Autotrol 1033066 New to Old Air Check Adapter

The 1033066 is Autotrol's New to Old Air Check Adapter, a small threaded fitting that lets the current-style air check assembly be fitted into an older eductor housing on Autotrol water softener and filter valves. It's a bridging part rather than a check valve itself, used whenever the eductor housing predates the current air check design. Engineers servicing older 255, 155, 263, 268 and 278 valves keep one of these on the van, and DIY users repairing an ageing softener need it whenever a modern replacement air check won't thread straight into an old-style eductor.

Technical specifications

Symptoms that mean you need this part

• The softener intermittently fails to draw brine, with air being pulled into the brine line during regeneration
• A new-style air check assembly won't seat or thread properly into an older eductor housing during a repair
• Gurgling or sucking noises from the brine line as air is drawn past a mismatched air check fitting
• You're servicing an older 263, 268 or 278 valve and the eductor housing needs updating to accept current air check parts

Why it fails / why it matters

The air check sits at the base of the eductor assembly and stops air being drawn back up the brine line once the brine tank runs low, which would otherwise cause an airlock and stop the softener refilling properly. Autotrol changed the air check design over the years, so an older eductor housing won't always accept a current replacement air check without this adapter bridging the two thread or seat profiles. Fitting the wrong combination leaves a poor seal, meaning the softener draws air instead of brine and the resin bed never regenerates fully.

Why buy this from WrekinWater

WrekinWater has been supplying Autotrol, Pentair Fleck, Clack and Kinetico spares to installers and DIY customers for over 15 years from its Bettisfield, Shropshire base, so stocking a fiddly cross-generation part like this adapter is exactly the kind of detail that keeps engineers coming back. With more than 50,000 customers served and an Excellent rating on Trustpilot, WrekinWater is set up to get a small but essential part like this to you quickly rather than leaving a softener sat in bypass.

How to fit it

1. Isolate the softener at the bypass valve before starting any work on the eductor
2. Locate the eductor housing on the control valve and unscrew the eductor plug or cap to access the air check
3. Remove the old air check and inspect the housing thread or seat to confirm it's the older style
4. Fit the 1033066 adapter into the eductor housing, seating it fully and squarely
5. Fit the new-style air check assembly into the adapter and replace the eductor cap
6. Return the valve to service and run a manual regeneration to confirm brine is drawn cleanly with no air noise