overflow tube

[Yersmay]

A neighbor asked me to look at her toilet and before I start yanking I thought I'd ask some advice. There is a crack on the very bottom of the overflow tube. The crack is at the base where it is somehow attached to the main body of the flapper valve mechanism. Does this tube have threads and can I unscrew it? Is it a friction fit? I'd like a closer look but there is no visible way to detach the flapper valve mechanism (not the flapper valve itself, but the sealing gasket part of it) from the bottom of the tank. The make and model of this toilet is a mystery. It's old, though. Any ideas on how I could remove the cracked overflow tube without doing more damage? Thanks!

Paul

[master plumber mark]

fools rush in where wise men fear to tread....


if this is brass and it is leaking at the bottom of the overflow
tube you are messing with trouble....

its probably very old and will most likely snap off in your
hand when you touch it

then you got to make it right for your neighbor

and remember-----a good deed never goes unpunished....
----------------------------------------------------------

yes their are threads in the bottom of that assembly
and if it snaps off on you , then you got to somehow
chisel out the threads left down in the socket......

its done with a very find screwdriver and or sharp punch...
youi might also have to use a fine hack saw to cut the
threads out from the inside to be able to get the broken threads
out......

then you got to find that sized thread and hope you can screw
the damn thing back into it....


before you touch anything tell your neighbor that you
are not responsible for anything that is about to happen...

and she might be wise to just get a new toilet and save
everyone a Satruday afternoon of greif

But, if she is a damn good looking single neighbor,
forget everything I just said. --- go for it.

[plumber1]

Mark is right. Take it out as he says. Thin. narrow. sharp screwdriver will do it. It's not that hard to do.
I only remember two diamaters.
Some come with a different size on each end.
You can do it.

[Snowman]

and remember-----a good deed never goes unpunished....

Mark, this is great, I love it..... I thought this only happened to me. Golly, in my small business, I would try and be nice and do a little something extra for the customer and POW!! Well, you know the rest..
Thanks, Tom

[Yersmay]

Thank you all for your responses. I've always held the belief that the ability to handle repairs that literally snap off in your hand is the mark of a professional plumber -- which I am not. One thing I might add... the tube is white plastic. Does that make a difference in terms of stategy? I haven't fooled with it but it is obviously fragile and in the full expectation of having it snap off, I posted my original question. Thanks again.

[plumber1]

I assumed that the tube was brass and that it broke from a brass flush valve.
With out eyeing it my first thought is to replace the whole flush valve.......

[master plumber mark]

yes that is what is probably going to
happen to this poor guy before its all over.

and changeing out a flush assembly in a 1965
toilet is always a great way to spend a Sunday

trying to get that full tube to screw in correctly
into that fine thread is something I fondly remember
they always seem to cross thread on me

A new toilet could be the best option he could offer
his neighbor, and save them both a lot of troubles...


every good deed never goes un-punished