Hi, I'm having a problem with my toilet running water (it won't shut off after re-filling) and then the bowl slowly losing water. This toilet, an American Standard, is on the 10th floor of an apartment building. I have already replaced the flapper so everything is good with that. The toilet continually trickles water even after the bowl has re-filled normally. I use the water shut-off valve to stop the water from running. After a couple of hours, I notice that the water level in the bowl will have dropped an inch or so. The water level in the tank will also drop about an inch. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you in advance for any advice offered.

You say you replace the flapper. Have you done anything about the fill valve or ball cock? Which do you have? How close to the top of the overflow pipe does the water turn off? Is the refill tube, (that little black tube that goes to the overflow pipe) attached to the top of the overflow pipe or stuck down in it?

You say the water in the bowl drops about an inch. After that, does it stay there or does it continue to disappear?

The flapper has a problem. Put food coloring in the tank and see if it appears in the bowl. It will.

Next check the position of the water level. Must be below the overflow pipe and the hose MUST not be stuffed down the tube.

I just installed a newer fluid master fill valve that has a leak detector function. It will positively shut off if the tank leaks.

After a couple of hours, I notice that the water level in the bowl will have dropped an inch or so. The water level in the tank will also drop about an inch.Harold asks a very pertinent question. "You say the water in the bowl drops about an inch. After that, does it stay there or does it continue to disappear?"
Answer him!
Check the tank water level, it should be at the mark in the tank or 3/8 to 1/2" below the top of the over flow tube. Now look at the flapper, If it has wavy edges on the flat surface, replace it. The linkage between the flapper and the flush lever should have 1/4" play when the tank is filled. Also, check the small tube coming out of the top of the ballcock and make sure it's connect to and draining into the white overflow tube. Good luck, Tom,

So many questions but I'll try to provide the answers you (and I) are looking for.
1. Fill Valve or Ball Cock? I'm not sure of the difference between them, but my assembly looks much like the diagram on the right hand side of hkstroud's attached images. I have a big float ball that is attached by a plastic arm to a wide upright tube thing.
2. Water Level in Tank? The water pours into the tank and trickles down the overflow pipe until I manually turn off the water by using the shut off valve at the point where it feeds into the toilet. After I shut off the water, the level in the tank drops to about a 1/4" to 1/2" below the top of the overflow pipe.
3. Refill Tube? The refill tube is attached to the top of the overflow tube and is directed to flow into it. This is the only part of the toilet that I'm confident is working properly.
4. Water Level in Bowl? When the water level in the bowl drops, it only drops about a 1/2" to 1" and then stays there. Perhaps this is normal.
5. Food Colouring Test? Sorry, I was unable to do this test because I don't have any food colouring on hand. I will pick some up and give it a try though.
6. Flapper? I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but my stopper device is not the older style rubber flapper. It looks more like a couple of tubes at odd angles.
Please accept my apologies for my weird plumbing terminology. Thanks so much to all of you for your help.

Not bad:

You have a ball cock rather than a fill valve. They are inerchageable.

My questions are now:

If you turn on the water and lift the ball (#1), does the water stop flowing?

Is the ball full of water (It should not be)?


The ball should be buoyant in the water and turn off the water when the water rises to a certain level.

Replace seal of the ball cock. The seal is located at item 11. Or replace entire assembly with a Fluid Master fill valve as shown on the left. At this point I am going to say that the water in the tank drops the 1/4 to 1/2" inch because of a crack in the top of the overflow pipe. Not a problem to be concerned with. Also going to say that water level in bowl is normal.

[QUOTE=Calgary Girl;2005233]So
2. Water Level in Tank? The water pours into the tank and trickles down the overflow pipe until I manually turn off the water by using the shut off valve at the point where it feeds into the toilet. After I shut off the water, the level in the tank drops to about a 1/4" to 1/2" below the top of the overflow pipe.

It sounds that your water level in the tank is high and this is why the water drains to the overflow tube and the fill valve does not stop unless you manually shut off the angle valve.

To fix the problem you need to adjest the water level it should be 1/2" to 1" below the overfolw tube rim see the image below.

You say your float is connect it to a plastic arm check if there is an adjustment screw on top of the fill valve, if not I would suggest to replace your fill valve with a fluid master the pichture on the left in post #2, good luck.

John

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Check the tank water level, it should be at the mark in the tank or 3/8 to 1/2" below the top of the over flow tube. Now look at the flapper, If it has wavy edges on the flat surface, replace it. The linkage between the flapper and the flush lever should have 1/4" play when the tank is filled. Also, check the small tube coming out of the top of the ballcock and make sure it's connect to and draining into the white overflow If you can lift the ball and the water doesn't shut off then replace the ballcock. More questions? I'm as close as a click. TOM