Kohler 3402 Rialto toilet ? Replace parts or use conversion kit?

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Ann's repairs

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Hi, I bought this house 2 yrs ago with a Kohler Rialto 3402 toilet, so I don't know the age of the tank parts.
The fill valve has a small leak in it where the plastic screw housing attaches to it's plastic base, how it got a hole in the plastic I don't know, but small forceful stream of water sprays straight out from the hole when and only when it is filling the tank, no leak otherwise.

#1 ?Should I just leave the fill valve leak alone?... or is it a indication of needing to replace the plunger or O ring?
#2 ?If I should replace it, is it best to replace the entire fill valve? or do you think replacing the O ring and plunger will take care of the leak? It isn't leaking out the seem of the two assembly pieces though.

#3 Does it mean the flush valve gasket is deteriorating and needs to replaced if I scrape it with a fingernail it flakes off? probably hm? If so can I even get the gaskets anymore? It looks like there were originally two gaskets but now it looks like there is a new flush valve kit to replace the old design.
The flapper on it now has some slight deterioration on it's arms/loop ends too.

#4 ? If I do need to replace the fill valve and the flush valve kit then I'd guess it's best to then just replace everything with The Conversion Kit, would you? I'd need to take the tank off anyway to replace the fill valve right?

Thanks!
Ann
 
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Terry

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The Kohler 3402 has several different designs over the years.
A picture of the inside of the tank would be nice.

Often, a fill valve fills the tank from the lower part of the fill valve, and the bowl refills from a tube that goes into the overflow tube.
Having water coming out the bottom could be normal.
 

Ann's repairs

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The Kohler 3402 has several different designs over the years.
A picture of the inside of the tank would be nice.

Often, a fill valve fills the tank from the lower part of the fill valve, and the bowl refills from a tube that goes into the overflow tube.
Having water coming out the bottom could be normal.

Hi Terry!
Thanks for the reply...Here is a close up photo of the fill valve leak...water is spraying out a small pin hole out of the base of the screw housing in the plastic...it isn't designed to have a leak there.

toilet repair 291.JPG


I've add a photo of the interior of the whole tank too...

Please also answer the questions about the flush gasket deterioration and replacement with new kit version etc!
Thanks!
Ann

toilet repair 264.JPG
 
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WJcandee

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Your photo doesn't really show the flush valve, so I can't tell which type it is. As a general rule, just because you can scrape gunk off of it doesn't mean it needs to be replaced, particularly if you have no leaks into the bowl. All the flush valve and flapper styles on that toilet are basically unnecessarily-unique (I was going to say "stupid"), so there is no reason to replace the flush valve just to be able to change from the the tank-ball-shaped flapper that I'm guessing you have to the other-shaped (and in no way superior) flapper that fits on the newer flush valve. The newer flush valve has a bigger opening in the overflow riser, so if the fill valve runs away, the flush valve can take more water into the overflow, but that's about it. If the flapper is sealing, who cares which shape it is? And the tank-ball-style flapper has a relatively-readily-available Korky replacement flapper if it ever starts leaking/running.

The Rialto model you gave us is a one-piece, so there is no tank to remove. The fill valve disconnects by reaching under the toilet on the left.

That little pinhole of water is actually kind of a common issue with that fill valve; my one-piece American Standard water hog does the same thing. Sometimes, it can be ameliorated by tightening the top, but it's irrelevant as long as it sprays into the tank. As long as the toilet is filling properly and shutting off, it's not worth spending a bunch of money to replace it. Because this toilet's fill valve setup has a diverter that adjusts the refill water flow based upon the level in the tank, you can't just replace the fill valve with something like a Korky 528. Most folks replace it with a variant of the 1B1X-style fill valve. The Coast 1B1X or the Lasco knockoff are options, but there is no reason to spend $100 replacing all sorts of stuff that doesn't need replacing. (That whole official Kohler kit is available from HD and the big online superstore for about $100, a bit less at the superstore, but it's totally-unnecessary if the toilet is functioning properly from the user's perspective.)

Save the money, leave it alone, and use the money later to buy a more modern one piece with a good flush when the time comes.
 

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Hello i have a K3402pb toilet it says 21111 and it was made 8-12-88. The toilet was "repaired several times due to it constantly running. Is it missing any parts? I have attached pictures of the interior of the tank. Please help! I would love to keep this toilet because I am very attached to its uniqueness.
 

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Shonelle

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Hello i have a K3402pb toilet it says 21111 and it was made 8-12-88. The toilet was "repaired several times due to it constantly running. Is it missing any parts? I have attached pictures of the interior of the tank. Please help! I would love to keep this toilet because I am very attached to its uniqueness.
 

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Hi Terry!
Thanks for the reply...Here is a close up photo of the fill valve leak...water is spraying out a small pin hole out of the base of the screw housing in the plastic...it isn't designed to have a leak there. View attachment 31323

I've add a photo of the interior of the whole tank too...

Please also answer the questions about the flush gasket deterioration and replacement with new kit version etc!
Thanks!
Ann
 

Ann's repairs

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Hi Terry,
I have 2 new challenges with this Rialto Toilet I'd really appreciate advise on!!
I have 2 toilet challenge ?'s

#1. Kohler Rialto toilet is in powder room and I have a 2nd toilet in full bath just around the corner from Rialto toilet. The past few days when the toilet in the full bath is flushed and the tank fills up there is a reaction in the Rialto toilet (in powder room around the corner) it has water flow out the top of the fill valve! This happens when the water is run in the tub too. The Rialto fill valve was replaced 2 months ago and is working fine when that toilet is flushed.


Do you have any idea why when running water in the second bath room is shut off either toilet finishes filling or tub water is run and turned off, WHY it causes water to fun out the fill valve in the Rialto toilet? I wonder if there is a block in the sewer line or main water line and that's what could be causing the Rialto toilet to run after water is shut off in either the 2nd toilet or tub.
I had the sewer line cleaned 6 months ago. I also changed the gasket between the tank and bowl in the full bath toilet 2weeks ago, but it has been running fine, no leaks!


#2. A boyfriend put in the new conversion replacement parts in the Kohler 1 piece Rialto toilet a couple of months ago. The new rim hose from the conversion kit didn't fit in the toilet holes so he kept the old one in place. The problem is water continuously runs in toilet bowl. It did that before the conversion kit and I assumed it was because the parts needed to be replaced. We both looked at it and it looks as if the toilet is designed to have the water flow into the rim through the hose when the water level in the tank fills to the right level. Do you know if there is a fix for this? I don't want water continuously running in the toilet bowl. It looks like that has been the case for years as there are etch marks where the water flows in the bowl.
 

WJcandee

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The answer to 1 is because when you shut off (presumably quickly) the water on any of the valves you are talking about, there is likely some amount of water hammer. That is, you quickly shut the valve, there is a shock wave of pressure that runs in the line, which causes a momentary overpressure at the Rialto fill valve, causing a bit more water to run into the toilet tank. Presumably this stops at a certain point.

More to the point, any overpressure in the system is going to come out somewhere. This will be the least-sealed valve. In houses, it's usually an outside hose spigot, but often it's a toilet fill valve. If it's a constant overpressure, it will cause a drip or little leak until the pressure is relieved or otherwise drops. If it's a momentary shock wave, it will open it a little and then close -- unless the water pressure is already too high and then that will push the valve open a bit and then pressure will exhaust through that valve until relieved.

As to the Rim thingy, most likely there's some kind of siphon. Post a picture.

BTW, I can't recommend this for your Rialto, because I haven't messed with one, but I took the ballcock out of my old American Standard low toilet and replaced it with a Korky PRO (similar to 528MP) fill valve, which in theory shouldn't have worked because it didn't have the silly diverter thingy on it. Guess what? The toilet now works waaaay better, in my view. Fills a bit slower, but fills to a good level and then shuts off firmly and quietly. I was very happy with the result of my experiment. There's a thread on it here somewhere with photos.
 
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