Smith's Heater Water Valve

Forum members,

I am rebuilding my 60 BT7 Smith’s Heater and ran into a small assembly problem associated with the new water valve. The water valve adaptor plate at the bottom of the water valve is held to the top of the heater box with a washer made of a soft metal (I assume aluminum?). The washer is cone shaped and is meant to be bent to fit and secure the adaptor. However, I am not sure how I fasten it to the base of the adaptor. Do I just push it down? If so with what? Do I put the small end against the adaptor and push or the large end?

Does anyone have experience with this? Also does the “O” Ring fit between the top of the water valve and the adaptor plate? Or does it go between the adaptor plate and the heater box top as the catalog illustration shows?

Thank you very much.

Lin Rose
roselh@jmu.edu

I got a response from AH Spares (I purchased the water valve and a few other heater parts from them) and it was very helpful. In case anyone is interested the inverted side of the aluminum washer goes against the base piece of the valve. Keith at AH Spares says the parts book drawing (and most catalogs) is not correct. The "O" ring goes between the two pieces of the valve, not on the outside as the drawing seems to depict - at least to me. We also agree that only one "o" ring is required not two as the schematic suggests. Anybody have a contrary opinion on that?

Special thanks to AH Spares who not only supply quality parts but obviously good service as well.
Lin

Lin said:

I got a response from AH Spares (I purchased the water valve and a few other heater parts from them) and it was very helpful. In case anyone is interested the inverted side of the aluminum washer goes against the base piece of the valve. Keith at AH Spares says the parts book drawing (and most catalogs) is not correct. The "O" ring goes between the two pieces of the valve, not on the outside as the drawing seems to depict - at least to me. We also agree that only one "o" ring is required not two as the schematic suggests. Anybody have a contrary opinion on that?

Special thanks to AH Spares who not only supply quality parts but obviously good service as well.
Lin

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So does the valve still get pushed down on the stem from the radiator or how does the valve mount to the pipe - just wondering because if I push mine down on the stem I can still wiggle the valve thus water would leak out of that loose connection regardless if there was a rubber o ring in between the 2 parts