Toilet Leaking ... Changed Wax Ring 3 times, Please Help :)

[intence]

Please help, i'm about to pull my hair out. A few weeks ago, I noticed a stream of water coming out from under the toilet when flushing. I figured it was the wax ring (and noticed that the toilet wasn't bolted down properly). We're not the first owners of our house, and it appears that the bathroom was retiled at some point. The closet flange is about 1/8" or less below the level of the tiled floor. No visible cranks on the flange (iron ring with PVC flange, perma-glued into PVC drain pipe)

I pulled the toilet out and changed the wax ring (I put in one of the fancy types with the spout). Put it all back together, same problem, tried a standard ring after reading the advice here. Then finally, did it a third time with two wax rings (first one with the spout/flange, the second one without). Same issue

Also, on the third try (and the second) I could feel the rings seat when I sat on the toilet before bolting it down. I did a dry fit first, and traced the position of the toilet on the floor to make sure I wasn't moving it around after setting it down with the rings. Also used to a level to make sure it was all level and shimmed the toilet as necessary.

The problem only happens when flushing, and checking with paper didn't show any leaks or streaming water between the bowl and tank. I flush, the water disappears and about 15 seconds later I see the water streaming out from under the side of the toilet.

The toilet is an older builder grade Kohler model, I couldn't see any cranks or holes on the underside near the horn. I'm not sure what else it could be at this point. I'm planning on just replacing the toilet with a mid-range Kohler, Toto or American Standard, and trying the waxless ring (the plastic tube with the rubber seals). Before doing that though, i'd love to know what I might be doing wrong, or if there's something I missed?

 

[Jimbo]

Don't rule out a problem on the underside of the toilet. For a few days, put a lot of blue food color into the tank. When you pul the toilet again, the blue dye should ID the problem area.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

Do NOT look for water DRIPPING from the tank, feel the backside of the toilet for water running down it. That SHOULD be your problem, NOT the wax seal, although most plumbers would NOT have used the "fancy one with the spout".

 

[intence]

Thanks,

I'll try the dye trick.

Yep, the first time I got the fancy wax ring, after coming on here and doing some reading, I replaced it with a plain one ... or in this case two (one with spout, and another without recommendations I read on here).

 

[Basement_Lurker]

My guess would be that you most likely have a tank to bowl seal problem like these guys are saying, or you are breaking your wax seal after you have set the toilet and are trying to shim it.