Need help replacing flapper on old toilet

4218 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Rav, Jan 15, 2013

Rav

Discussion Starter · Jan 15, 2013

I have an old (1930 era) toilet. There are no markings ANYwhere on the toilet (at the seat hinge, behind the bowl, inside the tank -- I've checked) to indicate the manufacturer or model. See 3 pics below.

I need to replace the leaking flapper, but the one that's on there is different than the usual ones. It doesn't hook onto the overflow tube, either with "ears" or with a ring. It's hinged on the opposite side from the overflow tube. How do I remove the flapper? Does the orange rubber disc just pop out if I push on that little orange "nub" that's poking through the black plastic? I don't want to just push on it without being sure I won't break the plastic assembly it's connected to. I do not want to have to remove the overflow tube, or disconnect the tank. Thanks for any help.

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joecaption

· #2 · Jan 15, 2013

Should just pop off right where it hindges.

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Rav

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 15, 2013

joecaption said:
Should just pop off right where it hindges.

Thanks, Joe. Do you mean the orange disc, or the black plastic assembly the disc is attached to? If the latter, I couldn't see down there well enough to see how it would pop off. I did try pulling at it a little but it wouldn't budge, and I didn't want to break it by yanking too hard. Can you point me to somewhere on the web which describes this type of flapper assembly and how it installs? I couldn't find one that looks like it. Thanks.

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jeffnc

· #4 · Jan 15, 2013 (Edited)

Rav said:
Thanks, Joe. Do you mean the orange disc, or the black plastic assembly the disc is attached to? If the latter, I couldn't see down there well enough to see how it would pop off. I did try pulling at it a little but it wouldn't budge, and I didn't want to break it by yanking too hard. Can you point me to somewhere on the web which describes this type of flapper assembly and how it installs? I couldn't find one that looks like it.

He's talking about the black plastic assembly. I don't think they make those any more. It's hard to see but I think a plain one will work well. See this pic

http://www.korky.com/PDF/54BP.pdf

A plain one should work

http://www.korky.com/Flapper54BP.html

$4 part, 5 minute fix. Unless it doesn't work, of course

There are 50 bajillion flapper designs. Yours has a little water container with holes at the bottom. It keeps the flapper up until the water drains out, then it falls back down. You don't need it though.

By the way, the little black tube going into the big black tube appears to be installed incorrectly. The little tube is called the refill tube, and the big tube is called the overflow tube. The refill tube looks kinked at the lip of the overflow tube. Is water flowing through there quickly when the tank is refilling? It's supposed to look like this

http://www.gomjsi.com/uploads/img/HWK230/8.jpg

So you might want to pick up a refill tube with clip while you're out.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...eyword=refill+tube&storeId=10051#.UPWdJPJCN8E

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Rav

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 15, 2013

jeffnc said:
<First part snipped>
By the way, the little black tube going into the big black tube appears to be installed incorrectly. The little tube is called the refill tube, and the big tube is called the overflow tube. The refill tube looks kinked at the lip of the overflow tube. Is water flowing through there quickly when the tank is refilling? It's supposed to look like this

http://www.gomjsi.com/uploads/img/HWK230/8.jpg

So you might want to pick up a refill tube with clip while you're out.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...eyword=refill+tube&storeId=10051#.UPWdJPJCN8E

Wow, good eye! Although it still fills quickly, it IS kinked, and the tube seems dry-rotted. So I will pick up a new one. Thanks.

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jeffnc

· #6 · Jan 15, 2013 (Edited)

Rav said:
Wow, good eye! Although it still fills quickly, it IS kinked, and the tube seems dry-rotted. So I will pick up a new one. Thanks.

What still fills quickly, the tank or the bowl? The refill tube fills the bowl. If the bowl is getting filled without the refill tube working, then it's probably because the flapper is leaking (as you said) or because the flapper isn't closing soon enough. This is an older toilet so it's probably putting too much water down from the tank. This can be adjusted, but if you're happy with it, then fine.

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gusherb94

· #7 · Jan 15, 2013

What you have on there now is a Fluidmaster "flusher fixer" kit. that whole plastic assembly was part of the kit, and is only secured to the flush valve seat with some kind of putty. You can remove the entire thing, get a Korky flapper and don't cut the ring off where the ears are, slide that ring down around the overflow tube. The flush valve is positioned a little odd but I think that should work. If not you can purchase another one of those "flusher fixer" kits and install that, not sure how that plastic seat has stayed put on the brass flush valve with just that putty they give you.

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Rav

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 15, 2013

Resolution: I replaced the flapper and the plastic assembly it attaches to with the EXACT same part (from the Fluidmaster 555C flusher fixer kit; I didn't need to replace the valve seal or re-putty the plastic seat). I also replaced the kinked and dry rotted refill tube.

jeffnc: To answer your question, both the bowl and tank filled quickly, even with the kinked refill tube. But there's a new one on there now.

gusherb94: You sent your response just as I was typing this! Thanks; you've re-verified that I used the correct part.

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jeffnc

· #9 · Jan 15, 2013 (Edited)

Yeah looks like you're right gusher. Obviously I was wrong that they don't make them anymore - I was thinking Korky instead of Fluidmaster. This one should work if you don't want the Flusher Fixer style - this one slips down over the overflow tube.

http://www.korky.com/Flapper50BP.html

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Rav

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 15, 2013

To clarify to avoid confusion: I replaced the flapper and plastic arms and "timing cup" that snap on to the plastic seat. I did not remove or replace the old plastic seat itself or the putty that holds it onto the drain seat. If at some point I think the old plastic seat and putty are leaking, I still have those new parts from the flusher fixer kit to be able to fix that. I wanted to start by just replacing the flapper so that I didn't have to do more than was necessary.

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Need help replacing flapper on old toilet

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