Ladies and gentlemen... I present "How To Wreck A Mansfield #35 in 10 Easy Steps".
Step #1: Find out that 1993-vintage Mansfield #35 3.5 gpf toilet runs on for about 10 minutes after flush, wasting water in process.
Step #2: Go to M*****s to pick up Mansfield parts, as they sell Mansfield toilets.
Step #3: Realize that M*****s doesn't have genuine Mansfield parts, even though they sell Mansfield toilets. Salesperson pushes a hecho-en-Mexico Fluidmaster 400A fill valve along with a store-brand copycat Mansfield-type flush valve made in China.
Step #4: Purchase parts from store for under $20.
Step #5: Have household handyman take off tank and old, leak-prone guts from tank. Bowl stays on floor.
Step #6: Household handyman finds out that instructions on package and on Fluidmaster website are for flapper-based toilets and not Mansfield toilets, leading to yelling galore.
Step #7: Household handyman gets out Sears Craftsman tools to crimp supply tube between Fluidmaster 400A and store-brand flush valve.
Step #8: Mansfield #35 is fully reassembled, and water starts running into the tank. Still, the water level isn't at the pre-new-guts level.
Step #9: Do a test flush.
Step #10: Realize that water is leaking from the tank due to some reinstallation screwup (but which one?)
Anyway, I have some questions, too:
-What was likely the (re)installation screwup?
-Is it likely that the tank--to-bowl or water supply connections were misconnected, the bolts weren't tightened strong enough, or the china was cracked? Or was there a failed seal?
-Is the toilet dead, or is it salvageable with different types of parts?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and next time, I'll go to a plumbing store (or for the smaller things, the hardware store down the street).
Step #1: Find out that 1993-vintage Mansfield #35 3.5 gpf toilet runs on for about 10 minutes after flush, wasting water in process.
Step #2: Go to M*****s to pick up Mansfield parts, as they sell Mansfield toilets.
Step #3: Realize that M*****s doesn't have genuine Mansfield parts, even though they sell Mansfield toilets. Salesperson pushes a hecho-en-Mexico Fluidmaster 400A fill valve along with a store-brand copycat Mansfield-type flush valve made in China.
Step #4: Purchase parts from store for under $20.
Step #5: Have household handyman take off tank and old, leak-prone guts from tank. Bowl stays on floor.
Step #6: Household handyman finds out that instructions on package and on Fluidmaster website are for flapper-based toilets and not Mansfield toilets, leading to yelling galore.
Step #7: Household handyman gets out Sears Craftsman tools to crimp supply tube between Fluidmaster 400A and store-brand flush valve.
Step #8: Mansfield #35 is fully reassembled, and water starts running into the tank. Still, the water level isn't at the pre-new-guts level.
Step #9: Do a test flush.
Step #10: Realize that water is leaking from the tank due to some reinstallation screwup (but which one?)
Anyway, I have some questions, too:
-What was likely the (re)installation screwup?
-Is it likely that the tank--to-bowl or water supply connections were misconnected, the bolts weren't tightened strong enough, or the china was cracked? Or was there a failed seal?
-Is the toilet dead, or is it salvageable with different types of parts?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and next time, I'll go to a plumbing store (or for the smaller things, the hardware store down the street).