Hard to remove fill valve

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ahaddad

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Hi all,
I'm a new homeowner and I need to replace my first fill valve. I can't get the old one off! The nut at the bottom of the tank is completely stuck. I tried for two hours last night with no luck (well, I got the lower one off but the one that's in contact with the tank won't budge). Any ideas or tricks about removing it?
Thanks,
Alex
 
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hj

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Unless it is a brass fill valve with a "pot metal" nut, it should not be that tight so you may be doing something wrong. If it is really that tight, you might want to call a plumber before you crack the tank and have to buy a new complete toilet.
 

ahaddad

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Good point. Maybe I'm using the wrong tool. The thing is plastic and I was trying to get it off with a wrench. The whole assembly turns when I try to loosen it.
 

Jimbo

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You will have to hold the inside piece with your hand while applying the pliers to the underside nut. All else fails, very carefully hold a hacksaw blade inyour hand and cut the nut. On an all plastic set up, this should not be necassary. It will come loose.
 

Maddog

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I had the exact same problem removing a plastic fill valve. It would just spin around in the tank while turning the plastic nut on the bottom. I used a hack saw blade, which easily cut through the threaded part of the valve. I then carefully cut about half way through the plastic nut and was then able to pry/separate/split the nut with a thin blade screw driver. -dog
 

hj

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nut

If it is plastic, heat a screwdriver with a torch and melt a groove up the side of it, then snap it off the thread. You won't have to worry about damaging the tank or anything else doing it this way.
 

ahaddad

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It's FIXED

Thanks for all the suggestions. I couldn't get anything to work.
Then my dad came over and chiseled it off in 10 seconds!!
I HIGHLY recommend that method!:D :D :D :D
 

sheltie1

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In case anyone with metal plumbing reads this, I will let you know the answer that worked for me. I scrubbed the nut under the toilet with a wire brush and WD-40. Then I clipped a vice grips to the fill valve base inside the toilet. Once those two steps were done, I was able to unscrew the screw under the toilet for the fill valve attachment without any further trouble.
 
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