Tank to Bowl rubber washers--->> use sealant??

[Jeff]

Sould you use sealant over the rubber washers inside the tank??

The instructions do not mention anything, however after one week, I have a slight leak at one bolt and do not crack the tank by overtighting.

Thanks.

[Mark]

Assuming we are talking toilets here, sure. I dab a little silicone on the bottom side of the washer and around the bold head. You can never have too much water protection!

Make sure the washers are lying flat. If they are bowing up at the outside, you are over tightening.

First and foremost, make sure the inside of the tank where the washer sits is scrubbed clean of all the nasties. You want that washer mating against the tank with no guck in between. This is equally important if you choose to use silicone as it won't stick very well to the guck either.

[twiedeman]

I now put a thin coat of pipe joint compound on the tank-to-bowl flange gasket, and on each brass tank holddown bolt I use a thin layer of plumbers putty on the rubber washers. It only takes a few seconds more, & it virtually elliminates drips & callbacks

[jmagerl]

A similar question: just what is the right way to assemble the various nuts, and washers? If you buy a bolt and washer kit, they have you do (in order, going down from the tank): bolt head, steel washer, rubber washer, tank,bowl, rubber washer, steel washer, nut. Although this works, it has the unfortunate result of making watertightness dependant on the tank to bowl attachment. IF the tank to bowl gasket gets too thick, you can end up with the tank not properly seated and a hard pushcan cause everything to gush water (It has happened to me). Is it OK to put a rubber and steel washer on either side of the tank and tighten with a bolt so that the tank is a sealed unit all by itself and then just use a steel washer and nut to assemble to the tank? Unfortunately this means you have to buy two washer kits.

[John Hines]

Probably not enough room between tank and stand for a washer and nut.