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prince836 · Mar 14, 2008, 08:35 PM

Loud whistling toilet noise after the toilet is flushed and stops when it refills. Replaced everything inside the toilet already (water fill valve, flapper, braided steel line etc.) No other faucet, shower or toilet in the house makes any other kind of sound. Replaced the hot water heater recently and didn't have any faucet turned on when I first filled the water heater, I was told this could be a cause for the sound. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

hkstroud · Mar 14, 2008, 08:48 PM

Suggest replacing toilet stop valve.

speedball1 · Mar 15, 2008, 05:45 AM

Replaced the hot water heater recently and didn't have any faucet turned on when I first filled the water heater, I was told this could be a cause for the sound. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Ahhh! The old " air in pipes" excuse. If any air is in your lines the minute you open a faucet itwil spit and purge itself. No! Noise is causes by something vibrating. The noise comes from your ballcock. Shut the water off at the stop under the tank and remove the topof the ballcock to pull up the float ball and stem assembly. ( I'm assuming you have a regular float ball ballcock and not a FluedMaster) Seat the washer firmly and place your hand over the open ball cock while you open up the stop to flush out the supply. Reassemble and give it a flush. Better now? Regards, Tom

prince836 · Mar 15, 2008, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by prince836

Loud whistling toilet noise after the toilet is flushed and stops when it refills. Replaced everything inside the toilet already (water fill valve, flapper, braided steel line etc.) No other faucet, shower or toilet in the house makes any other kind of sound. Replaced the hot water heater recently and didnt have any faucet turned on when I first filled the water heater, I was told this could be a cause for the sound. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

It was replaced with a Fluidmaster. Everything inside the toilet is brand new even down to the washers and bolts. Any other ideas?

massplumber2008 · Mar 15, 2008, 12:56 PM

Prince:

So this sound was there before replacing parts.. and is still there.. yes.. When you replaced the toilet fill valve, did you turn on water shutoff under toilet to clear of any debris? If not, may just have clogged the new one up with sediment enough that makes that whistling noise... possible anyway.

Harold suggested replacing the shutoff... that may be worth a try. Also may not be a bad idea to clean out the new fill valve... VERY EASY TO DO. Just shut water off, press down on cap and rotate to side (side arm will rotate with top and is OK), then lift rubber washer up, wash that, then pulse water on to fill valve (rag over top) to clear the line of any debris for a second ot two. Then replace washer, replace cap and turn on water... see if that helps.

If it doesn't, then try replacing shutoff like Harold suggested (or at least remove stem if possible, purge/pulse water to line, clean washer, etc., and then reinstall stem...tighten packing nut here...see pic. below). To remove stem, shut off main water supply, and then remove packing nut at the shutoff... when nut loose, rotate stem and packing nut together to remove complete... then just reverse steps to re-install. I know you must be frustrated... Try these steps one at a time... most likely will help resolve issue. We will keep thinking on our end... ok?

Talk soon... Mark

That's all we have for now... get back with what you did...

prince836 · Mar 16, 2008, 04:16 PM

Yes the sound was there before and after replacement parts. The water was turned on after replacement to remove any debris. Took off the shutoff valve today looked fine, took out the stem and replaced washer still no luck. Little more info. Currently I have the valve turned almost all the way off and the sound stops but the toilet takes about 3-4 minutes to refill. With the valve open anymore the sound is a loud whistling while the toilet refills during that time if the cold water is turned on at the sink or shower the sound is louder. However with the toilet full and any cold water turned on there is no sound at all, and never a sound with hot water turned on during or after the toilet filling. Also while the toilet refills and whistles, the sound is louder under the kitchen sink where the pipes come through the floor but the sound doesn't change with the sink faucet on. Is it possible my problem is with the pipes and not the toilet itself? Thank you for the previous advice and anymore knowledge would be appreciated.

massplumber2008 · Mar 16, 2008, 04:35 PM

Prince... I have to agree that something is up.. and does not appear to be related to toilet (except... I would have changed the shutoff out completely if I had it off... ;) ).

OK.. sorry for more questions, and 1 or more that are so obvious... you may not be happy I asked.. but I still have too...

Under kitchen sink... any shutoffs between main line and toilet shutoff? Does this toilet get picked up out of a 3/8" shutoff under the kitchen sink or something silly like that (told you - you wouldn't like that one.. ;) )?

Get back to me... Mark

.

prince836 · Mar 16, 2008, 07:22 PM

No shutoffs between kitchen sink and toilet. House is a mobile home with city water if that is relevant to the problem. Tried to replace the valve completely but neither Lowe's nor Home Depot had what I needed. It is 1/2" both sides, both male, straight valve, multi turn. Ive found out in the 3 years Ive lived here not many people carry mobile home parts and not many people like to work on mobile home problems. No questions are silly at this point like you mentioned before the problem is starting to get frustrating. Any other questions or help is welcomed.

hkstroud · Mar 16, 2008, 08:25 PM

To summarize:

This began after you replace the water heater.
The noise changes if you change the flow to the toilet at the stop valve.
The noise does not occur if toilet is refilling and hot water is being used.
The sound is loudest under the kitchen sink.

Where is the water heater relative to the kitchen sink and the toilet?
Can you feel vibration on the cold water input to the water heater when the noise occurs?
Does changing the cold water input valve on the water heater have any effect?
If you close the cold water input valve does the noise occur?

prince836 · Mar 18, 2008, 02:04 PM

Yes the noise began after replacing the hot water heater but not immediately after, just to guess I would say maybe a month or 2. I live alone and that is the spare bathroom that is only used a couple times a week by guests. The sound and volume don't change when I adjust the stop valve but with it just barely open there is no sound then when I reach a certain point in opening it the sound begins. The noise continues to occur during refilling with the hot water on but doesn't change at all, with the cold water on during refilling the sound gets louder and higher pitched. I don't think I would say the sound is louder under the sink but it can be heard there at about the same volume. Standing in the kitchen facing the kitchen sink the hotwater heater is to the left then the kitchen sink then in the next room to the right is the bathroom. No vibration on the water heater input when the noise occurs. No effect changing input valve. With the input valve to the toilet turned off the noise does not occur after flushing.

hkstroud · Mar 18, 2008, 03:17 PM

Thanks for the info. The reason for asking about the water heater valve wa that I was think maybe some solder got in the valve during replacement or the washer was loose there. Everything you have said still points to the toilet stop valve. I don't understand why replacing the washer didn't fix it if the washer was loose. Only thing I can think of now is that the screw is a little long and won't tighten down on the washer.
You description of the stop doesn't sound quite right with male threads on both sides. Could you be mistaking it for a compression fitting. Valves with a 1/2' pipe compression fitting to a 1/2' tubing compression are available and should be able to find at Home Depot and Lowe's. They are not the usual but not that rare. Does you valve look like this?

If you can't find a replacement like the one you have, why not just replace with a standard 1/2' to 3/8' compression valve and replace the supply tubing with 3/8' flexible toilet supply. Don't mean to beat a dead horse but everything sounds like the toilet stop valve. Replacing would certainly eliminate it.

Zachariah88 · Jun 5, 2010, 02:46 PM

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