Slanted fill valve on Kohler K-3434

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cruixxx

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Hi Guys, I have a 20-year-old Kohler where it recently developed a leak at the bottom, from the fill valve hole. So I replaced my fill valve with a Fluidmaster 400A and the supply line for good measure.

The problem I have is that once I tighten the locknut on the fill valve, it slants badly toward the front of the toilet, and hits my flush arm.

Contacted Fluidmaster customer service, they said the 400A works for my toilet, and cannot diagnose the problem from the pictures I sent. Hope you guys can help brainstorm some DYI ideas to fix. Will upload pictures separately with more commentary.

Extra note: this slanting also happens with the original Kohler-fluidmaster fill valve that was leaking.
 
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cruixxx

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First 3 pictures shows the problem - fill valve slanted towards front of tank when locknut tightened. Also shows toilet model #.
 

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cruixxx

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These pictures show area around the fill valve hole, inside the tank and outside (you can see the supply tube on the outside). I manually felt around the inside of the tank around the hole, it felt smooth.
 

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cruixxx

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One more wider view shot of the inside.
 

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cruixxx

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I found this. Looks kind of odd what they are doing though.

Thanks Terry, I have exactly that green fill valve which I am replacing. The video shows its float is somehow not functional, and the DYI hack to get it to float again. Thats pretty cool but not my problem.

I have a leak coming out of the bottom of the valve on the outside (see pic), and no amount of reseating/tightening the original fill valve and nut fixed the leak so I replaced it with a new 400A. The 400A slants towards front of the toilet even more than the original fill valve, and both are actually hitting my flush arm (I wondered for a long time why sometimes when I flush, it was hard to push the arm down, now I know its hitting the fill valve...)

So:
- original Kohler fill valve = some slanting, and leaking. Cant be tightened further. Hits flush arm.
- new 400A fill value = more slanting, no leaking once tighted. Hits flush arm.

Appreciate any and all ideas (besides changing the tank!)
 

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Terry

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The Fluidmaster can be rotated on it's axis. I generally try to set it so that the float is turned away from the flush lever.

The new fill valve comes with a rubber seal. I sometimes take some emory cloth to the inside of the tank and smooth it.
 

cruixxx

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The Fluidmaster can be rotated on it's axis. I generally try to set it so that the float is turned away from the flush lever.

The new fill valve comes with a rubber seal. I sometimes take some emory cloth to the inside of the tank and smooth it.

Thanks, the flush arm is hitting the shaft of the fill valve given it is so slanted, so just rotating the floater away from the arm doesn't do the trick. I will get some emory cloth and smooth down the hole further, and will let you know if it works.
 

cruixxx

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PXL_20201123_020708226.jpg


So, bought a $3 variety emory cloth pack, smoothed down what I thought were minor bumps for the fill hole in the tank. No luck, still slanted. It turns out, for whatever reason, the inside bottom of my tank is NOT flat / there's a chance the fill hole was drilled slanted in the first place.

So I just took your advice, turned the floater and refill port as far away from the flush arm as I can, secured down the lock nut, and thankfully everything works and no leaks. The flush arm still hits the fill valve shaft on every flush, so I am now thinking of slightly bending the flush arm to make it not hit. It is a metal arm so wondering if anyone has good tips on bending it.

Will also follow up with Kolhler to see why they make tanks with such a non flat bottom..
 
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