I wonder if this is the wrong way to address a toilet that leaks and refills every so often.
I have an American Std 4117A toilet that refills for 5 or so seconds. I think it is leaking around the flapper. It has a fluid-master 400 anti siphon float valve but a 540 flapper with a plastic cup under the flat part that actually sits in the drain hole. I have a broken hip so going out hurts for a replacement. So, I detached the cup (carefully as there are plastic extrusions to keep it where the engineers wanted it, I guess) and dropped a 3 oz fishing sinker in it and reattached it. I tried this in a different way once to rule out the flapper, at least, but it worked in that past instance. I'm just wondering if I am tempting the toilet gods.
Hank
Is this a bad Toilet tank refilling Fix
leaktoilet
Related Solutions
Make sure the gasket that the flapper rests on is perfectly clean. Any grit or sediment on it can prevent the flapper from making a good seal.
Check the chain that runs from the handle assembly to the flapper. If it's taut when the flapper is down, it may be holding the flapper slightly away from the gasket, again preventing a good seal.
If that doesn't work, it may be time to replace the whole flush assembly
I would take it to mean that he either installed a new tank on the toilet bowl, or re-installed the existing tank.
This might be done:
- If the tank was damaged in some way.
- If the tank was leaking at the tank-bowl union.
- To change the look of the toilet, without replacing the entire unit.
It could also mean that he installed a new flush, and/or fill valve assembly.
This might be done:
- If the toilet was leaking.
- If the toilet was running intermittently.
- If the toilet was not flushing properly.
NOTE: There are various types of fill and flush valve assemblies, these are simply two of the more common types.
Best Answer
The 540 flapper has had a problem with the white silicone disk on the underside that actually seals the hole. Some develop bubbles on the surface that prevent a good seal. I've had some simply fatigue and not maintain the gap between the seal and the body of the flapper that allows it to conform to any irregularities.
They have a 10 year warranty. Even if you can't prove date of purchase, this is a known manufacturing defect issue, and Fluidmaster has been sending a set of free replacement seals if that is the issue. They have an online live chat for product support that is an easy way to contact them: https://www.fluidmaster.com/support/
The seal fits in a groove at the base of the dome where you added the weight. It's stretchy, and you just pull off the old one, then work the new one to the groove and make sure it cleanly embeds in the groove all the way around.