My downstairs toilet is driving me crazy. The flapper had deteriorated so I replaced it with a new one. But its not seating properly. I still hear a little trickle after the flapper descends and every few minutes, I hear the rush as the refill tube sprays water for a few seconds.

The flapper type is one that fits over the refill tube. I've tried playing with the positioning to no avail.

Any suggestions?

Run your finger around the seat the flapper seals to. It should be smooth.. to you feel any roughness perhaps caused by damage or mineral deposits? If there is you can try to clear or dissolve them...if damage is physical there are repair kits,

If the seat feels smooth when you feel it, you might want to try a different brand of flapper. There can be slight differences in size and in the distance between the overflow pipe and the actual flapper. Some just work better than others.

The seat felt smooth as I recall. Is there any sort of washer or something I can put over the seat to try and make a better seal? Are there better brands or types of flappers? What about weighting the flapper, if I press lightly on it, the trickling sound does stop.

If the overflow tube of the flush valve has little hooks sticking out the side of it then you want to cut the round part of the flapper off using a knife and then install the flapper onto the hooks... that should do it.

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Mark

Mark, there is a stop at the bottom of the tube, but I don't think there are hooks. There is nothing that I see that is sued as a pivot. The seat does have a stand where with holes for a pivot, but I didn't see a flapper that could fit it.

If you are sure the toilet overflow tube doesn't have hooks then you might look into a replacement seat and flapper... called a fluidmaster seat/flapper kit... see image. Sold at almost all home improvement stores nowadays.

47790

This unit simply pushes down over the old setup...no tools needed!!

If you have an older style American standard toilet with a MISSING actuator valve like in the image below then you simply need to purchase an ACTUATOR FLAPPER and actuator valve to fix this permanently. An exact replacement from American standard is usually sold at all plumbing supply stores:

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Also make sure the flapper is for the toilet. Most "universal" flappers will not work in a number of Kohler Toilets. I use the replacement noted in Mark's #7 post for all older American Standard.

I don't think it look like the second picture. This is what the flapper looks like:
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I saw what you showed in the first pic in the store yesterday. The problem is (after looking at pics) that it looks like the fill tube was moved at some point. I can see a plug in the bottom of the tank. Around the opening is something that rises up to pivots. Kind of like the first picture. So I'm afraid I can't just get the new assembly and push it down over what's existing.

What about my idea to weight the flapper?

Beginning to sound like we have a communications problem here.


it looks like the fill tube was moved at some point.
A fill tube is the little(usually black) tube from the fill valve that is attached to the top of the overflow pipe.


Around the opening is something that rises up to pivots
I can't imagine what that could be or what its purpose is.

I can see a plug in the bottom of the tank
Can't imagine that either.

The proper terminology here would be flush valve. A flapper is just one type of flush valve. There are others. Perhaps your original was some other type.

How about showing us a picture of the inside of your tank (empty of course.)

For about $19 your can replace the whole thing with a Fluidmaster 400AK. Sometimes replacement flappers are perfectly interchangeable

Hk, you're right I was using the wrong term. I meant overflow tube. Anyway here is a pic. The red circle shows what I think are supports for a flapper. That's what I think would interfere with using the kit Mark suggested. The blue circle shows what looks like a plug in the bottom of the tank. My guess is that an overflow tube used to be there. But that's just a guess. 47794

Ball, the 400a just replaces the fill valve. It has nothing to do with the flush valve.

In my tank, I don't know if I would call it a valve. The tank handle lifts the flapper causing the toilet to flush. Once the tank empties, the flapper is supposed to seal the hole allowing the tank to refill, which it does, but the seal is not good enough. Water still seeps from the tank causing the float to drop enough to release water into the tank.

Can't really tell (picture to dark)but that looks like it might be the mounting bracket for the type of flush valve Mark showed in his second picture. Or some other type of flush valve.

If that is correct the flapper is not going to work as a replacement. When a flapper is used the discharge port where the flapper sits is usually slanted slightly. It is shaped that way because the point where the flapper is attached is always a little higher than the opening. Therefore,the flapper doesn't sit perfectly horizontal.

Weighting the flapper won't work. The flapper floats after you lift it because a ball of air is trapped in it. That makes it float until the water level drops. Putting a weight on it would screw that up and it would close to quickly. No only that but the weight of the water on the flapper after it closed is sufficient to press it against the seat.

Take another picture, try to make it a little lighter (hold a lamp nearby) and lets have another look.

You may have to replace the entire assembly like Bob suggested, but that is not that difficult.

OK, maybe these pics will make it clearer
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To reiterate what ma said, the last time I replaced a flapper I went to Home Depot, and there was a whole row of universal ones. Bought one. Didn't seal. Went back, found the Kohler ones way up high, so high I couldn't reach.

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but this is just one of many little things I've run into that make DIY difficult. I think it was deliberate.

Yes, that is the mounting brackets for the flush valve.
What brand is this toilet?

Haven't a clue, where would it say?

I just corrected my earlier post when I said Fluidmaster 400A, 400 AK

Underside of tank lid, back of inside of the tank, on the bowl between the where the seat is attached. Then again, it may not be marked.

Every expert gave you good advises, I will share my personal problem had a few months ago changed the flapper valves several times with deferent brand no help finally replaced the flush valve assembly fixed the problem, good luck.

John

Can't find anything readable. C Briggs is stamped under the lid.

As I see it I need to replace whatever that piece is that has the supports. How hard is that? Can I just pull it off then use the kit that Mark showed?

Post #7


This unit simply pushes down over the old setup...no tools needed!!

Fluidmaster Complete Toilet Repair Kit-400AKRP10 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fluidmaster-Complete-Toilet-Repair-Kit-400AKRP10/100391762)

Fluidmaster 400AK Toilet Tank Complete Repair Kit - Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fluidmaster-Toilet-Tank-Complete-Repair-Kit/15788371)

Flapper and seat match and will fix the problem. Keep what you don't need for future problems.

Very simple installation.

Turn off water. Flush all the water in the tank. Dry flapper seat. Place and press the ring of epoxy onto the seat. Remove the epoxy paper cover. Position the flapper mechanism properly, relative to the flush handle. Press the flapper mechanism firmly into epoxy. Connect the chain to the flush handle. There is probably a short drying time but I don't remember how long it is.

Installing the new one isn't my concern, taking off what is there is the bigger concern. Can I just pull it off?

The instructions that come with the kits is sooooo easy, you literally cannot screw it up.

Hi Scott.

No, you cannot just remove that part... doesn't just spin off... requires the tank to be removed from the toilet. Instead, try the fluidmaster flapper kit I posted... just ROTATE the unit so it lifts to the opposite side of the hooks you have now. Hkstroud presented good info... it just gets pushed in place (again, rotate so the flapper lifts opposite the existing nubs on your flush valve). This is a cheap, but long-lasting repair. If it doesn't work for some reason just pop back and we can discuss installing the fluidmaster flush valve kit Ballenger posted. However, taking the tank off does present issues that could cause the toilet tank to crack, so try the replacement kit first... it's super cheap and easy to install!

Back to you...

Thanks Mark, that gives me more confidence. Does it make sense to try and cut off the supports that are there now?

Update: Apparently that piece was from a similar kit, because it did just pull off. Off to the store for a replacement.

Final update. Installation was a snap and after several hours, no leaking.