Toilet help please!!

[sick boy 10]

Got home today to find the toilet has a slow leak. Leak is around the nut on the waterinlet pipe (which feeds up into the bottom of the cistern) slight movement of the pipe made this worse. Turned water off, checked the fibre washer, and it was spent, put a new one in, wrapped a little PTFE tape above and screwed the nut back to the plastic pipe jutting from the cistern (metal pipe up until metal nut, then plastic pipe from cistern) tightened it up, but not too tight, then switched water back on, still leaking, tried tightening nut a little more, water came faster, try screwing it back down, water comes faster.

 

The shut off valve on the pipe is seized, so i've had to turn off the mains water. Really need some help with this!!!!

[biotechpete 10]

Presumably then, the leak is coming from around the plastic nut ie the cistern onto the plastic screw thread not from the metal nut ie the pipe?

 

I might be wrong, but I thought that the plastic nut only holds the pipe in place and it is the section on the inside (the black seal on the bottom of the float valve) that prevents leaks? Even so, it should tighten pretty well and not just skip the thread when tightened. I suspect that you need to replace the plastic nut and/or the float valve since I don't think that the pipe is separate from the valve.

 

You could flush the toilet and tie off the ball on the end of the valve to prevent the cistern refilling if you are worried about the leak.

 

One of the plumbers on here might know better than me but hope that helps.

[patrick38 10]

im no plumber but sounds like u may need a new seal

[sick boy 10]

No, leak is coming from around metal nut, about 2-3 inches down the pipe from cistern...

 

Wondereing if the nut has been overtightened and cross-threaded the plastic pipe? Have fixed it up for now at least, but any major movement, and its like the threads on the metal nut are losing contact with the plastic pipe...

 

Was thinking i might need to replace the float valve pete, the toilet is quite old though, so i wouldn't have a clue where to begin!

[biotechpete 10]

I think you are probably right then, if you are sure that is where the leak is coming from. PTFE tape might improve the seal but in the end, replacing the float valve I think is the only answer since I think the plastic thread is integral to the valve. You can get a replacement one from screwfix or wickes for about tenner probably.

 

All you need do is shut off the water (WD40/releasing oil on the isolator might help), empty the cistern, unscrew the plastic nut on the bottom of the cistern and remove valve, replace the valve and tighten the new plastic nut. You might be lucky and the old pipe will match up ok. If not and you have a good length of pipe exposed on the feed, cut it back with a pipe cutter, fit a new isolator valve (i would, but not essential) and then add a bit of spare length of pipe and connect with a flexi-hose. You can get compression fittings for these so no soldering necessary.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Compression-Flexible-Connector/invt/160131

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Isolating-Valve/invt/420187

 

I don't think that the parts of the cistern (flush/syphon and valve) need to match as long as they fit in the space so replacing the valve for one not the same shouldn't be a problem. You can also remove the ball/float and arm from the valve and use them again if they fit. This is the kind of thing you need.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Bottom-Entry-Ball-Valve/invt/421636

 

It also occurs to me that your pipe/nut may be mismatched imperial to metric fittings, if they are quite old. I think 3/8" and 15mm? are quite similar in size but don't form a great seal.

 

FYI if you are new DIY plumbing then this site is very useful and the forum is quite friendly. http://www.diynot.com/pages/pl/

Edited July 9, 2010 by biotechpete
adding link

[sick boy 10]

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks for the info on this, think it is modern enough to be a 15mm nut, but off to wickes to get the necessary equipment now! Thanks once again!!!

[sick boy 10]

OK. So went to wickes and bought the necessary (valve isolator and ball valve) fitted ball valve in the cistern, new valve on pipe and turned water on...

 

P**sed water all over so i quickly switched off again, plastic nut for ball valve said tighten by hand and then give a 3/4 turn, which i did, but it looks like it is leaking from here...