Kohler Rialto 3386

[leelee77]

The fill valve on my 12 yr old Kohler Rialto has developed a leak and runs continuously. Looking up replacement, I found they want you to replace the whole works with a conversion kit which looks to be about $90. In the course of reading about it, I noticed one person didn't recommend fixing it because they said there are metal parts inside the toilet which start to rust at this point and you might as well replace the toilet.

I'm wondering if there is truth to this because I have started having rust stains where the water fills the bowl? Is this a thing that happens to toilets?

This toilet was a big disappointment, it flushes pretty badly, but it's very small and fits in my small bathroom. It looks like I could get a replacement fill valve of the old style online for about $80 (yikes), or the conversion kit for $90 but does it make sense to put that much money into fixing it at this point? Should I just go for a new toilet? Toto Entrada is $218 at Lowes.

https://terrylove.biz/toilets/98-toto-cst243ef-entrada-toilet.html

Am I going to spend $80 or $90 and then find I need to replace the toilet anyway? What would you do?

 

[Reach4]

This toilet was a big disappointment, it flushes pretty badly

I think this is your answer.

but it's very small and fits in my small bathroom

Which dimension are you trying to make smaller? Distance from wall for the front? I expect so.

Looking for round or elongated?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

The Entrada, which I sell in the Seattle area will smoke what you have.
About seven locations for will call.

Does your Rialto look like this one?
https://terrylove.com/forums/index....one-piece-toilet-comments-and-pictures.42271/

 

[leelee77]

Yes, distance from wall. I like rounded.

 

[leelee77]

Yes, Terry, that's it.

I'm over on the other side of the sound.

 

[Terry]

I have will call in Puyallup.
That model Kohler is a bear to work with. They do look nice.

 

[leelee77]

Yes, it's pretty. I sure didn't expect it to be so short lived. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[Jadnashua]

Kohler has this NIH chip on their shoulder (not invented here). They're constantly trying to push the envelope. That, by itself, isn't necessarily bad...inventions fuel the world. But, IMHO, they don't test them all that well before they foist them on the public. Sometimes you get a cutting edge product, sometimes, you get a dog.

 

[hj]

A Coast 12B-1-X will replace the fill valve. You cut the existing plastic hose that goes into the front of the tank and insert the Coast's hose into it. Then adjust the rim flush valve to give an adequate flush.

 

[leelee77]

I have will call in Puyallup.

Darn, I wish I was closer to Puyallup, that is a great price and I would rather buy it from you.

A Coast 12B-1-X will replace the fill valve. You cut the existing plastic hose that goes into the front of the tank and insert the Coast's hose into it. Then adjust the rim flush valve to give an adequate flush.

Thanks for the tip, AJ. I checked the local hardware store and what they had was a generic Fluidmaster 400A, I picked that up on the off chance it would work and was able to get it working for now. The hole for the fill valve is so tight to the corner of the tank I wasn't sure it would work but it seems to be ok. The flush handle hits it slightly but hopefully that doesn't matter. But my model did not have any tube that attached to anything so I'm not sure what to do with the tube? My original looked like this, as you can see it's offset and no tube:

The Fluidmaster and the one you recommended above have tubes. As of now I just have it filling into the tank.

 

[Jadnashua]

If your toilet flushes okay, you could leave it that way. On most toilets, they require that hose go to the tower that can then fill the bowl. A toilet does not generally flush well unless the bowl is full. You do not want to leave that hose sitting inside the water of the tank...it needs to be clipped above the water level or it can siphon.

 

[leelee77]

Thanks!

 

[Robert Snow]

We had three 3.5 gallon flush Rialto toilets. They never flushed well, no matter what I tried. Replaced them with Toto Willingham and never looked back.

 

[WJcandee]

Smart man!