Question on plastic drain trap

[FACE]

Hello ALL

A week ago I got tired of the bathroom sink being such a slow drain and took the trap off and cleaned it, the pipe and the stopper.

Its all plastic except the throat pipe.

I put everything back together too. Difference being that I remembered -- I think -- that the trap was hand-tighten. I used a pair of water pump pliers to get it off and to put it back on. Last time, years ago i think, I hand tightened it but I have lost a lot of strength in my hands and forearms since then.

However, I have a small problem. Since I put it back together, the pipe has been leaking at a pretty good clip around the 'throat' where it goes into the trap.

Somewhere around here I have some teflon tape but am unsure if I need it on the threads or the pipe itself, or in the case of plastic if at all. The throat I refer to is the straight piece of chromed pipe from the sink.

There is a nylon (?) collar which is supposed to tighten (I assume) to stop this leakage at the throat.

I had hoped that it would quit leaking on it's own but that has not happened and i have a bucket under it to catch the considerable leak. All I have to do is forget to empty that bucket every day and i got serious problems with water on the floor besides rotting out the undersink flooring.

It is 20 years old. Any ideas?

jim

[Speedy Jim]

The nylon "collar" is a beveled slip-joint washer; it does the sealing. You can get new ones at any hardware store.

It's unorthodox, but you can apply a little silicone caulk to the washer to help it seal. Dry everything off first.

Jim

[FACE]

Thanks, Jim.

[Daniel L. Belton]

Just go to your local home depot or lowes and get you another trap. only a couple of dollars and will fix up your problem.

[FACE]

Oh well, two ways to do it and in the dark underneath the sink I do it the wrong way.

I took the trap off this morning to look at the threads and possibly to use teflon tape on them. The final 1/4" or so of the front threads were buggered but it hand tightened just fine.

I had the slip joint washer(front side) upside down. That is, the smaller beveled part was down and the full diameter side was up. Apparently it goes the other way.

I have re-put it on and have no leaks.

Thanks guys for getting me to relook at it. I have egg on FACE.

Daniel, at this time, buying a new trap was not really an option. How many times has someone told you that such-and-such was a dollar or two at home depot and you went to get it and it was 23.95. :-)

Worse, i could have called 'Mr. Plumber' or something and paid maybe $140 for the trip and a 'new' 'trap assembly'. But then, I would be paying for his time which is not unreasonable to do.

jim