Toilet wasn't filling up after a flush. I pull the top off and inspect. Immediately notice nothing coming out of the refill tube. So I pull the tube completely off, nothing, just some dribbling water coming out of the cap. I've replaced the flapper probably 3-4 times in 11 years so I figure the whole valve body is shot by now and no point debating it. Get in car, drive to HD, and get there 9:50pm (they close at 10pm). Just in time. Kohler brand toilet but they don't stock Kohler kits, only generic, Fluidmaster brand. Grrrrreat. No choice, I find the right one, and I'm off. It's 10:45 now, getting tired, just want the shitter working. New valve body is in, new flapper, set chain, turn the water back on. As it's filling I notice a leak. I tighten it up some more, no dice. I turn the water back off, drain the f'er, start inspecting. Valve body, at the very bottom, on the plastic threads, has a very small bit of plastic removed. A chip. Damnit the store is closed. Get pissed, then quickly, immediately, figure out nothing I can do, it's 11pm. Go to bed.

Night two. After work, the gym, work the dog, mow, I say oh great, time to work on the shitter again. I package up "shitmaster" as I'm starting to call it, and return it. Get a replacement, back to the house. Didn't I do this last night? Damn! Install new valve body, flapper, etc, then turn the water back on. Guess what? It's leaking! Mother f'in son of a..... I'm hot, I mean I'm reaally aggravated now. I calm down, pull it back apart.....again, see nothing wrong at all. I know not to overtighten plastic on plastic threads because you'all crack them. I calm down, inspect some more, see zero wrong. Oh my...then I start trying to figure out, is it the rubber washer at the bottom of the valve body, what is it? Damn I'm tired of troubleshooting. Oh then I figure it out. I look at the braided steel line from the water line to the toilet, and see the rubber washer in it has corroded enough, that has to be it. Can't be nothing else or I'm gonna have to go to the gun range and "pop off a few rounds". Back to HD, for the third time, braided line in hand to match the length and fitting. Find the right one after some stare and compare and hear "Hey man weren't you just here" from the HD worker/plumber. I explain all 3 trips, he laughs, says I'm not the first and won't be the last. I was probably red in the face as I was tired of it.

I go home, teflon the metal on metal threads, attach the other end to the plastic threads at the bottom of valve body and "screw carefully", turn the water back on, no leaks. Spend another 4-5 flushes setting water level with the plastic screw on the valve body, being careful as the whole assembly is plastic, guaranteed made in China, and delicate as a snowflake. Readjust the flapper chain, flush one more time, everything 100.

I clean up the area and have a semi-pleasant deuce. Sitting there I pull the receipt out, it was close to $30. I start thinking about my time spent vs. a truck roll plumber charge and quickly cut myself off for fear of getting angry. Note to self...just replace everything the first time, all of it, don't even bother trying to save the six or seven bucks on the braided line, just replace it, even if it don't need replacing. And open the package of anything like this in the store and inspect for damage, chipped plastic, etc. And go ahead and get two new shitmaster kits, and two new braided lines, and store them. That way when the chinese plastic breaks again you're ready.

I'm not the least bit pleased I can fix simple plumbing, electrical, etc, no satisfaction at all. I want to get to the position in life where I don't bother with it, and can afford that phone call, truck roll, and not bat an eye or be concerned with the money. But reality is the box and nails will come first.

I just used one of those kits last weekend, replaced all the guts of an old Mansfield system. Took about an hour, only leak was getting rear tank bolts snugged up enough. The Fluidmaster is light years better than late 90s era Mansfield internals. 20 bucks and done.

It'll hold for awhile until the bathroom gets redone, then there will be a better toilet altogether put in place.

This hits too close to home. (or, BTDT)

I keep a complete replacement kit under the workbench in the garage after going through this exact routine more times then I'm going to admit.

I don't know what the problem is....I removed two old toilets today and replaced them completely...took about an hour and a half with no hitches. Of course, both flanges were in great shape otherwise it would have been different story...

I did enjoy the story though...just messin with ya

This sounds a lot like my water heater project. Five trips to Home Depot and everything is working as it should again. I've come to the conclusion that you're not paying the plumber for the call out, you're paying him for the frustration. He'll have all the same problems, but he's getting the pay to suck it up so you don't have to.

Yeah I hear that. I have one of those you can flush golf balls toilet. The flush valve is 4 inches and not easily obtained and expensive to boot. I was able to get by with just a new plastic flush bar for the time being, but it took awhile. I know what to do, but my eye hand coordination and vision have never been good and it takes me forever to know where to set the chain. I always seem to forget the flush handle and bar are left hand thread.

I do not mind paying, I just do not like waiting around for someone to show up. I try to get a bunch of projects at one time when the plumber comes.

Be careful when replacing the toilet tank bolts, big box bolts are just brass coated, if you nick the coating they will rust out or will rust the nut and bolt together. I get real brass nuts and bolts from a plumbing supply.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
This hits too close to home. (or, BTDT)

I keep a complete replacement kit under the workbench in the garage after going through this exact routine more times then I'm going to admit.

Glad someone understands
It's not the physical work....pulling weeds out of the yard (which I get to do in 100 degree heat this weekend) is more demanding. It's the troubleshooting and multi-trips to the Orange store. It can get tedious when you run a household, a family, and work lots of hours at your job. When a simple repair goes accordingly you don't think twice about it. It's when you are on a third or fourth trip to the hardware store because you can't find the right widget, or your third attempt at solving a problem fails. As the time adds up so does the frustration, especially if it entails returning said items because they are defective. I remember when the A/C went out during a 100 degree day. My HVAC guy I 100% trust was MIA for days. Go to Orange store, buy and install window unit as temporary solution, only to discover, it doesn't work, probably because it was returned previously. Drenched in sweat, cussing, you uninstall, load up, back to store, repeat.
It tests the human condition.

And it was written to make others laugh at my expense.

quote:

Note to self...just replace everything the first time, all of it, don't even bother trying to save the six or seven bucks on the braided line, just replace it, even if it don't need replacing.

absolutely

I consider myself to be a, "jack of all trades, master of none." I have had my share of experience at plumbing repairs both old and new.


My sincere admiration goes out to those who are professional plumbers.

The Plumbers Corollary

Every 15 minute job takes 3 hours.

Fluidmaster 400A, closet bolts with extra nuts and washers, tank-to-bowl kit with nuts, bolts, washers, and gaskets, wax ring, and a few assorted tank-to-bowl gaskets for the flush valve. That is the usual kit. Knock wood, mine has been fine for years.

If I'm not too beat after pulling and resetting a bowl, a smear of cement or grout around the perimeter of the base - if it is on tile - completes the job.

The first or second time I removed the top off a Fluidmaster to flush debris from the diaphragm, I put it on wrong. The tank lid was in place when I cranked the water on, but heck, did that give me a start! The master plumber was cool, told me to relax. That, and a cracked flex line coupling nut which flooded upon being pressurized, taught me early Rule III of being a plumber: Never panic.

quote:

Originally posted by sunburn:
The Plumbers Corollary

Every 15 minute job takes 3 hours.

Which is precisely why a DIYer should never EVER begin an elective plumbing project after noon.

Been There Done that (too often). IMO whenever you have to mess with a toilet the only way to insure that there aren't at least 3 trips to the hardware store involved is to purchase a brand spanking new toilet complete with a fresh wax ring.

BTW, has to replace a hot water heater at 3:00 AM once (back when HD was 24/7) and still pat myself on the back for getting EVERYTHING needed in one single trip. Yeah, I do have some extra fittings and about 6 feet of copper pipe I may never use up but do have a very pretty almost new Rigid pipe wrench in my tool box.

I also keep complete toilet "guts" kits in my supply cabinet. I have learned over the years that, when you repair one element of a plumbing fixture, it's best to pull and replace them all. I can disassemble and reassemble a toilet and install all new parts in about an hour now. Also, teflon tape on braided supply lines and nylon fittings-at best not needed, at worst will leak.

My personal plumbing rule.

Never look at a job and say I just need this, the rest of the plumbing/connections I can make work.

Just look to where there is a good easy to get to connection and buy all the stuff to fix the problem and easily connect. The old valve/what ever you try to make work will require more trips to HD/Lowes.

I feel your pain. I also buy an extra bee ring and beef up the amount of wax before setting the toilet. Seems to be cheap insurance that it won't leak down in that area. Indoor plumbing is a blessing, but it sure is a pain in the ass getting it all installed without leaks.

Been there done all that. I feel for you.

The last one I did, I thought I had the puppy whipped because I got ALL the parts and did a full replace of everything. Buzzz! Wrong! The sweated on cutoff valve started leaking around the stem! Fortunately, I was able to tighten it up and it stopped.

I don't do plumbing any more. Too many crisis's in the past. I just call 'the man' and have him do all of the cussing and knuckle banging. Plumbing and I have never hit it off.

I definitely feel your pain.

Jim

quote:

I've replaced the flapper probably 3-4 times in 11 years

That's a lot of times to replace a flapper. They should last longer than 3 years. Are you running blue cakes in your tank?