New Toilet Leaking

I just installed a new toilet and I can't get it to stop leaking. It only leaks when I flush, but I can't pinpoint where?? I'm assuming it coming from the washer between the tank and bowl, I can't tighten the bolt down anymore for risk of cracking either the tank or bowl. Has anybody had this issue before? I've installed dozens of toilets and have never ran into this.

If its the tank bolts leaking, that is why I use an extra set of rubber washer / metal washer / nut on the outside of the tank. Seals that sucker up good and then you don't have to worry so much about over tightening the tank to bowl nut / bolt.

pzljz2 said:

It only leaks when I flush

Click to expand...

Don't flush.

Seriously, you could put some food coloring in the tank, which might aid in spotting the leak. If you're sure it's leaking around the tank/bowl gasket, take them apart and check for roughness in either part, a pinched gasket, etc., and reseat the tank on the bowl. Tighten evenly and carefully to bring the tank down parallel to the bowl.

If you're not sure -- i.e., positive -- where the water is coming from, that's your first job. No point in fussing with the gasket if there's a crack in the bowl unit somewhere allowing the leak during the flush. The water is not coming out from under the toilet, though, right?

If it is only leaking when you flush, it's likely the bowl gasket is not seated. If the leak was around the bolts or from a cracked tank it would leak all of the time. I'd pull the tank off, inspect and probably replace the bowl gasket.

I had a new Eljer corner unit that did the same thing, leaked everythime I flushed. After resetting it 6 times (This is not rocket science) I got really suspicious. It turned out that the porcelain was cracked along the casting where the siphon jet forces water toward the back of the drain, but it was higher than the water level in the bowl at rest. So every time it was pressurized it leaked out under the bowl. Very frustrating.