Fluidmaster Runs Intermittently

Fluidmaster Runs Intermittently (post #205708)

BuckeyeBeaver on Mon, 01/30/2012 - 16:10

Kitchen and Bath

I have a vintage 1990 American Standard Plebe toilet with a not-quite-as-old Fluidmaster float valve. Once in awhile -- not every day -- I hear the Fluidmaster run for a few seconds.

Is my problem likely with the flapper or its seat? Or is there some other possible cause? I don't hear or see any water running into the bowl, but maybe that's because it's too slow to notice.

Thanks for any hints on what the problem is and how to fix it.

Either the flapper valve is (post #205708, reply #1 of 4)

by DanH in reply to BuckeyeBeaver [original] on Mon, 01/30/2012 - 18:27

Either the flapper valve is leaking slowly, or the water level is set so high that water flows over the top of the overflow tube with temp changes, vibration, etc. It's also vaguely possible that the overflow tube has a leak at its base.

If the float valve were leaking the water level in the tank would keep rising.

Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed. --Herman Melville

The water level does not come (post #205708, reply #2 of 4)

by BuckeyeBeaver in reply to DanH [original] on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 13:44

The water level does not come up to the top of the overflow tube, so I don't think it's related to losing water there. The flapper is what I thought of, but I didn't think of a leak in the overflow tube. Sounds like replacing the overflow tube would solve either of those two since the flapper valve seat is part of the tube.

Thanks for the ideas. I'll study the innards of the tank some more and then probably set aside some time to take the tank apart.

Instead of all that work...... (post #205708, reply #3 of 4)

by Norman in reply to BuckeyeBeaver [original] on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 14:23

Why not just change the flapper? It might be a 5 minute task and it usually fixes the problem.

Good luck.

Yeah, changing the flapper is (post #205708, reply #4 of 4)

by DanH in reply to norman [original] on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 18:52

Yeah, changing the flapper is usually a simple task, and flappers do routinely go bad after maybe 5 years use. So I wouldn't change out the overlflow tube assembly (a royal PITA, involving disconnecting tank and bowl) unless the new flapper doesn't fix it.

(And if it turns out that the problem is that the seat has eroded or is otherwise in poor condition, FluidMaster makes a "glue on" replacement flapper that includes a new seat. These work very well.)

Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed. --Herman Melville