cleaning stuck diverter valve

[adam911]

I have a ravenheat rsf 84e.
Ive removed the diverter valve as i was getting lukewarm water when the hot water is opened. Also while the im running the hot water rads were getting warm too so i suppose diverter is stuck on c/h.
Ive removed the diaphragm and looks ok no holes but the other side of the diver is stuck the bit where the c/h flow and return go into.

Is there anyway of cleaning it to free it up? Can i use wd40.
Pics of my diverter

 

[DP]

No WD40. Can be done and have done it often, but if you are asking then you might find it tad difficult as new o rings etc will be needed

Better replace the valve

Diaphragm is shot too

 

[adam911]

Yeh diaphragm is knackered but it was doing its job otherwise the pin wouldn't come in and out. How would you get to the second bit of the diverter valve? How would you open it up? I can see there is washers and a pin through the holes.

 

[AGAS]

the last time i changed one of them it cost about £150

 

[matgriff]

This looks very similar to the one in my ICI Caldaie Solar 80... I rebuilt that using a complete kit of parts that cost about £30. I had to make a special little tool using a 10mm socket, ground down with two little tangs to unscrew the main parts of the valve that holds the moving parts & O rings. In fact I did it twice, first time I just did it like you have & replaced the diaghphram and seals, that lasted about a year, second time I completely stripped it down (which needed the home made tool) and replaced everything. It's been fine for the last two years

 

[adam911]

Where did you get the complete kit from? Ive got the diaphragm kit but doesnt include the other bits to do the other end of the valve?
So i basically need to unscrew the washer looking thing with 2 cut out tabs at the end of the diverter valve and it should come apart?
Also should the pin at the other end of the valve be moving freely when you pushing it back and forth as mine is solid if you try poking it with a screwdriver it wont move?
Thanks

 

[adam911]

£150 is too much to spend on a rubbish boiler like ravenheat. I was hoping to rebuild the one ive already got.

 

[adam911]

Also have you got a photo of your little 10mm spanner tool? I will try to replicate it

 

[matgriff]

I got the rebuild kit from www.gas-spares.co.uk I think they're just called Gas Applicance Spares, based in preston.

I think I still have the socket I'll check later. It's just a 3/8 drive socket that fits over the washer with the two cut out tabs (8mm or 10mm) I then just filed/ground down the end of the socket so that I just had two tabs 180 degrees apart that fitted into the two indents on the washer/collar it then just unscrews anticlockwise out of the body. I think there's at least two of them, one in the diaghphram housing too. Inside you'll see more needles and those little white plastic fittings + rubber O rings. Just photograph everything so you get it all back in the right place.

Mat

 

[adam911]

Thanks for that i will have a go at it. So a good valve should be able to be push in and out with screwdriver? Or wont it move like that?

 

[adam911]

I haven't tried opening it yet, but ive freed the valve.
I ran tap water from the top of the diverter where water comes in from the heat exchanger just to test which way the water goes in the diverter valve and it was going to the ch flow pipe and when i released the diaphragm it was still going to c/h flow pipe so i sprayed wd40 and pushed and allen key so the valve moves forward closing off c/h path.
So now when i run water in the valve its working as it should be. But im worried its only working because ive sprayed wd40 and once it wears out with the water it may get stuck again.
Is there anything i can spray or use that is longer lasting and will keep the pins and rubbers lubricated so it doesnt stick again?

 

[AGAS]

No WD40. Can be done and have done it often, but if you are asking then you might find it tad difficult as new o rings etc will be needed

Better replace the valve

Diaphragm is shot too

 

[adam911]

Wot about silicone spray to keep it lubricated as silicone spray is waterproof. The valve is working again so no need to replace it just yet.

 

[adam911]

Just to up date. Ive put it all back in and all working fine now. When dhw in use in not going into the central heating. Just got a small leak to sort it now.