Old Toilet "Standard" same as American Standard? Parts?

**molo** · 09-10-2012, 09:57 PM

Hello,
Someone I know has an older toilet (3 gal flush or so) and it says "Standard" on it. Is this an American Standard toilet?

We are trying to select the correct over-flow tube and foam gasket for the bowl-tank connection. Where should I begin?

Thanks in Advance!
Bill

**wjcandee** · 09-10-2012, 10:56 PM

Yes, that's an AS toilet.

I have had great success with the Korky adjustable-height flush valve product on two of my older AS toilets. You don't have to cut the tube to the right height, the overflow riser is wider than most which can make it less likely that a spill occurs in the unlikely event that you have a runaway fill valve. It also comes with a Korky-plus flapper, a sponge gasket that worked great in my old AS toilets, and a decent set of mounting hardware, although it used a single nut setup (rubber washer under bolt head, thread bolt through tank and bowl, secure under bowl with metal washer and nut) rather than a double-nut setup (rubber washer under bolt head, thread bolt through tank, secure on outside of tank with one washer and nut, then thread bolt throgh bowl and secure under bowl with rubber washer, metal washer and nut, all in that order).

Here's the Korky product, available at Lowe's: http://korky.com/FlushValveKit4030PK.html

Korky invented the flapper in the first place, and is generally-regarded as making excellent flappers. They also make the fill valve used on many Toto toilets, and the universal replacement fill valve that Toto sells as an original-equipment part.

It also comes as model 4020PK without the sponge gasket and tank-to-bowl mounting hardware, and in the 4010PK Universal Toilet Repair Kit (for 2" flush valves, which yours has), which also includes a Korky 528 fill valve. I'd give you the link to Lowe's but their site is down at this hour. You can look around the Korky web site for instructions on the other versions, and the excellent directions.

Lowe's carrys a good selection of the Korky stuff; you can use the search term Korky on their web site to see; HD carries a much-smaller selection. Many local hardware stores, and chains like Ace, carry a decent selection of Korky stuff.

While the Korky setup worked fine for me, if I was just looking to replace the mounting hardware, I would probably go with a double-nut setup. Something like the Lasco 04-3675 may be quality-overkill, but you'll see the kind of thing that I'm talking about.

**molo** · 09-12-2012, 07:47 AM

Wow, Thank you for your detailed response! Specifically, I am having difficulty finding a foam gasket that is the right size. The first one was way too small, and the second one felt like it had compressed enough when tightening the tank/bowl nuts below the bowl. However, there is still a slight leak at this foam gasket? Not sure how I can select the proper gasket?

Thanks in Advance,
Bill

**wjcandee** · 09-12-2012, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by molo

Wow, Thank you for your detailed response! Specifically, I am having difficulty finding a foam gasket that is the right size. The first one was way too small, and the second one felt like it had compressed enough when tightening the tank/bowl nuts below the bowl. However, there is still a slight leak at this foam gasket? Not sure how I can select the proper gasket?

Thanks in Advance,
Bill

If you do an internet search on the words plumbing and wa75, it should bring up a photo of a gasket. Does that look like it would work? If so, take the photo to your local plumbing supply house and get it. Another good way is to take a photo of the toilet tank bottom and base and flush valve and bring them and ask.

**molo** · 09-12-2012, 08:17 PM

Great, Ill check out the page and try to figure it out. I found that this toilet is original to the house (circa 1945).

Thanks!

**wjcandee** · 09-12-2012, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by molo

Great, Ill check out the page and try to figure it out. I found that this toilet is original to the house (circa 1945).

Thanks!

For what it's worth, sometimes the leak around the foam gasket doesn't come from underneath (i.e. the connection from gasket to bowl) but rather from above (i.e. the connection between the shank of the flush valve and the tank). I'm sorry that it took me so long to pick that up from your post and point it out. So, whenever you undo the tank to put in your next sponge gasket, make sure that you don't actually have a leak around the flush valve. Things to check include: is the gasket between the flush valve and inside of the tank making a good seal? Is the big nut on the flush valve shank under the tank sufficiently-tight? You don't want to overtighten because you can crack the china. What it should be is finger-tight plus 1/2 turn with a wrench or channel locks. If you have carefully tightened the tank down slowly, alternating one bolt then the next, a couple of turns at each bolt, holding the tank nice and vertical and making sure that your mounting hardware is pulling down vertical, stopping tightening the moment that you have any china-to-china contact, perceiving no wobble in the tank, there shouldn't be any leakage between the sponge gasket and the base/bowl.

It's amazing how some of these old units keep going and going, isn't it? Important historical perspective on quality American manufacturing of the time, even at wartime (which that was). Stuff was built well, installed properly, and, with some maintenance, could go 67 years!

We have one that is probably close to original, tank says 1926. Very-rarely-used. Not a very good flush. (It's a washdown flush that really doesn't wash everything down.) The Wolverine Brass ballcock and tank-ball flush valve will probably outlive me. The plumber installed them at some absurd price before I was paying attention to this stuff or understood it very well.

Then we have two left from the mid-1950s. Look great. Work great (particularly since I changed out the flush and fill valves for Korky ones). Not used much.

And one from the '70s, also still going. Less-sturdy, but looks good since I jazzed it up with a quality trip lever. Runs well since I changed out its innards with the Korky kit.

We replaced one bedroom toilet years ago with an early low-flow, which was so awful that we had no interest in replacing any others. When I finally started thinking about replacing the horrible low-flow, I found this site and lurked for a while. About a year later, I finally decided to go ahead with the replacement, chose Toto, and have been evangelizing its merits ever since. So we now have 3 Totos in the most-used places, all of which work splendidly and save water. I put them in right, so I have no doubt they'll probably be here as long as the house lasts.

**molo** · 09-12-2012, 10:09 PM

wjcandee,
I am enjoying your perspective on toilet repair and selection. I too am leaning toward some Toto toilets, but until that time comes will not replace a quality working toilet for a new piece of junk complete with it's built-in obsolescence.

On the repair front, I had considered the flush valve/tank gasket a potential source as well. I replaced the flush valve with a standard kit, and perhaps I should explore the Korky products, or at least remove the tank and inspect for leaks.

Thanks again!
Bill

**Terry** · 09-12-2012, 10:28 PM

Can you post a picture of the inside of the tank here? 800 pixels or less.

**molo** · 09-12-2012, 10:54 PM

Yes Sir,
Thanks for your interest Terry! I will do my best to get a photo within a couple of days.

Bill

**nestork** · 09-13-2012, 06:24 PM

When setting the height of the overflow spout on your flush valve, be sure to have it above the water line in your toilet tank but below the hole for the trip lever. That way, if the fill valve doesn't close completely, the excess water will run down the overflow spout instead of leaking past the trip lever and onto your bathroom floor.

**molo** · 09-13-2012, 07:08 PM

Here is a picture of the toilet and one of inside the tank. Again, the leak developed when I installed a new overflow tube/flapper assembly and foam tank/bowl gasket. There is a good chance these are not the correct parts. Also, the duct tape at the top right of the tank is because the fill valve sprays upward out of the top. Toilet in need of help!

Thanks!

Bill

**molo** · 10-29-2012, 07:43 PM

Update: Success! After a long search I found the correct size tank/bowl gasket. The company that was very helpful is called "The Answer Line" . The person was very helpful and explained that they have developed parts lists for many old toilets and have the parts on hand. Their website is www.theanswerline.com

Thanks to those who gave advice!