A few weeks ago I used a kit to fix a flapper that wasn’t getting good contact. The kit had a flapper that sat a little higher, and a ring to put over the top of the flush valve so that the new flapper is guaranteed a perfectly smooth surface. That completely fixed the problem, until a couple days ago, and now it’s slowly leaking into the bowl until the tank gets low enough to engage the fill valve. It’s driving me insane, because it did not leak at all for several weeks. Why now?! Do I need to replace the whole flush valve?

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Smythzilla t1_itrudk5 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 8:57 PM

Well you better go catch it!

thezoomies OP t1_itrupab wrote on October 25, 2022 at 8:59 PM

My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it.

thezoomies OP t1_itrurg0 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:00 PM

My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it.

ThurstonHowell3rd t1_itsuavo wrote on October 26, 2022 at 1:20 AM

Does it happen if Prince Albert is in the can?

JerryMandaring t1_itrxfmx wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:17 PM

I had the same thing happen when I finally replaced my flapper with that new kit.

I would bet that where you attached the new flapper kit, with the putty underneath it, you didn't "CLEAN WITH MINERAL SPIRITS AND DRY BEFORE ATTACHING" the new kit. I half-assed cleaned mine the first time and it began leaking again a few weeks later. Took it apart again and followed the directions this time, cleaning and drying it properly, and it's been quiet for 4 years now.

thezoomies OP t1_itrxq34 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:19 PM

I’ll admit that I did not. You think it’s leaking under the cement?

[deleted] t1_ittvpn7 wrote on October 26, 2022 at 7:45 AM

[deleted]

thezoomies OP t1_itufm82 wrote on October 26, 2022 at 12:03 PM

It didn’t come with putty, it came with some cement that you’re not supposed to touch, and a hard plastic ring that becomes the new seat for the flapper.

JerryMandaring t1_ituykgk wrote on October 26, 2022 at 2:34 PM

I usually use the Fluidmaster ones. The gray part is the included putty. I'm pretty certain your leak is here. You stated the leak stopped for a few weeks, so I would rule out the fill valve for now. There's a good reason why the putty works better.

jaxpaboo t1_itrvh40 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:04 PM

Might as well replace the whole flush value assembly. I think you may need to take the tank off as well, so make sure to replace those 2 long bolts and gaskets as well.

thezoomies OP t1_itrx8sd wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:16 PM

Yeah. Still relatively inexpensive.

Ok-Advantage9625 t1_itrwjd7 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:11 PM

Are you using any toilet bowl bleach tabs in the tank? I’ve had those errode the rubber pretty quickly.

thezoomies OP t1_itrxcbv wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:17 PM

Not since I did the work, but we have in the past before I knew that they could damage tank parts.

dracogiraffa t1_itsb5y9 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 10:56 PM

Hard water and bleach could destroy the silicone or rubber in the flappers enough that it could trickle into the bowl. If the flapper is brand new take a closer look at the O rings too.

thezoomies OP t1_itsiv3r wrote on October 25, 2022 at 11:54 PM

O-rings where exactly? Like, in the flush valve?

vc1914 t1_itrxvgu wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:20 PM

Mine was doing really same thing. Replaced the flapper twice and it ended up being the full valve. Super easy repair and inexpensive. Haven’t had the issue since… has been about 3 months now.

thezoomies OP t1_itrydnq wrote on October 25, 2022 at 9:23 PM

Yeah, I’ve replaced a flush valve before. Not difficult, but substantially more time consuming than the flapper kit 😭