FIX A LEAKING CASSETTE

Running an older vehicle isn't all about major repairs! Nigel Donnelly ticks a minor task off the to-do list

- 

There's nothing quite like spending some time in the 'van to remind you fairly quickly of all the things that you have been meaning to fix from last year and forgotten all about.

We took our first weekend away in April, and I soon remembered plenty of things that had been annoying last time out, which I had forgotten to address.

So as soon as we got home, I reached for the tools and got some niggles ironed out. First up was fixing the leaking toilet cassette.

Talking toilets

Nobody wants to talk about toilets, but the old Thetford C4 cassette toilet in our 'van has plainly seen some action in its 25-plus years.

We've noticed a number of maintenance tasks that have been ignored for a while, but this was one thing that needed urgent attention.

There are various symptoms of a leaking lip seal, but the one we couldn't ignore was when removing the cassette from the 'van. Carrying the cassette over to the disposal point, we were aware it was damp on the top, and there was definite evidence of leakage from the cassette as we walked across the field.

We found we needed to carry the toilet cassette horizontally to prevent leaks. This is one of the symptoms of a tired lip seal.

This rubber gasket creates a watertight seal between the toilet bowl and the cassette. It's crucial for preventing leaks and smells from seeping into the vehicle, and for the correct operation of the Thetford cassette toilet.