Jammed radiator bleed valve

Feb 02, 2009 4 Replies

Need to bleed a double radiator, installed July 2000. The front bleeder is fine, but the rear one is rock solid. Tried WD40, though I use a brass key it has rounded the valve head before turning. Tried tapping with a hammer, also managed to cut a rather poor slot in it but still can't shift it. The big problem is having so little room to work between the two panels. any ideas please, all welcomed? At the moment it is starting to look as though I will have to replace an otherwise perfectly good radiator.


If it's a removable valve assembly, a proper key will fit over the bleed valve and allow removal of the assembly.

If it's fitted to the rad, drain it down and use a small blowlamp to heat the valve - heat will loosen most things. Protect the rad finish with damp rags, etc. A hot air paint stripper might also work.

Is the bleed valve in a larger plug / bung?

Put some Coppaslip on the new ones thread to avoid it happening again.

Some have a sort of welded on valve assembly - rather than the older screw in type.

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