Old American-Standard Leaks Despite New Flush Valve Disc

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slantsixdan

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Subject pretty much says it all. The old flush valve disc was spongy and degraded (black slime all over my hands just for touching it) so I removed the flush controller assembly, inspected the seat (plastic—smooth, unbroken, unchipped), snapped a new rubber disc onto the flush controller, installed a correct trip arm assembly, and…the toilet still runs periodically, because the water level drops in the tank. I poured some dark blue ink in the tank, gave it a stir, and immediately began seeing blue swirls coming out the siphon jet at the bottom of the bowl. Very(!) slight downward finger pressure on the trip lever—not enough to begin seeing or hearing any water movement—immediately increased the volume of the blue swirls from the siphon jet.

I'm confused. The valve disc is new, and it's good lively rubber. The valve seat isn't chipped or rough or otherwise faulty. The flush controller sits properly on its hinge and swings easily into the open and closed positions. It doesn't bind on anything, and there's plenty of slack in the chain. So…what now?

(I'm seeing reports online that aftermarket valve discs don't seal reliably, with suggestions to buy the genuine A-S part; could it be that simple?)

Please and thank you.
 
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hj

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IF there is "plenty of slack in the chain", a "slight downward pressure on the handle" should not have any effect on the leaking. Something is amiss.
 

slantsixdan

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Sorry, I should have been more specific: slight downward pressure on the handle after taking up the chain slack. Everything is assembled and positioned correctly.
 

WJcandee

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This is the tilt-flush? And it's the snap-on rather than screw-on version?

For some reason, it's not sealing. It's mechanical, so there is a solution...

You're sure you didn't crack something when removing and reinstalling the unit? You're sure it's all still properly-aligned? You're sure you completely-cleaned the seat? I would hit it with some brillo to ensure there isn't a little something still stuck on there.

I seriously-doubt that just changing the brand of disk would do the trick, as they all should basically-work. However, it probably wouldn't hurt to pick up a different one and try that... I imagine that the Fluidmaster version would work okay as well...
 

Reach4

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Unlikely to a be your situation, but it is possible to have a crack in the riser tube. To test for that, close the stop (valve) so that the tank cannot refill. See if the water continues to drain all the way, or if it stops part way down.

I understand that the feather touch increasing the flow does not match the symptom of a crack in the riser. Feeling the seat better for debris/ scratch or using a different new flapper that has already been suggested makes sense.
 

slantsixdan

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Well, a fortnight's service seems to have formed the aftermarket disc to the valve seat; the toilet appears to have quit leaking down. Either that or the change might be in response to my having ordered a genuine A-S valve disc, which has not yet arrived.
 

slantsixdan

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Got the genuine piece. It is significantly different to the off-brand item. The A-S valve is made of a much more flexible, resilient rubber material with a much grippier surface, and has more taper to its conical portion. Even though the off-brand plate's leakdown had slowed substantially, it's immediately clear the new one seals better. It's possible the red Fluidmaster disc would work, too, but I don't imagine I'll need to find out for awhile. The genuine piece was all of six whole dollars. File it away for tilt-flush American Standard repairs.
 

Terry

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We were in Seattle today working on a bathroom. We had replaced an old toilet there before. He said his water bill went from $800 to around $300 after the replacement. It doesn't take too many months with that difference to make a big difference at the end of the year.
 

slantsixdan

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Totally agree. This particular toilet is in a rental building and we don't pay the water bill or have say-so over when the toilets get replaced. I am of course dismayed at how much water this toilet uses per flush, but the building manager already put in a nice new fridge and other improvements, so I'll talk it over, but not just yet.
 
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