MTFCA Forum

The handle on a potato gas shut off valve is broken off and gone. Has anyone tried to attach some type of handle to one?
Also I can not remember what was suggested on how to remove the brass valve.

To remove: remove the cotter pin, washer & spring.
Make a hollow punch that only contacts the base of the valve below the stud/post.

AND - it helps if someone else can hold onto the sediment bulb !

Please confirm the year shut off valve you are referencing. Your profile says you have a 1926 Roadster pickup. and that valve is different than the earlier ones that are known for handles to brake off

If its the earlier style save yourself the trouble and remove the sediment bulb. The don't sell replacement lever arms.

Regardless of which you have...
To remove the sediment bulb you need to be a bit gentle. Don't try to remove it with a long handled wrench you may damage the fitting on the tank. Put a wrench on it an tap the wrench, acts like an impact wrench to break it loose.

Simple..., Take a piece of round brass stock and silver solder it on. Shape to your desire!

You could probably make a handle once you get it off. It’s just a larger version of the pre-1915 Kingston petcock handle. I made the ball part and tapped it 4-40 and used threaded rod to attach it to the part that runs through the body. I made the handle and left a nib that I inserted into a hole I drilled in the ball then I soldered it all. Just have to do it on a larger scale.

Since the handle is busted off, likely the valve is really stuck in the bulb. Plus the large brass nut has to come off anyway to clean or replace the filter screen soldered to the nut.

So best is to heat the iron bulb around the lever and nut, you can get the iron really hot to near dull red and then cool in a freezer placing on a wood board. When cooled the brass parts shrink and are easy to remove. Careful to punch out the lever part using a hollow punch as noted, or the end that holds the coil spring and washer with cotter will be wrecked.

You may be able to find a donor sediment bulb to obtain another valve with intact handle.


Messed up valve end

FYI - not all valve/handle combinations are compatible with all sediment bulbs - I have found several different lengths of tapers.