For the plumbers and DIYer’s out there

[Jersey mike]

Ok have ing a recurring issue with toilet tank leaking off water.

It’s an old Eljer toilet with a drop ball instead of a flapper seal.

The drop rod is lined up very well and the ball drops into place where it should to seal the tank but it still allows water to escape causing water to refill. Sometimes it’s constant sometimes it once every few hours.

The drop rod is long enough so the ball is getting to the opening without getting hung up. The tank is filling to the proper level.

The ball has been replaced numerous times but often it the problem starts all over again, slowly at first then more often. If I take a long spoon while the tank is full and press gently on the ball it will seat itself better and stop the water from trickling down but after a few flushes it starts all over again.

What is the correct way to size the ball? There are some which are small with size ranges and some larger with size ranges and mine falls at the high end for small and low range for the large. I’ve tried both.

I’ve emptied the tank and wiped around the bottom to clean anything that may be “building up” to prevent a good seal and that did do too much.


If anyone has any tips, thoughts or advice I’m all ears with the exception of replacing the whole toilet.

Thanks in advance.



Added; the drop ball is a universal fit from Home Depot.

[Slyk Willy]

try checking (replacing) the tank-to-bowl plastic part that the ball sets into. You'd likely need to replace the flush valve. It may have become rough enough for water to leak through. Good luck. PS, I hate plumbing.

[scooperhsd]

try checking (replacing) the tank-to-bowl plastic part that the ball sets into. You'd likely need to replace the flush valve. It may have become rough enough for water to leak through. Good luck. PS, I hate plumbing.

Agree with this whole post. 

[h13man]

Replace the whole valve unit or put a flapper style unit in. Besure the flapper is soft rubber. Just had to replace the flapper on my 3.5 gal. garage unit.

[cookiedough]

just replace the entire guts in the system (keep the ball if new).  I gave up trying to fix it thinking was the ball bending the rod often, but gave up and replaced the filler system entirely new and problem solved 20 some bucks or so. 

I let mine go so long hissing/leaking for months that the small village where I live sent along with the water bill every month a note saying to check for water supplies on or check to see if your toilet is leaking.  then I decided to get it replaced the internals of the tank. 

Our combined water/sewer bill is OUTRAGEOUS in my small town know for a fact the highest around the area.  For 2 people who work daily not at home mostly and flush toilet/shower probably 5x's tops per day/night total, our MONTHLY (not qtrly) water/sewer bill is around 125 bucks per month.  that is CRAZY.  Same family size in larger Madison WI nearby is around 150 every 3 months, go figure????

[carolinarider09]

Just had to replace the "flapper" value unit in one of our toilets.  New one is slightly different design for water supply but other than that the same.

Only issue was having to remove the tank from the toilet.   Just a PIA but doable.

Since all three of the toilet in our house are the same (we do have a separate bidet) I also purchased another replacement "assembly" planning ahead for the next device failure.

Regarding the bill, we don't have that problem but, I do, on occasion, check the water meter just to be sure there are no leaks.  Make sure all the water valves are off and then look for any "spinning" of the needed.  Don't know how that might work on the new electronic meters that send the readings to the company, via air waves (I guess)

I don't know about your pricing system but, it has been my experience, that in most cases where the water supply and sewage disposal are taken off propriety, they base the sewage charge on the water usage.  Assumption being all water goes to sewage. Which is not the case for those who use the water for their lawns , etc.  

[da prez]

  I replace them in all the apartments every year.  The water is hard on the material.  We went to a new style flush unit on the last change. They are guaranteed for life (??). 
                                             

                                                            da prez

                                       

[Bret SD]

I had to replace the guts on mom's toilet not long ago, installing everything took about 30 mins, including R&R of the top tank.

Personally, I wouldn't mess around with the current configuration, the path of least resistance lies in replacing everything, IMHO.

[Jess from VA]

I had to replace the innards on my two old 3.5 gallon American Standards many times.  They would often start leaking down slowly into the bowl.  You could hear it more than see it.

During recent renovations, both got replaced with new 1.6 gallon American Standard Champion 4s.  When you flush them, it's like the bottom drops out; woosh empty in one second.  There's a video of it flushing down 18 golf balls.  I'm not trying that in my toilets.  I don't golf (well). 

So far, no repairs necessary.

[Moonshot_1]

I had to replace the guts on mom's toilet not long ago, installing everything took about 30 mins, including R&R of the top tank.

Personally, I wouldn't mess around with the current configuration, the path of least resistance lies in replacing everything, IMHO.

Can't agree with you on that. Messing around with the current configuration is how great stories are made!

[Bret SD]

I had to replace the guts on mom's toilet not long ago, installing everything took about 30 mins, including R&R of the top tank.

Personally, I wouldn't mess around with the current configuration, the path of least resistance lies in replacing everything, IMHO.

Can't agree with you on that. Messing around with the current configuration is how great stories are made!

And VRCC threads!