Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > MOC Technical Forums > Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-16-2007, 06:36 AM   #1
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
sewer smell

This sounds familiar but I can't find anything... We are getting a sewer smell inside the camper 06 3400) It appears to be in the area of the front(livingroom) side of the island or when standing in front of the sink. The black tank does not have a leak..filled in up to the very top and poked around..no leaks.. Here is the strange part... I appears that the only time we can smell it is..when the fantastic fan is running??? There was no smell this Am..turnned on the fan and in a very short time we got the smell.... I have a theory..ideas anyone???
 
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 06:47 AM   #2
steves
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Belvidere
Posts: 1,834
M.O.C. #185
Rich,
Have you tried adding chemicals (same as you use in the black tank) to the galley tank? I had a similar smell after the unit was not used for a period of time and put chemicals in the galley and the smell disappeared.

steves is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 06:58 AM   #3
ARJ
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 608
M.O.C. #6162
Are your windows closed and your slides sealed tightly? If not, the fan may be sucking sewer smell from the outside of your rig.

Of course you could always reverse the fan if it has that option.
ARJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 07:09 AM   #4
Mudchief
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Paola
Posts: 5,739
M.O.C. #4961
Rich, go behind the galley and there is a inspection plate at the very end near the top. Take it off and you will see a vent valve to your left. Then turn on the fan and see if you get the smell coming from that vent valve. The valve maybe bad and allowing the gases to come through it when the fan is running. You will see the black pipe goes on up to the roof to vent the gases. The vent valve is a one way valve that opens to allow more air into the tank when you dump it, allowing it to flow out faster.
__________________
Dennis & Linda Ward
Paola, Kansas
Montana 3735MK Legacy Edition
1200 watts of Solar
Mudchief is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 07:45 AM   #5
ols1932
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
Rich,
Before we had our black tank replaced my wife kept complaining about sewer odor. I couldn't smell it because my "smeller" went bad a couple years ago after spraying Zycam (sp) in it. We don't know if it was caused by the initial seeping out of the black tank or not. As a side note, before we found out the black tank was leaking, I had removed the underbelly panels and for the life of me I couldn't see ANY leaks from any tanks. I know this doesn't help you but it's just our experience.

Orv
ols1932 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 07:55 AM   #6
Dustytuu
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,232
M.O.C. #2975
Don said to ask if the vent pipe from the black tank is anywhere near the fantastic fan. Maybe it is sucking fumes from the vent pipe.
But the fanastic fan should be sucking air out, so that may not be problem. Have you checked the vent pipe to see if it has an obstruction.

Don put one of those vent thingies on our vent pipe that rotates with the wind and helps to keep away fumes. Works great.
Dustytuu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 08:21 AM   #7
Ozzie
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Apple Valley
Posts: 1,574
M.O.C. #1358
Send a message via MSN to Ozzie
Hehe...'vent thingies' - I was trying to think of the name of that and found one at Camping World

We also had an occasional odor and looked at that vent Mudchief spoke of. Didn't see anything wrong, but chose to do the roof vent. After we put the roof vent on, I don't think we've noticed it since.

I'm sure your situation could be different fulltiming, but that vent helped us a lot. Works in even a light breeze - sucks those fumes right out.
Ozzie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 08:58 AM   #8
txkrumm
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Livingston
Posts: 575
M.O.C. #5920
Rich,
We have also noticed a sewer odor when the FF fan is on. Steve said he thought it was pulling in from the vent...same as a couple others have said...
good luck,
t
txkrumm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 09:11 AM   #9
VanMan
Montana Master
 
VanMan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Weatherford
Posts: 1,383
M.O.C. #9
Maybe you need a couple of these !!
VanMan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 09:15 AM   #10
Gonfishin
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Peoria
Posts: 214
M.O.C. #3604
Rich, We had that exact same problem in the kitchen of our 3670. It turned out to be the valve that mudchief spoke of. It was replaced at the service center and that solved the problem.
Rick
Gonfishin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 09:22 AM   #11
exav8tr
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
VanMan, That was a hoot! I busted a gut when that opened up!!!! ROFL
exav8tr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 09:52 AM   #12
Countryfolks
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ft. Smith
Posts: 981
M.O.C. #116
Rich, in our '05 3500, we had a sewer smell in front of the kitchen sink also. Check the vacuum breaker under the sink, it may need replacing. That was our cause. Can be gotten at home improvement stores.
Mary
Countryfolks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 10:41 AM   #13
rickety
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Caldwell
Posts: 825
M.O.C. #4855
Jeez, Rich, hope you get rid of the smell. Have you checked the vent pipe? maybe you had a little feathered friend build a nest up there. I had a musty nasty smell in the kitchen sink, poured some Thetford's down it, let it set until tank was full and drained, smell has not returned. I think the water and "debris" coats the pipes and periodically needs ot be flushed. just my opinion
Hope you get rid of it soon
rickety is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 10:50 AM   #14
carlson
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Moultonborough
Posts: 449
M.O.C. #3268
Rich,
From experience.
Under the stairs there are two large holes drilled inot the belly area and a 2" heater hose.
They are located right over your black tank.
You may have a dreaded black tank problem.
I used the expandable insulation foam to fill up those two holes and the one or two that are under the counter by the hot water heater.
So next time you smell the oder, smell at the grate under the first step and you may find where it is coming from.
Have you dropped your black panel under the coach, the one behind where the pipe comes out.
Good luck
carlson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 11:34 AM   #15
rrheik
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: morgans point
Posts: 403
M.O.C. #6292
VanMan where were you when I had my Wilderness?

bob
rrheik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 12:22 PM   #16
kdeiss
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Englewood
Posts: 3,095
M.O.C. #164
Rich
Their is no trap on the pot it is a straight shot to the tank.If when you flush with fan on you can be pulling smell direct from the tank has happed to us.
kdeiss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 01:44 PM   #17
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Wow, what a wide variety of possible problems,
Rich, let us know what fixes it.
Ozz
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 02:25 PM   #18
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
We do have the rotating vent thingy on the vent pipe...The fantastic fan is near the vent pipe Vacuum breaker under the sink...What is that and what does it looks like. I will smell by the steps will check the vent valve..thanks for all the ideas..Right now....no smell..
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2007, 02:33 PM   #19
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Rich, go behind the galley and there is a inspection plate at the very end near the top. Take it off and you will see a vent valve to your left. Then turn on the fan and see if you get the smell coming from that vent valve. The valve maybe bad and allowing the gases to come through it when the fan is running. You will see the black pipe goes on up to the roof to vent the gases. The vent valve is a one way valve that opens to allow more air into the tank when you dump it, allowing it to flow out faster.

BINGO..what a stench..how do i fix it..Who needs the service center when we have the MOC forum.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2007, 03:48 AM   #20
bsmeaton
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
Glad you found the source Rich, and anxious to hear the fix.

Learn something everyday, if not hour, here on the MOC. I borrowed this picture from Ozz - (looking from other side). Is that it on the right?



bsmeaton is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
SEWER SMELL Larry-P Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 9 03-24-2015 02:09 AM
Sewer smell rwsers Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 5 03-27-2013 03:37 PM
sewer smell mtheo Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 4 09-12-2012 04:41 PM
SOMETIME SEWER SMELL Larry-P Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 4 05-17-2012 07:40 PM
sewer smell Doug and Anita Repairs & Service 4 10-26-2007 10:23 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.