New toilet leaks between the Tank and the Bowl?

[lbbss]

I don't understand why my new toilet leaks between the tank and the bowl (Crane Plumbing toilet). I put in the foam seal on the proper orientation, I tightened the two bolts (with rubber washers) evenly. I tightened them until the tank barely touches the bowl ribs. I followed all the instructions, so I don't know why I still got a leak? I assume the leak is at the seal and not at the bolts. I can see that the rubber washers are well seal and compressed inside the tank. Any ideas?

[Art]

When you tighten the bolts push down on the tank so you are taking up slack rather than screwing it down.

[Tom]

that came with the toilet needed more rubber washers and nuts. Needed the rubber washer that goes under the hold down bolts, plus another rubber washer right under the tank followed by a nut to compress the two washers against the tank to seal the bolt hole. This stopped the leak. There should be enough room between the tank and bowl to accomodate the extra washer and nut. I don't know why Crane didn't provide the extra parts as everything I read showed this way of installing a tank. Tom.

[Michael Baugh]

So many people install the tank incorrectly, and a lot of them get broken. Properly installed, with bolts and flapper and fill valve in place in the tank, the tank should be able to be picked up with a load of water in it and not leak. Problem comes when people try to snug tank to commode to stop leaks.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I just went through the same thing last week. Here's the sequence of hardware from the inside of the tank out: bolt, rubber washer, then push it through the tank hole. On the outside of the tank, press in another rubber washer, followed by a metal washer and then the nut. Slide the tank assembly onto the back of the bowl assembly, slip on another metal washer, and finally a wing nut. That should seal up the tank at rest.

When you actually operate the flusher, there is another possible leakage point: the large tank to bowl gasket (roughly 3.5 inches in diameter). Mine didn't leak until I flushed, then there was a very large deluge of water from between the tank and the bowl. It turned out I needed a higher gasket than the one I had bought at the borg (I got a "universal fit" for a Gerber toilet; didn't work out well at all).

[Walt Conner]

Two excellent suggestions _

washers and nuts. Needed the

I have done this also, it did the trick.

Walt Conner

[Mike Grooms]

"lbbss"

Some of the information you've gotten is bad. This comes from the plumbing newsgroup. First of all, don't put a washer between the head of the bolt and the rubber washer. The brass bolt head and brass washer isn't, of course, a watertight seal.

Secondly, some toilets come with a second rubber washer for under the tank, but most don't. It sounds like you installed it exactly right; leaks just sometimes happen. First of all, does it leak constantly, or only when you flush it? If it leakes constantly, and the water's coming from somewhere between the tank and bowl, then it's either the bolts (and rubber washers) or the flush valve (the big hole in the middle) or the tank might have a hairline crack. Test the big nut that holds the flush valve to the tank to make sure it's snug. The smartest thing to do is to just reassemble it again. Maybe the second time's the charm. If the tank is cracked, you might not be able to see it. One trick would be to color the water with cleaner or food coloring to detect the location.

If it only leaks when you flush it, then it's the connection between the spud gasket (that foam rubber thingy) and the bowl. Again, just reassemble it. The second time's often the charm.

And lastly, if it's a plumbing question, just ask the plumbers instead of the DIYers. It'll save a lot of time and protect you from misinformation.

[A]

Hey!! us do it yourselfers provide lots of business to plumbers - when we screw up at 3 AM and then don't have the proper parts.

Measure once -then cut until it fits is our motto. :-)

[Michael Baugh]

Damn. I've cut it twice, and it's still too short!!

[Mike Grooms]

"A"

You are exactly correct. I owe you a debt of gratitude.

[kevlon]

reassemble it with plumbers putty between all gasket seals and porcelain.