So I have a toilet (American Standard One-Piece 2149) with a flush value that is almost, but not quite, identical to this one. My "can" is one piece, including the top of the can, and the metal ring is a separate piece. The can screws into the ring with 3 screws, and then of course the ring screws into the tank with 3 more (I can post a picture if anyone is interested).
Anyway, the thing is leaking a little. I am looking for a fix that will be dependable and economical. I tried just flipping the gasket, and that helped, but it is still seeping. I have found the leather washer for sale online, but it looks like it might cost at least $10 (or more) including shipping. That seemed like a lot considering I don't even know for sure if that will fix it. For all I know, the ring at the bottom could be leaking or something like that. At that rate it seems like maybe I should just bump up to the flush tip #4 kit, but it looks like that will cost about $50 including shipping. At that rate, would it be better to just install a new, more efficient toilet, or is this old-style one worth keeping around? I'm just trying to decide if it is worth investing money into this old toilet.
Thanks in advance for any advice! By the way, I have taken this valve to 3 hardware stores and 2 plumbing supply wholesalers, and no one has ever seen anything like it. So kudos to the posters on this thread just for knowing what the heck it is.