Took tank off and reinstalled 9 times - put new gaskets and rings in - but it leaks. Tank also wiggles a bit.

Hi Connie.

Hoping I'm visualizing this properly. The stand pipe under the house is generally pointing upward and has a flange on it. The toilet will have an indent on the bottom that is somewhat larger that the flange diameter. Then there will be a wax ring that is seated around the neck of the flange right before the toilet is placed down on top of it. The general process is that a new wax ring is placed, the toilet is lifted and, as carefully as possible, lowered straight down over the floor bolts. Once it makes contact on the floor, the toilet is gently rotated a small bit clockwise and counterclockwise to make sure that there is a good solid contact with the wax. The toilet is set square to the wall and, hopefully, with the floor bolts centered on the slots. Someone sits down carefully on the toilet to put pressure on the wax and seal it (this should not be done on a cold day, as the wax may not flow, and may even crack and leave a gap).

From what I saw you write, my questions would be whether the wax gasket was installed. if not, pull the toilet, obtain a gasket, and try again. if one was installed, were the remains of the old gasket thoroughly cleaned away from flange and toilet bottom? if not, the old wax may have cause uneven flow/sealing with the new ring (too much wax in the space).

You can also check that the leak isn't coming from higher up, like at the join from bowl to tank. If it's leaking there, depending on your toilet model, it might leak once the flapper is lifted in the tank, flow down the back outside of the toilet, and down under the house. In that case, it could be a bad seal, or the tank-to-toilet bolts not having been tightened.

Hoping this gives you some ideas

D

With out seeing it, it is hard to actually know what the problem is, but it sounds like it is either where the water line enters the tank, or the gasket between the tank and the bowl. Either way there should not be any silicone. The water line flows into the fill and shut off valve. If it is leaking from there get a whole new valve for under $20.00. For the gasket between the tank and the bowl you have to remove the tank and replace the gasket.

What many people are unaware of is a small crack in the tank and rarely a small crack in the bowl. If the leak is not from one of the two things I mentioned above it has to be a crack and in that case a new toilet.

If you can not tell where the water is coming from it could be a crack or the wax ring under the toilet may need replaced. You might want to call a plumber and get a free estimate on what the problem is.

Good luck with this.

Rick

Shut off water to tank and drain tank by flushing , then use a sponge to soak up any left. Disconnect water line, then 2 of 1/2" nuts at base of toilet ( floor ) . Lift toilet off, clean old wax off toilet and flange at floor, and install new wax gasket. Set toilet down straight and aligned with gasket and flange as well as studs. Make sure toilet is all way down on new wax gasket ( sit on it and move around a bit until toilet feels steady on floor ) then put nuts washers etc back on and snug it up. Don't tighten too much and snap base, just good and snug.

I had one just like that where the overflow tube that the flapper connects to was cracked. It sounds like this is the only part you have not replaced. The flapper may not be seating onto the inlet either. If you replaced the flapper with a cheaper version of flapper, some new ones will even leak.

In 2008 I bought the Memoirs model that Lowe's was selling. I've had multiple tank/bowl gasket leak problems. When I went to get a replacement gasket this weekend, Kohler had changed the style of the tank/bowl gasket assembly in the current Memoirs model that Lowes sells. I wonder if this is because the old gasket assembly is known to be defective and prone to leaking?

When I called Kohler, it took two customer service associated, but I was granted a WHOLE NEW TOILET with the new style of tank/bowl gasket assembly. I just had to have the receipt for the (3 yrs ago) purchase. Kohler e-mailed a letter for a replacement toilet within about 15 minutes and before the end of the day, I had a whole new toilet in my bathroom.

I'm not a contractor. Just an average homeowner, so I can't say for sure that the old style (large, black, plastic rectangle on the bottom of the tank and a rather thin gasket ring) was defective or not. (At first Kohler offered only a replacement tank, but after hearing the number of times both I *and* plumbers have replaced the gasket, they did authorize the replacement of the entire toilet.)

Hello, W/D here.

Most probably, the tank-to-bowl gasket has not seated properly. They are usually neoprene, and tend to bight on the bowl socket rather than to slide into the socket where it can be compressed properly. Remove the tank bolts and look at the gasket. Re-install, using a water based lubricant on the bowl side, with the gasket installed on the tank flange. Wiggle the tank and gasket back and forth a few times, and the gasket will start properly into the cast socket on the bowl. Install the bolts and tighten to finger tight. Wiggle the tank a bit more, and level the top. Tighten the bolts uniformly.
You mention that the flush valve was hand tightened only. If this gasket is not snug (a bit more than hand tight), a leak can occur there as well.
Best regards, --W/D--

I'm contractor for the last 17 years and this is the first time I have problems with the toilet tank installation , I bought four toilets, three of them had a leaking tank I thought that the place that had bolt did not have enough pressure and I put more pressure every five minutes but the toilets kept on leaking, I took the bolts out and I put plumbing putty in the top and the bottom and installed it again but it kept on leaking then i removed the putty and i put liquid teflon on the bolts and finally the leaking stoped. Edit your post: To insert a product link use the format: [[ASIN:ASIN product-title]] (What's this?) I'm contractor for the last 17 years and this is the first time I have problems with the toilet tank installation , I bought four toilets, three of them had a leaking tank I thought that the place that had bolt did not have enough pressure and I put more pressure every five minutes but the toilets kept on leaking, I took the bolts out and I put plumbing putty in the top and the bottom and installed it again but it kept on leaking then i removed the putty and i put liquid teflon on the bolts and finally the leaking stoped. Guidelines

did you have the tank removed from the bowl?
if you did, there is a rather large nut that holds the flush valve to the tank, fairly simple to reinstall.
if you did not have the tank removed from the bowl, and you pulled up on the overflow tube "round white thing" then you probably broke it. you will need to replace the whole flush valve assembly.
you can get one from your local hardware store. you will also need new tank bolts, and a new gasket that goes between the tank and bowl.

Something is stuck inside of the toilet. About the only way to get some of them out is to take the toilet up. Shut off water to the toilet and flush it one last time.You need to use a plunger and push all the water you can out of the bowl. Remove the bolts that hold it to the floor. Youll have a little left over water you'll have to clean up after this next step so get something to soak up water. It may be easier to remove the tank now than to take a chance on damaging the gaskets. Just going to have to turn the toilet over and over and over and see if something falls out into the bowl. To repair this damage you're going to have to clean off the wax ring (messy Job) and get a new wax ring. They're pretty universal 3 and 4 inch are the same. PUt the wax ring onto the bottom of the toilet then set it back over the bolts that hold it to the floor and tighten it back down. Replace the tank and tank gaskets if you took it off. When I fixed mine I found a AA battery inside. That was all it took to plug it up every time you flushed toilet paper.

r u using any glue to seal the gasket and oring