Both long & short?
Thanks
 

david poth

Member I
Well no luck with the pump out. I tried to backwash from the deck with a hose. I also disconnected the vent tube at the tank and tried to pump with no luck. Bigger different problem, leaking fuel tank. Today I took apart the quarter birth to expose the tank , drained the fuel now I need to remove it. I don’t think it will fit through the companion way. What are my options for a smaller replacement that will fit through the companion way. I guess I should start a new thread for this one if I don’t get feedback.
thanks everyone.
David. 1985. E35-3
 
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