Toilet Cistern leak, real help here please, I am sick.

[julioarca]

So, just fitted a new toilet, close coupled cistern to pan. Allseemed good until approx 24 hrs later.

Found a small leak from the righthand side plastic bolt that holds the cistern onto the pan. It is having a slight drip from underneath. I have had the bolt out and the dome shaped rubber washer, cleaned it, loosened the other side and really tightened this side, still the same, I have loosened it off, no improvement.

Thought I had it sorted last night, it went approx 15 hours with no leak, then it started, possibly after toilet flush. Could intake of cold water have caused rubber washer to flexi?

So I have now removed it, dried it and applied silicon sealant to the washer and the bolt, have I done right. Will leave it dry now until sealant sets.

Any other ideas PLEASE. The plastic bolts with wing nuts go all the way through the cistern.

 

[LUNAT]

HI


fitting close couple can be nightmare if no previous experience or instruction are not read.it is hard to explain but i will try my best
1.take long bolt
2.feed flat washer if supplied or simply dome washer
3.feed the bolt through cistern
4.feed another washer into the bolt
5.feed/ tighten nut fully on the bolt NOT overtight
6.put the cistern on the pan
7.feed washer and wing nuts

 

[julioarca]

I have done all that but it still wants to leak, currently I have applied silicon sealant and waiting for it to set, will this do more harm than good?

 

[LUNAT]

HI

check if cistern is cracked.
applying silicone will provide good water tight seal but depend where and how you apply.

 

[julioarca]

There is noo crack at all. Have applied silicon on the bottom of the dome washer, have applied also between the bolt head and the washer, I then filled the hole in the cistern with silicon and pushed the bolt through. Then attaching the nut and with good finger tightness, tightened it up. Will have to wait till silicon dries ?

 

[LUNAT]

HI

sounds ok. few hours and it should be water tight.

 

[JPC]

imho the bolts are probably ok. from desc the leak is from the doughnut. but also make sure the nut holding the syphon is tight enough.

some doughnuts are ****e and need binning. get a better one from plumbers merchants..poss bandq , and fit it

You say u have siliconed something...if you have siliconed the doughnut top and bottom, this might work (in this situation i would have used plumbers mate and spit !)

if that is what you've done, then try and leave it to dry and see...

 

[julioarca]

I have not put silicon on the doughnut. The leak is dripping down the securing bolt thread that the wingnut attaches to. How tight should these wingnuts be, I have done it hand tight with a screwdriver on the head inside the cistern.

 

[JPC]

they should be 2-3 turns more that hand tight....not too much....

still i think you leak is at the doughnut......

when u flush water is leaking out into the area under the cistern and over a period builds up and then finds the lower nut and drips down..poss making you think its coming from the nut

obviuosly i'm not sure cos i'm not looking at it, but....

 

[julioarca]

I appreciate you think its the doughnut, but there is a ceramic devider on the underside of the cistern that devides the wingnut section. the water would have to go uphill to come from the doughnut, it also leaks if the toilet is not flushed.

 

[julioarca]

I suppose proof is when I refil the cistern, if I dont flush immediately and wait a few hours and the bolt stays dry, then if I flush and it begins to seep down, thenit is the doughnut.

Could I then liberally coat the doughnut with silicon on both sides to offer a better seal.

David

 

[JPC]

ah.....

well must be the nuts then....tighten them...u'll see the rubber inside squash down...that should be enough

u could check the pot (clay) is not misformed/misfired around the hole

 

[julioarca]

ah.....

well must be the nuts then....tighten them...u'll see the rubber inside squash down...that should be enough

u could check the pot (clay) is not misformed/misfired around the hole

see my previous post, this might now make sense.

 

[JPC]

unless its the doughnut and the water is capillaring up

 

[julioarca]

I gonna try to fill the cistern tomorrow, leave it for a few hours, see if bolt is dry, if so flush toilet and see if bolt is wet.

This will proove doughnut....is it best to get new doughtnut from Plumb centre or apply silicon sealant to existing new doughnut?