Leak on wingnuts for close-coupled toilet

[barriegreen]

Hi,

Hope someone could help me out. I have just replaced a Dudley S7B siphon in a close coupled toilet and have reconnected everything back but I am experiencing a very small leak just above the wingnuts that are clamping down the cistern.

I purchased a new close-coupled kit as the old bolts were corroded and have tightened the wingnuts up as much as possible but there is still a small weeping leak running down the thread of the bolt through the wingnut. I have placed a rubber washer followed by a steel washer and then the wingnut underneath the pan but to no avail.

Would anyone advise what could still be causing the weeping to come through the washer and down the thread of the bolt ? They are tightened as much as I dare do them.

Many thanks

Barrie

 

[JohnD]

is there limescale, dirt, grit on the bottom of the cistern interfering with the seal?

what washers have you got on the inside?

 

[Bahco]

Try a larger steel washer to spread the surface area and allow a bit more tightening.

Worked for me.

 

[chrishutt]

Presumably the leak originates from either the joint between the syphon and cistern or the syphon and pan. If it's constant the former, if it's only following a flush then the latter. Nothing to do with the wing nuts at all (technical tip - water runs downhill).

 

[barriegreen]

Hi,

Many thanks for the replies.

Hi John...I'll check out the inside of the cistern again. It did look very clean but I'll give it a wash out just in case.

Hi Bahco..I'll see if I can find a larger metal washer and give that a go also. It seems that the leak though runs through the washer as it isn't particularly tight around the bolt body. There is still a small amount of space as the hole is a little wider than the bolt itself.

Thanks Chris..The leak only really started when I did the first test flush. However I did empty it all out and took it apart and re-assembled to double-check all the connections. However this time it started to leak upon fill-up.

Not sure if this is anything to do with it but the sequence in which I put everything back together on the siphon outlet is as follows;

large plastic washer inside cistern under siphon, then below the cistern the metal plate from the close-coupling kit, large plastic backnut for the siphon and then placed the doughnut ring on and fitted to the pan.

Am I correct in doing it this way ?

Many thanks again.

 

[Andy165]

try winding about seven wraps of ptfe around the top thread of the bolt before assembling the washers etc. and this should seal the thread when compressed against the rubber washer on tightening

 

[chrishutt]

I'm assuming that the bolts and wing nuts do not fit in separate holes in the cistern base but in slots in the close coupled kit. If that's correct then do as follows.

Reassemble the syphon. This time put silicone sealant on both sides of the washer between syphon and cistern, then tighten the back nut better - you will need some biggish water pump pliers.

Before you reassemble check the metal plate of the close coupled kit - you may have deformed it by over tightening the wing nuts (it's NOT the wing nuts or bolts that are leaking!). If it's OK reassemble, if not replace.

Carefully locate the doughnut washer. You can also add a little silicone sealant to the mating surfaces of this. Then assemble taking care that the dough nut washer stays in position. Do not over tighten the wing nuts! They only need to exert enough pressure to compress the doughnut washer a little.

 

[barriegreen]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. I'll take the thing apart again today and check out the washer and plate and try the sealant this time.

Fingers crossed. Thank you.

 

[barriegreen]

Just wanted to say thankyou very much for your replies.

After taking the cistern apart again I cleaned the inside and used some sealant on the cistern washer and after re-assembly all seems fine.

Many thanks

Barrie