Running Toilet - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

cowlick · 08-13-2003, 04:42 AM

I've got a toilet in my home that runs quite often. I think perhaps the rubber seal at the bottom of the inside of the tank is compromised. As a result, I think water slowly leaks out of the tank and then eventually the bowl has to refill. If I replace all the guts in the tank, with one of those 'home depot' full tank kits, will I fix the problem?

- cowl

Charlatan · 08-13-2003, 05:25 AM

It should...

You should check first that your float is actually floating. If the float is too low the valve where the water comes in will not close and the tank will continue to fill.

johnnymysto · 08-13-2003, 08:24 AM

you may only need to replace the ball flapper, and not buy a full tank kit. i've had to do this a few times.

candyman · 08-13-2003, 09:39 AM

Here's a pretty helpful site for you to take a look at:

http://www.friendlyplumber.com/plumb...k_repairs.html

funbob · 08-13-2003, 09:56 AM

I just went through the same thing, I tried to fix it myself, and ended up calling in a plumber, save the time and effort, call a plumber....... Unless of course you are a handy man!!!!

Adog · 08-13-2003, 01:42 PM

Bah, its just a toilet tank funbob, not rocket science. I had the same problem and fixed mine np. I got the Home Depot kit and just replaced all the guts. I figured if one part was wore out, then the rest of the parts must be old enough to replace. Works fine now........

Ashton · 08-13-2003, 02:56 PM

The compleat kit is only like $20...... and even a one armed monkey could install it, All you need is a cresent wrench......

Lookee

You just turn off the water, flush the toilet to drain the tank, unscrew teh waterline..... unscrew teh plastic nut that holds the valve in...... pull out the valve and remove the flapper...... then put the new valve and flapper in, simple.....

FastShark85 · 08-13-2003, 08:42 PM

Jeez. Just replace the ball stop. It ain't hard at all. Really. This has to be the easiest plumbing repair there is. A plumber would be in and out of there in less than 5 minutes, but you'd be out unnecessary cash.

cowlick · 08-13-2003, 08:43 PM

Thanks for the advice. I've already replaced the ball stop on all the toilets. It fixed the problem on all but one. I'll try the whole guts for this one.

funbob · 08-14-2003, 08:41 AM

Hey, I never, ever said I was handy!!! Handicapped maybe, but handy, now way!!! Congrats on fixing it, next time I will call you!!

Ashton · 08-14-2003, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cowlick
Thanks for the advice. I've already replaced the ball stop on all the toilets. It fixed the problem on all but one. I'll try the whole guts for this one.

What's wrong is one of two things..... either the rubber gasket in the valve has gone bad or calcium deposits have built up in the valve keeping it from closing all the way, A new valve is your best bet.

viejo gringo · 08-15-2003, 08:23 PM

one other thing to watch for---the chain on the ball cock
sometimes is left to long and gets onder the seat of the flapper
when you flush--just shorten the chain--

FastShark85 · 08-16-2003, 10:47 PM

This has been mentioned before, but make sure the float is at the right level when the tank is full. If it's not, it could continue filling to the point that water runs over the overflow valve leading to an almost constant-running situation.

sunstone · 08-17-2003, 10:44 AM

Just buy a new toilet -- it comes with all that new stuff inside already and you don't have to stick your hands into the gooey tank that's all coated with toilet slime. Lug the thing home, jack up the old toidy and slide in the new one. Have your plumber's number handy -- just in case.

FastShark85 · 08-17-2003, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sunstone
Just buy a new toilet -- it comes with all that new stuff inside already and you don't have to stick your hands into the gooey tank that's all coated with toilet slime. Lug the thing home, jack up the old toidy and slide in the new one. Have your plumber's number handy -- just in case.

Why is your tank all "gooey"??????

Eww.

BigTruck1956 · 08-17-2003, 01:36 PM

make sure you take some steel wool or a scotch-brite pad to the thing that the flapper seats against. sometimes you will get hard water deposits there that will keep that flapper from seating properly

cowlick · 08-24-2003, 05:11 PM

Okay, yesterday I had the time to fix the dang thing. Here's a report of how it went:
* Went to homedepot, bought a full toilet guts replacement kit.
* Turned off the water, removed the old guts from the tanks.
* Removed the tank from the commode base.
* Turned out that the bolts (4 of them) that held the commode to the toilet for the last 25 years are iron. The heads of the bolts sit in the tank and were nothing but rust. Below the tank, the bolts' shafts were fine, but I needed to remove a nut from each shaft. As I could not stabalize rusted heads of the bolts, when I turned the nuts, the bolts turned as well. I used a pair of locking pliers to hold the bottom of the shafts of the bolts while I used a wrench to turn the bolts.
* The new guts went into the bowl super quickly, maybe 15 minutes.
* The tank went right back on easy as pie.
The whole thing took a little over an hour, not including the trip back to homedepot for the locking pliers and a plumber's wrench.

08-13-2003, 04:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
cowlick Insane Location: Seattle	Running Toilet I've got a toilet in my home that runs quite often. I think perhaps the rubber seal at the bottom of the inside of the tank is compromised. As a result, I think water slowly leaks out of the tank and then eventually the bowl has to refill. If I replace all the guts in the tank, with one of those 'home depot' full tank kits, will I fix the problem? - cowl

08-13-2003, 05:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	It should... You should check first that your float is actually floating. If the float is too low the valve where the water comes in will not close and the tank will continue to fill. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

08-13-2003, 08:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
johnnymysto Overreactor Location: South Ca'lina	you may only need to replace the ball flapper, and not buy a full tank kit. i've had to do this a few times. __________________ "I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." - Capt. Barbossa

08-13-2003, 09:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
candyman Addict Location: Just look over your shoulder!	Here's a pretty helpful site for you to take a look at: http://www.friendlyplumber.com/plumb...k_repairs.html __________________ "I am the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classroom. Without these things, I am nothing."

08-13-2003, 08:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
cowlick Insane Location: Seattle	Thanks for the advice. I've already replaced the ball stop on all the toilets. It fixed the problem on all but one. I'll try the whole guts for this one. __________________ "It's a long story," says I, and let him up.

08-13-2003, 09:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
funbob Crazy Location: The Desert Southwest	I just went through the same thing, I tried to fix it myself, and ended up calling in a plumber, save the time and effort, call a plumber....... Unless of course you are a handy man!!!!

08-13-2003, 01:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
Adog Tilted	Bah, its just a toilet tank funbob, not rocket science. I had the same problem and fixed mine np. I got the Home Depot kit and just replaced all the guts. I figured if one part was wore out, then the rest of the parts must be old enough to replace. Works fine now........

08-13-2003, 02:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ashton PORNHOUND Location: California	The compleat kit is only like $20...... and even a one armed monkey could install it, All you need is a cresent wrench...... Lookee You just turn off the water, flush the toilet to drain the tank, unscrew teh waterline..... unscrew teh plastic nut that holds the valve in...... pull out the valve and remove the flapper...... then put the new valve and flapper in, simple.....

08-13-2003, 08:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
FastShark85 Psycho Location: In the garage, under the car.	Jeez. Just replace the ball stop. It ain't hard at all. Really. This has to be the easiest plumbing repair there is. A plumber would be in and out of there in less than 5 minutes, but you'd be out unnecessary cash.

08-14-2003, 08:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
funbob Crazy Location: The Desert Southwest	Hey, I never, ever said I was handy!!! Handicapped maybe, but handy, now way!!! Congrats on fixing it, next time I will call you!!

08-15-2003, 08:23 PM	#12 (permalink)
viejo gringo Registered User Location: Deep South Texas	one other thing to watch for---the chain on the ball cock sometimes is left to long and gets onder the seat of the flapper when you flush--just shorten the chain--

08-16-2003, 10:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
FastShark85 Psycho Location: In the garage, under the car.	This has been mentioned before, but make sure the float is at the right level when the tank is full. If it's not, it could continue filling to the point that water runs over the overflow valve leading to an almost constant-running situation.

08-17-2003, 10:44 AM	#14 (permalink)
sunstone Upright Location: Pacific Northwest	Just buy a new toilet -- it comes with all that new stuff inside already and you don't have to stick your hands into the gooey tank that's all coated with toilet slime. Lug the thing home, jack up the old toidy and slide in the new one. Have your plumber's number handy -- just in case.

08-17-2003, 01:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
BigTruck1956 Psycho Location: norcal	make sure you take some steel wool or a scotch-brite pad to the thing that the flapper seats against. sometimes you will get hard water deposits there that will keep that flapper from seating properly __________________ so much to do, so little time.....at least i aint bored.

08-24-2003, 05:11 PM	#17 (permalink)
cowlick Insane Location: Seattle	Okay, yesterday I had the time to fix the dang thing. Here's a report of how it went: * Went to homedepot, bought a full toilet guts replacement kit. * Turned off the water, removed the old guts from the tanks. * Removed the tank from the commode base. * Turned out that the bolts (4 of them) that held the commode to the toilet for the last 25 years are iron. The heads of the bolts sit in the tank and were nothing but rust. Below the tank, the bolts' shafts were fine, but I needed to remove a nut from each shaft. As I could not stabalize rusted heads of the bolts, when I turned the nuts, the bolts turned as well. I used a pair of locking pliers to hold the bottom of the shafts of the bolts while I used a wrench to turn the bolts. * The new guts went into the bowl super quickly, maybe 15 minutes. * The tank went right back on easy as pie. The whole thing took a little over an hour, not including the trip back to homedepot for the locking pliers and a plumber's wrench. __________________ "It's a long story," says I, and let him up.