Leaking cistern inlet getting worse with every attempt

[sblandford]

I have a leaking flush toilet water inlet in a recent-build flat. It started leaking and I thought it was a straightforward case of changing the fibre washer.

I found that there were previously two fibre washers and replaced them. Switched on the water again and it leaked. I have since tried several times to replace the washers and even tried using rubber O rings. The problem seems to be that the copper pipe does not really want to extend all the way to the cistern inlet and is exerting a lot of force away from it. The thread of the inlet seems to be still intact although it is quite difficult to get the thread lined up with the nut. I have to loosen the inlet so it can move to meet the pipe.

After several attempts the thing still leaks like a sieve. I'm wondering if there is any widget I could use to fill in the space between the inlet and the copper pipe so that it isn't such a task to bring the two together long enough to try and tighten the thread. They maybe sit about 1cm apart when disconnected.

Here is a picture of the inlet with the leakage points shown in red. The nut looks a bit lop-sided which probably explains why it is leaking now but this is just how I left it before I gave it up as a bad job.

Leaking cistern inlet

• sblandford
• 13 Dec 2009
• 1

Leaking cistern inlet

 

[spikebmth]

you;ve stripped the thread.

you'll need a new float valve to sort it

 

[picasso]

none of it is lining up, if that is a nut near the floor I would take the nut off and fit a flexi.

 

[sblandford]

you;ve stripped the thread.

you'll need a new float valve to sort it

Thanks. I just fitted a new one with a slightly longer thread. It seems OK now.

 

[lufcmark]

If you disturb the nut at the bottom of the picture there is a chance you could disturb something inaccessible further down because you cannot hold the fitting to which it is attached...Personally I would replace the floatvalve and try a half inch tap extension on the end of the new floatvalve to eliminate the tension that you mentioned in your post...

 

[sblandford]

If you disturb the nut at the bottom of the picture there is a chance you could disturb something inaccessible further down because you cannot hold the fitting to which it is attached...Personally I would replace the floatvalve and try a half inch tap extension on the end of the new floatvalve to eliminate the tension that you mentioned in your post...

The longer thread of the new float valve is just the right length. There isn't any tension now.

 

[lufcmark]

Nice one...I posted before reading that you had sorted it.