Help!!

[Ozone]

OK so here's the situation... took out toilet to lay tile on bathroom floor. Installed toilet base. No problems. Installing toilet tank - frustration has started. I replaced the gasket with an extra thick one - hardware guy said it should work and he likes it better than the standard for a better seal. No dice. It leaked all around the top of it. FYI, I have the hex nut configuration with the tube sticking below about 3/8". So I go back and get the standard gasket. No dice, leaked a bunch. So go to big box store and get a universal kit. Looking at the face of the toilet, the left side of the gasket when installed looks dry. Peeking at the right side I see some drips on the side of the gasket. HELP! Do I need to tighten tank bolts further? Different gasket? Call a plumber? Very frustrated, so any help would be appreciated! Thanks!!

 

[Reach4]

The leak could be from the big ring, but it could instead be from one of the washers under the head of the tank bolts.

Did you tighten the two nuts under the tank enough to draw the tank to contact the bowl in three places? Try to see if you can slide a piece of paper between the tank and the bowl at any of the three places. If you can, you need to tighten. Do not over-tighten. You should be just tight enough to not allow the tank to rock side to side or fore and aft.

If that does not do it, I would switch to the ring that came with the toilet.

When I assembled mine, I applied silicone grease to sealing areas, including the rubber washers in the tank. It was not necessary but will not hurt. The point was to let the gaskets slide a bit as I applied compression and maybe seat better.

 

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[Ozone]

Thanks Reach4, but I did check the tank bolts. I actually put a little plumbers putty at the base of the rubber washer. The leak does not appear to be coming from either of the bolts. It appears to be from the big rubber/foam gasket that supposedly seals the tank to the bowl. It is also not a new toilet, so no ring came with the toilet. What three points are you referring to? I don't have one of those Kohler triangle gaskets. I have the two bolts and exit for flushed water. Almost wondering if I should put a ring of plumbers putty inside the gasket...

 

[Reach4]

As you tighten down the tank, you compress rubber. Initially the tank can wobble a bit if you press to the side. At some point you will touch porcelain to porcelain at one then 2 points. There is still some wobble possible at that point, and you can slide a piece of paper between the tank and base by pushing away from the point you are trying to insert the paper. But if you tighten further, pressing sideways will not open a gap big enough for a piece of paper to slide in.

If you keep tightening at that point, you can crack the porcelain.

The points may be front left, front right, and back center. These are not points in the mathematical sense, but maybe they could be described as slight protrusions. They will be the points of contact porcelain to porcelain.

 

[Terry]

You don't use plumbers putty on a foam tubber gasket. There are few places you can use plumbers putty, and anything to do with a toilet tank is not one of them.
Clean off the rubber gasket, and install clean. What brand of $79.00 old builder grade toilet are you working with? Normally a Fluidmast tank rebuild kit is all you need, and the ablity to read their instructions. Where did you read that plumbers putty was ever a good idea. Please let us know, so we can go over to that site and correct them.

And putting "Help" in the subject line isn't going to gather many useful hints. "help" can apply to many things. Like maybe there is a marraige in danger, or oil needs to be changed every 6,000 miles. It could mean how deep do I plant seeds.

 

[FullySprinklered]

I've run into this issue half a dozen times. Can't remember what brand toilet is the culprit, but here's what I do:
put a regular donut on the spud, take another donut and carefully cut an inch of the tapered side off and put it on after that and install the tank. It looks ghetto, but has worked for me every time. Nobody seems to carry the correct replacement part.

 

[Ozone]

Thanks Terry and fully. Terry, the guy at Ace Hardware is the one that suggested to use a bit of putty. He told me it would be a good idea to put a small string of it around the spud on the outside of the tank, between the hex nut and tank. So gasket is clean upon install. Has a Crane Plumbing logo on the bowl. I have installed a new spud washer, a new gasket, and new bolts. Filled the tank last night. No drips or leaks. Flushed it a couple times, no leaks. I looked at the gasket this morning and there looks to be a a couple of very small wet spots on the top rim of the gasket, but no drip. Is this typical? Do I need to start again because a leak in eventual? Thanks all.

And sorry Terry for just putting Help in the subject line.

 

[Jadnashua]

While it can be scary, most toilets are designed with some small bumps or feet on the bottom of the tank that are designed to act as spacers to help stabilize the tank on top of the bowl. As long as you are just compressing the gasket and not trying to bend the porcelain (doesn't work!, it will crack!), you can generally continue to tighten them until those bumps or feet actually are touching the bowl. YOu need to tighten a little bit, side-to-side so that it is done evenly. I like to put a sheet of paper underneath the bumps, and use it as a feeler gauge. WHen you can still pull it out, you know you're not touching, and if it gets locked in place, you've probably gone too far. Stop when you start to get resistance, if not before. The tank should be stable, and if everything else is installed properly, it should not leak.

A little moisture could be condensation, but can't tell from here. If you push on the tank, does it move or is it stable?