disgusting mess - Montana Owners Club

gmseller · 08-18-2014, 04:12 AM

We bought our Montana used at the end of the season last year in November. We have only used it in one spot as a seasonal site with water and electric hook ups. We have the campground dump us with the honey wagon every week.
I dumped it and flushed it last weekend myself as we pulled out for a road trip. spent 2 nights just my wife and I at a campground, then left to the next stop. I didnt dump because we hardly used the camper as we were gone most of the time we were there.
I arrive at the next campground and there is gross smell and disgusing mess running down my landing leg and inside the front compartment by the battery. Has anyone ever had this happen and if so is it the black tank itself

**Rondo** · 08-18-2014, 05:00 AM

Tim and Lisa-- If you unit has been parked at a seasonal site you could have had the dreaded pyramid build up in the tank and it may have been to heavy for the tank to hold. If you did not dump the tank itself and had someone do it they may not have run enough water in the wash out, thus leaving a lot of the matter there in the tank. The movement of the unit may have been just enough to cause the problem. More than likely it is a black tank problem. They have been known to split or crack and the inter holdings to go into the underbelly of the unit thus flowing to your landing gear leg. If the tank did not split, it could be that the pipe connecting the drain may have separated from the tank or the valve has failed. The only way to check it out is to actually drop that underbelly and see what the problem is. That is not one thing I would like to do BUT to find out the problem that is the only way to check it out.

bigskyjimmy · 08-18-2014, 05:08 AM

Yep gotta agree with Rondo on this one folks ,drop the underbelly and check it out it is not hard to do just a little time consuming and you have to anyway to hose the mess out of there anyway ,

gmseller · 08-18-2014, 05:15 AM

Thank you Rondo for your reply. I don't think we have build up because I have been there most of the time they have pumped me out and we have used the tank flush about half of those times. But I guess it still is possible.
I will have to wait til we get home to pull the underbelly down and check it

1retired06 · 08-18-2014, 05:59 AM

Whatever the problem, it is an ugly project! I think Rondo has a good point. We sit for five months in Florida, and when I dump the black tank (I guess tank(s) now, I run a hose thru the toilet, fill the tank, dump, fill a second time and dump. I have been less than satisfied with the black tank flush. Last winter I got lazy and started doing my routine every third time, and sure enough, developed blockage as the toilet started burping more and more If you are using a honey wagon, you may not get to do the same quality flush you would if hooked to a septic.

halfwright · 08-18-2014, 07:25 AM

A honey wagon can not clean the tank out like dumping can. After the water level gets below a certain level, the suction just pulls air from the vent. This can leave a lot of solids in the tank.

Good luck and tell us how it goes.

Tom S. · 08-18-2014, 07:56 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by gmseller

Thank you Rondo for your reply. I don't think we have build up because I have been there most of the time they have pumped me out and we have used the tank flush about half of those times. But I guess it still is possible.
I will have to wait til we get home to pull the underbelly down and check it

Using the tank flush, especially only half the time is not a guarantee you won't end up with the dreaded pyramid. You also need to add lots of water to the tank after flushing - at least 5 gallons but 10 is better.

GreatWhite · 08-18-2014, 08:28 AM

I believe the dreaded pyramid happens only in dry tanks.. or tanks that are allowed to dry over time. For me, after dumping and flushing, I add, as Tom mentioned.. add some water. I always (?) dump before leaving a site.. and then add about 10 g of water and let things slosh during the drive to the next place. Also, unless dry camping, I always use a fair amount of water. The nice side benefit is that I have never had to use chemicals.. even in hot weather.

gmseller · 08-18-2014, 12:03 PM

thank you guys , i am going to flush the best i can when i leave here tomorrow and hope its well cleaned. But i guess i still need to see where its coming from. I have no idea what the previous owners did, maybe they were seasonal too who knows

Overlord · 08-18-2014, 06:02 PM

Have heard that when using a pump-out service to empty the black tank, you should open the toilet ball so there is no vacuum build-up to collapse and crack the tank.

Have not ever used a pump-out service, but this is something that I have heard about more than once.

**Rondo** · 08-18-2014, 06:33 PM

Overlord had it correct. While at Quartzite two years ago I was reminded to open the toilet ball so it did pumping service did not collapse the tank when vacuuming it out. As halfwright stated, the pumping service cannot empty the tank completely because the tank is not a flat bottom tank. It slopes and the outlet is above the bottom of the tank on one side or another. There is always some nasty stuff left in the bottom of the tank even when you get clear water running out the outlet valve into the hose.

gmseller · 08-19-2014, 02:01 PM

I left the campsite we were staying at and rinsed and back flushed the tank for 45 mins. Have straight clear water coming out now , but i am sure there is a problem still. I will have to pull the underbelly down when i get home and look for the leak

**Rondo** · 08-19-2014, 04:49 PM

Be careful when you pull that underbelly, you may get a real surprise when it drops. Don't be under it if it does! Wear rubber gloves and possibly a clear plastic face guard!

DmaxDually · 08-19-2014, 05:54 PM

One of the first and best accessory that I bought at CW for my RV was the flush king valve. I bought my RV used and I was expecting it to happen so I was prepared, but the first time I took the cover off my dump chute to connect the dump hose the chute was full. Come to find out the previous owner left one of the grey tank valve open after he dumped the rv right before I picked it up. The flush king valve is great. First, don't have to worry about getting anything on you if you have a leaky valve or if it didn't close all the way. Second, I just connect a hose to it and reverse flush my dump chutes and fill my tanks to about 3/4 full 1 or 2 times till all the water comes out clear. I was surprised to see how much "stuff" was still in the tanks and chute after the first flush out. Buy the second time everything came out clear. It's one of the best purchaces I made for my RV.

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