Clunking and vibrating in water valve? Help.

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frank coviello

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Newbie here. I have two toilets that are in seperate rooms and one wall seperates the toilets. One of the toilets had a problem with the fill valve so I drained the tank, turned off the water valve and took out the old fill valve. The only part I left was the part that was screwed into the bottom of the tank. Purchased a replacement fill valve, installed it properly and when I went to turn my water valve back on the tank started to slowly fill but there was alot of clunking and vibrating in the valve and pipe. It seemed like the pipes had run dry of water or something like that. Tried it a few more times but the clunking continued. My wife came home and I wanted her to hear the clunking and when I went to turn the water valve on this time absolutely nothing happens. No clunking, no vibrating and no water. It seems to me like the pipe has gone dry. The other toilet in the other room seems to be working just fine. No problems or clunking with that valve when I turn it on and off. I just don't have a clue where to go with this one.

Any suggestions? Thx.
 

Verdeboy

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When you turned the shutoff valve off and then on, you probably loosened some debris.

If you're lucky, this debris hasn't clogged up your new fill valve.

Unscrew the toilet supply line from the shutoff valve and turn on the valve for a second (use a bucket to catch the water). If you have water pressure there, screw the supply line back on the valve and unscrew it at the top, where it goes into the fill valve and repeat with the bucket. If you still have pressure, screw it back on the tank and unscrew the top of your new fill valve and repeat again with the bucket until you've flushed out the debris.

Note: if you see a bunch of crud in the bucket, you'll know you've cleared out the blockage.
 

frank coviello

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When you turned the shutoff valve off and then on, you probably loosened some debris.

If you're lucky, this debris hasn't clogged up your new fill valve.

Unscrew the toilet supply line from the shutoff valve and turn on the valve for a second (use a bucket to catch the water). If you have water pressure there, screw the supply line back on the valve and unscrew it at the top, where it goes into the fill valve and repeat with the bucket. If you still have pressure, screw it back on the tank and unscrew the top of your new fill valve and repeat again with the bucket until you've flushed out the debris.

Note: if you see a bunch of crud in the bucket, you'll know you've cleared out the blockage.


I unscrewed the toilet supply line, pointed it downwards toward the bucket and turned the water on. For a few seconds I had a nice stream of water and no debris. Then the clunking and vibrating started and I shut the valve off. A few minutes later I turned the valve on again and it was bone dry. No water at all coming out of the valve. It's either blocked by something in the valve or the pipe has run dry. I have never heard of a water pipe to a toilet running dry but I'm no plumber by any means. Any other suggestions. Thx.
 

Verdeboy

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You need to shut off the main water for your house for this next step.

After you do that, unscrew the valve stem and pull it out. Use a crescent wrench to unscrew the nut that is directly behind the valve handle. There should be rubber bibb washer on the bottom of this valve stem. It may have come loose and is blocking the water flow.

If it looks okay, you will have to have your assistant turn on the water main for a second to flush out the valve. Use a bucket again.
 

frank coviello

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You need to shut off the main water for your house for this next step.

After you do that, unscrew the valve stem and pull it out. Use a crescent wrench to unscrew the nut that is directly behind the valve handle. There should be rubber bibb washer on the bottom of this valve stem. It may have come loose and is blocking the water flow.

If it looks okay, you will have to have your assistant turn on the water main for a second to flush out the valve. Use a bucket again.


This might have to wait until the weekend when I can get someone to work with me. I know the main water supply to the house is located outside because I had to turn it off once when we were putting in lawn irrigation.

I want to make sure I am understanding correctly. Behind the toilet and coming out of the wall is the valve. A round chrome fixture is flush against the wall. Remove the chrome fixture so that the valve stem is exposed and unscrew the nut directly behind he valve handle. Check to see if rubber washer is seated correctly. Have someone turn on the water at the main to flush out the valve.

I'm nervous that I don't have much room to work because part of the valve stem is in the wall or at least that how it seems. Hopefully I can get a wrench in there to unscrew the nut.

I'll keep you posted on how this goes. Thanks for your advice.

The wierd thing is that when I turn on the valve you don't feel anything. I would think that if a rubber washer was blocking the flow of water you might at least feel some type of pressure in the valve. But when I turn it on you don't feel anything. I'm hoping that it is the rubber seal that's blocking the flow of water and causing the clunking and vibrating when the water is turned on.
 

Jadnashua

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It will probably be easier to just replace the shutoff valve at the wall with a new one (I'd use a 1/4-turn one) and while you are at it, replace the hose to the new valve. I'm not sure what you left in place, normally, you'd unscrew the entire valve from the tank leaving a hole, then replace it.
 

frank coviello

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It will probably be easier to just replace the shutoff valve at the wall with a new one (I'd use a 1/4-turn one) and while you are at it, replace the hose to the new valve. I'm not sure what you left in place, normally, you'd unscrew the entire valve from the tank leaving a hole, then replace it.

I'm going to do exactly that. Replace the entire shut off valve at the wall and replace the hose from the valve to the toilet also.

I can easily get to the nut behind the shut off valve so I just need to get outside and shut my water off at the main and replace the old shut off valve. I was worried that something was inside the wall and I wasn't going to be able to access it but now I can clearly see the nut sitting behind the valve and it's very accessible.

Do you think the new valve will stop the clunking and vibrating. Does it sound like something is restricting the flow of water through the valve and causing the clunking and vibrating.

Is it possible the pipe ran dry or does that not even make sense. I'll get to this project in the next few days. Thx.
 

Jadnashua

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Pipes don't run dry unless something is blocking the flow. Older multi-turn (washer with seats) shut-offs have their washer degrade. That can vibrate, or break apart and clog things up. A 1/4-turn ball valve is more reliable. Just get one designed for the connection you have - it could be screwed on, soldered on, or a compression fit. If it is screwed on, the only possible problem you may have is when you start to unscrew it, it could unscrew the pipe nipple that goes into the wall. If it does, take the thing out, then take the valve off, and put new pipe dope on the ends and re-insert it and tighten it up. If you can get a wrench of the pipe coming out of the wall, use that to prevent loosening it in the wall. Any connection you can't see is a potential problem...better to minimize them where possible.
 

frank coviello

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Pipes don't run dry unless something is blocking the flow. Older multi-turn (washer with seats) shut-offs have their washer degrade. That can vibrate, or break apart and clog things up. A 1/4-turn ball valve is more reliable. Just get one designed for the connection you have - it could be screwed on, soldered on, or a compression fit. If it is screwed on, the only possible problem you may have is when you start to unscrew it, it could unscrew the pipe nipple that goes into the wall. If it does, take the thing out, then take the valve off, and put new pipe dope on the ends and re-insert it and tighten it up. If you can get a wrench of the pipe coming out of the wall, use that to prevent loosening it in the wall. Any connection you can't see is a potential problem...better to minimize them where possible.

I think I can handle this. I'll tackle this on Sunday. I can put money on it that the shut off valve coming out of the wall is 30 yrs old. It's the original bathroom and looks like the original valve. It's probably been fine the last four yrs that we've owned the home because I've never touched it but by turning the valve off and on a few times it's probably broken apart the washer or seal in there and that's causing the blockage. I'll find out soon enough when I tear it apart. I'll replace it with a 1/4 turn like you said. I'd be really happy if it was just a simple blockage. Thanks again. I would have had no choice but to call a plumber if you hadn't explained this to me.
 

frank coviello

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Pipes don't run dry unless something is blocking the flow. Older multi-turn (washer with seats) shut-offs have their washer degrade. That can vibrate, or break apart and clog things up. A 1/4-turn ball valve is more reliable. Just get one designed for the connection you have - it could be screwed on, soldered on, or a compression fit. If it is screwed on, the only possible problem you may have is when you start to unscrew it, it could unscrew the pipe nipple that goes into the wall. If it does, take the thing out, then take the valve off, and put new pipe dope on the ends and re-insert it and tighten it up. If you can get a wrench of the pipe coming out of the wall, use that to prevent loosening it in the wall. Any connection you can't see is a potential problem...better to minimize them where possible.


I fixed my toilet yesterday. Just like you had pointed out. When I removed the old multi turn shut off valve I noticed the washer or seal was sitting improperly and broken apart. That was causing the blockage and making the pipe vibrate. Switched everything out and my toilet works fine. Easy fix that took a half and hour and a new quarter turn shut off valve that was $7.00. Thx.
 
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