Water supply to toilet

Last night, the guest toilet suddenly began filling up very slowly afer flushing. I flushed out the toilet valve inside the tank and checked the seals, all seems good. What is strange, though, is when I turn off the water supply and then turn it back on, the water comes rushing into the tank like normal. When I flush again, though, it goes back to barely trickling in unless I turn off and on the water supply again. I actually only need to have it a quarter turn opened to fill it up, which is convenient because that's where I leave it. If I need to flush twice, close together, I only would have to reach to the water supply and give it a quick twist off and back on. Otherwise, it trickles so slowly it would probably take at least an hour to fill the tank. It seems more like the water supply than the flushing system inside the toilet, which is why I posted it here instead of the toilet forum. Could simply replacing the line be all I need, or am I looking at a more serious repair involving the valve or even the pipes? Thanks in advance for all replies!

Remove the supply line to the toilet and see what the flow is at that point. You will need a small bucket.

The shutoff at the wall should be at full open for a toilet. If you feel that the fill valve is too noisy, get a quiet valve, but leave the wall shutoff open.

I think you have a bit of crap in the fill valve somewhere.

Could you have the floodsafe water supply?

The water flow is fine, and the tank does fill up decently, but only after the water has been turned off and back on. I was leaving it only partially open because I must turn the water off and back on in order for the flow to come full force. I never intended to imply that the fill valve was noisy at all, just that it won't fill up the toilet unless I turn the water off, then back on again. As far the crap in the fill valve, I removed the cap and opened the water supply to flush it out, as is indicated in the literature that accompanies the fill valve, and the water runs clean. I also checked the seal as well. Do you think I need to replace the fill valve? I also don't know what "the floodsafe water supply" is.

What type of water line connects from the stop valve to the fill valve aka ballcock?

About an eight inch flexible stainless line. About nine years old...all but the last two without a water softener in an area with very hard water. Just in case that could be a factor.

Disconnect the supply hose to the fill valve, direct it to a bucket, turn the supply back on and check how the water flows...it may not be in the toilet at all.

You have a failing Fluidmaster 400A. Either replace the entire valve, or the top cap if you can find a replacement unit.

It's actually a Hydroclean HC660, if that matters at all. Again, I flushed out the fill valve by removing the top cap and running water through it. But I guess since that didn't work, it must be the part of the fill valve that shuts off the water supply once the float reaches the proper spot. When the float drops, the water does not start flowing again, unless I shut the water off and turn it back on again.

Maybe this will help...
http://www.gomjsi.com/products/faqs/hydroclean_hc660

The valve is a Fluidmaster "knockoff", but it is still defective, since that brand does not sell replacement parts so you have to replace the valve.

To me this still sounds like you have a Floodsafe supply line, as has already been suggested on this thread by several people. It would be pretty simple and cost-effective to just replace the supply line.

If you want more info, do a search on "floodsafe" on this site and you will see why this could be the culprit.

A Floodsafe should ONLY reset by disconnecting it from the valve to reduce the pressure, and then turning the valve back on slowly.

hj said:

A Floodsafe should ONLY reset by disconnecting it from the valve to reduce the pressure, and then turning the valve back on slowly.

Click to expand...

True.

Could be that he has a defective ballcock AND a bad supply line.

Anyway, if it were me, guess what - I'd replace 'em both and be done with it. $15 later you have a working toilet.