Atkinson taskmaster valve seized

[Gary Hope]

Need a little advice please. I'm no plumber but I am mechanically competent and have built several classic cars.

WE have an old traianco boiler (25 years) and a metal oil tank in the garden. Recently started to smell of oily the boiler - not fumes although there is a whiff for while when first ignited. We had delivery of oil a month ago (ouch!) but the small only started 3 days ago.

Our service chap is very old school and we've used him for years. He's had a look, changed the jet and adjusted the air flap. He wanted to purge the fuel line but couldn't turn off the tap on the tank.

The tap is an Atkinson Tankmaster and the left hand thread on the cup handle has seized in the body of the taskmaster. I've bought a complete taskmaster kit so I can see how it works. Now I'm pretty sure I can free of the thread and hence the handle. but want to be absolutely sure that this will NOT result in my oil spilling out the the stop valve.

I've looked at the new taskmaster and I'm fairly sure it will spring closed and stop oil flowing but it would be great if I could get confirmation.

My service chap doesn't want to get involved until the tank can be isolated and this has planted a seed of doubt in my mind.

advice greatly appreciated, thanks

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Need to drain the tank sorry to say then you can replace

 

[GaryHope]

thanks for the reply - I only want to replace the handle - remove the circlip then it spins off. Don't want to replace the whole unit

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Correct but the handle is directly attached to the valve so if it won’t turn the valve is seized and will require replacement

 

[king of pipes]

Dodgy messing around with it now there's a full tank of very expensive heating oil in there don't think I'd be doing it . Kop

 

[SJB060685]

I know of some who would try and snatch that but I never would and any public liability insurance I had would be furious if I tried.
You could plug the oil tank from the inside which would hopefully buy you enough time to swap the whole valve but I would want a suitably sized container as a fail safe

 

[GaryHope]

Correct but the handle is directly attached to the valve so if it won’t turn the valve is seized and will require replacement

I really appreciate your replies and expertise, its only the handle thats seized, I can tell that the actual brass valve is free. This vid shows what I want to do. Nothing more, he does the same job with oil in the tank.

 

[SJB060685]

I really appreciate your replies and expertise, its only the handle thats seized, I can tell that the actual brass valve is free. This vid shows what I want to do. Nothing more, he does the same job with oil in the tank.

If you’re confident then give it a go.

 

[GaryHope]

Update, contacted Atkinson who were very helpful. They confirmed my thoughts that providing the brass piston moves freely then removing the tap won’t cause a spillage.

Outcome is that I’ve now managed to free of the seized thread , removed and replaced it with a new tap which now opens and closes the valve as it should. Replaced the very dirty filter and bowl, full of sludgy crud.

My suspicion now is that some of the sludge has got passed the filter and into the burner and it turn that is causing a slight seepage of oil, hence the smell. At least now the oil tank can be isolated and the feed bile purged.

Thanks folks, help and advice appreciated.