Help: Trickle sound and smell from Cimarron

[WeezerNY]

I could really use some help from the forum experts.

We had a bathroom remodeled and installed a Kohler Cimarron.

Every time we use the bathroom, or when you flush, there is a loud high pitched trickle sound that goes on throughout the refilling time. I can see no obvious location for the trickle sound to be coming from.

Additionally, occasionally we will go into the bathroom and it will smell of sewer gas. The water level in the toilet always appears to be normal, so it is not the trap going dry.

We did not change the toilet location during the remodel, and other bathrooms that share the venting have no issues. Extra large wax ring was used by contractor during instal.

Here is a video of the sound:

You can still hear something dripping even after it is done filling.

Any ideas? Could there be a crack in the internal part of the toilet? Is the toilet a lemon?

Thanks so much!

 

[Reach4]

The trickle sounds like the refill water that goes into the top of the tower. I don't know why the bowl appears to already be filled and not having visible ripples.

The smell could be from the wax ring having a leak. Did you use shims?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WeezerNY]

The trickle sounds like the refill water that goes into the top of the tower. I don't know why the bowl appears to already be filled and not having visible ripples.

The smell could be from the wax ring having a leak. Did you use shims?

I can see nothing visible to correlate to the trickle sound. It sounds like it is coming deep from within the toilet.

My contractor set the toilet. I do think he used a few shims.

 

[Reach4]

Do you understand the little hose up top? That is the refill water that refills the bowl. That runs through the entire fill. Some sound is normal.

It is possible that the installer smushed the wax, and then lifted the toilet to fit the shims. The wax does not expand to fill the lifted amount, and a small crack could exist. You want to only lower the toilet onto the wax, and you don't want to lift during the install. I am not saying that is what happened. I am not a plumber.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

I think I would focus on the sewer gas smell. If it is coming from the toilet, it is because the wax seal is leaking.

 

[WeezerNY]

I think I would focus on the sewer gas smell. If it is coming from the toilet, it is because the wax seal is leaking.

Why would it be so intermittent if it was the seal? We can go weeks without having any smell, then it mysteriously comes back.

I have stuck my nose in the two other sinks, as well as the tub, drain, and there is definitley no smell coming from the other exit points in the room.

 

[Jadnashua]

Does the toilet rock at all?

Did they caulk around the base of the toilet?

A high-pitched whistle is often from the fill valve that is barely opened. It could be that there is a leak in the flush valve, and the fill valve is staying opened slightly to maintain the tank level. The easiest way to check that is to shut the inlet water off and see if the water level in the tank eventually drops. A second reason the fill valve may not shut off is if there's some debris caught on the seal, preventing it from stopping the water completely. That type of valve is usually pretty easy to check and replace the seal, if necessary. It looks like a branded version of a Fluidmaster, and if it is, access to the seal is easy and does not require any tools.

 

[WeezerNY]

Does the toilet rock at all?

Did they caulk around the base of the toilet?

A high-pitched whistle is often from the fill valve that is barely opened. It could be that there is a leak in the flush valve, and the fill valve is staying opened slightly to maintain the tank level. The easiest way to check that is to shut the inlet water off and see if the water level in the tank eventually drops. A second reason the fill valve may not shut off is if there's some debris caught on the seal, preventing it from stopping the water completely. That type of valve is usually pretty easy to check and replace the seal, if necessary. It looks like a branded version of a Fluidmaster, and if it is, access to the seal is easy and does not require any tools.

Not caulked. We had 3 other new Kohler Highline Comfort heights put in the are not caulked and have no smell and work much better.

We wanted a regular height/round for our childs bathroom.

Does not rock.

 

[WeezerNY]

I think I would focus on the sewer gas smell. If it is coming from the toilet, it is because the wax seal is leaking.

Thanks, agreed that it by far the more compelling issue.

I've thought about a smoke test, but the venting runs through a shared wall with another bathroom, and the other bathroom does not smell. I don't want to spend a bunch of money unless I really have to.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

Pulling the toilet, cleaning away the old wax, and installing a new wax ring would take the average mechanically competent person about 30 minutes, and the cost of the ring is a few dollars. Not much to lose in trying that first.

 

[Reach4]

A less experienced person might do better with one of the waxless solutions. They are more forgiving by not requiring that you get it right the first time. For example, you could add shims after dropping the toilet, and the waxless solution should expand to fill the space. This is not to say that with care you could not do the wax perfectly.

Regarding the intermittent aspect, it may be that the small pressure or vacuum under the toilet varies with the wind.

After redoing the seal, you will reapply the caulk. You can find discussions on that by searching for posts within maybe the last year for "polyseamseal".

 

[Jadnashua]

FWIW, in many places, caulking around the toilet is required. But, it is more to prevent misses and spills, or dirty mop water from finding its way underneath the toilet and not having any easy way to clean it up. Second thing, especially when installed on tile, is that it helps to stabilize the toilet. You generally do not caulk around the backside of the toilet, so it does not seal it from a leaking gasket.