When I flush the upstairs toilet the water spills out under the lid of the tank and goes all over the floor. I took the top off and it spurted upwards so I quickly put it back on. When I was at HP recently I happened to be talking to an assistant who knew all about plumbing. He told me I could easily replace the insides myself and so I bought the kit for all of $7!!!!

Now to do it!!

I am not what you would call "handy" but I am learning and I can usually follow instructions OK; however, I am quite intimidated by the toilet tank for a number of reasons. First of all even though the water is clear I have it in my head that the water is dirty; secondly, the thought of putting my hands in it is even worse - it was bad enough putting in a toilet cleaner and allowing it to drop to the bottom! Last but not least, he told me I need to turn off the water at the bottom of the toilet and then I have to let out the existing water that is in the tank. He mentioned holding down the handle until most of the water runs out and I assume he means I should do this before I take off the washer on the underside of the tank and pull out the part that needs to be replaced.

My toilet is not the kind with the ballcock but the other kind - whatever that is. I am worried about getting the bathroom flooded and in addition not being able to put the new part in properly.

However, for $7 to do it myself, I can't see calling a plumber and paying $50 for 30 minutes (or more).

HELP!

 

The water going into your toilet tank is the same water that you drink and cook with from the kitchen faucet. Of course, once it goes into the tank, you don't want to drink it because it has then mixed with tank residue, tablets, etc., but it is perfectly clean enough to work with.
I assume that you have purchased a Fluidmaster valve assembly:

These are easy to install.
1. Turn OFF the water cut-off valve to the tank, or turn off your main water valve, if there isn't one.
2. Flush the toilet, and sponge any left-over water in the bottom of the tank into the bowl. (You can always wear throw-away rubber gloves, if you insist. LOL)
3. Unscrew the supply line nut under the toilet tank, and remove the old assembly.
4. Dry the area around the hole inside the tank, and smear on a little petroleum jelly to help seal it.
5. Follow the installation instructions with the Fluidmaster. (You should be able to use the old nut that you loosened before to reassemble the supply line.)

After installation, turn the water valve back on. You should be good to go.
Good Luck!
Mike

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rlrcstrs
[B]

Yes, that's exactly what I purchased.

However, am I correct in reading that I turn off the water THEN flush the tank? Is it OK to flush when the water is turned off?

 

Certainly. The first thing to do when working on plumbing is turn off the water (unless you want a flood... lol).
That's how you empty the tank to work on its interior plumbing.
Just follow the directions with the Fluidmaster. If you need any help, just come back and ask.
Good luck!
Mike

 

I see your diagram does not have the leak sentry piece attached to the bottom of the float cup. Is this an optional piece that I do not necessarily have to instal? How do I know if I need to install it? The chain on it is supposed to attach somehow to the flusher handle.

The instructions with the unit give all kinds of instructions (complex to me) about adjusting water level, taking the top off the valve body and testing the water level with a cup over it, etc.

Do I need to do all this? Other than these questions, I am dressed for a flood (oh no!) and ready to try this.

 

You apparently got the Fluidmaster valve that also comes with a new flapper.

You don't need the flapper now, necessarily, but keep it for future use.
You adjust the water level in the tank (there should be a horizontal indentation for the proper water level in the upper tank wall) by pinching the clip on the rod beside the float-cup and sliding it up (to raise the water level) or down (to lower).
The water level should be about 1/4" or so below the top of the overflow pipe when it cuts off (at that indentation).
You need to follow all of the installation directions step-by-step, and then adjust the water level.
Just take them one at a time. If you hit one that you don't understand, just come back and ask.
This illustration has a float ball instead of a float cup, but you can see the names of pieces parts to help you:

Good Luck!
Mike

 

I just took off the tank lid and there is a big black rubber ball thing in there. Is that the ballcock? Now I am wondering I bought the right piece!

 

Yes, you bought the right (better) kind.
You will be replacing that old float ball type water valve assembly with the Fluidmaster float-cup type.
You have the installation directions, but I'm going to give you general step-by-step directions here, since you're new at this.
1. Turn OFF the water at the stop valve to the tank.
2. Flush the toilet. Sponge out any remaining water in the bottom of the tank into the bowl.
3. Unscrew the nut under the tank. That should allow you to lift out the old float ball assembly (unhook the clip from the overflow tube).
4. Dry off around the hole in the bottom of the tank, and smear a little petroleum jelly around it for a better seal. If you don't have any petroleum jelly, don't worry about it. It is supposed to seal anyway.
5. Install the new float-cup assembly as directed, and tighten the nut onto the threads of it under the tank. Clip the water tube clip to the top of the overflow tube.
6. Turn the water on, and allow it to run until it fills up the tank and cuts off. Adjust the water level as indicated before.
If you have any more questions, just ask.
Mike

 

Well, I finally got the courage to attempt this project and found the shutoff knob at the bottom of the toilet. However, I tried turning it clockwise and anti-clockwise and it won't budge! I don't have a clue where the main water shutoff switch is to the condo.

I thought it would be a simple case of turning this knob to shut off the water.

How do I get it to turn?

 

Shut-off valves tend to corrode and stick in place, making them hard to turn.
Use a pair of channel-lock pliers on the handle for leverage and close the valve clockwise.
Good Luck!
Mike

 

Hey, this is a female who is clueless about these things - LOL!

What are channel lock pliers? I think I have regular pliers in the basement.

 

I think that you're going to need more help that we can give you here...LOL.
Here's a pair of channel-lock pliers.

Good luck!
Mike

 

I wouldn't go screwing with a stuck shut off for the toilet unless I first was absolutely sure I knew where the main valve was for the house. Been there - done that - theys a lot of water that comes out of a broken valve.