Special dye to detect toilet leak?

[rosharch]

Hi all,

I bought some food dye to perform the toilet cistern test to see if water is leaking into the bowl but I've come across a handful of articles like this https://www.kingscotechemicals.com/diy-dye-leak-test-for-toilets/#:~:text=Dye%20leak%20tests%20for%2....

That basically say either the test doesn't work or special dye is required. I've searched Bunnings for this dye online and come up with nothing.

Anyone more knowledgeable able to advise me?

Community manager's note: Check out How to fix a leaking toilet for expert advice. 

[rosharch]

Update: another all round "flush" of all the taps and suddenly the cold water isn't just running properly in the shower...it's stronger than ever.

Another problem solved on The Bunnings Workshop forum. Thank you @MitchellMc for that tip! More $ saved.

Now I just need to order and install the new Caroma Flushpipe Reducing Rubber with the special orders people

[EricL]

Hello @rosharch

Just in case the same thing happens again, I suggest having a look at the diagram I posted below so that you'll have an idea of the part you'll need to replace. But it's good to hear that your shower is working again.

Eric

[rosharch]

Sorry! It's one thing after another 

I've noticed a leak here and I'm thinking this will be another special order?

 

 

[MitchellMc]

This is around about the time I'd be suggesting that you might want to consider swapping out the cistern, @rosharch. If it weren't for the success you've already had, it would certainly be an option. Even a budget-friendly close couple suite wouldn't be too expensive.

Don't get discouraged, we'll get through this! The same thing happens to me. I'll fix one leak and in the process discover that something else becomes an issue. It's nothing to do with you, and poor installation is to blame in this instance. Also, often when replacing aged washers, you'll figure out that all of them are at the stage of needing replacement.

It looks like that joint is under stress as the solid pipe wasn't bent and contoured enough to enter it straight on. It likely was only just sealing, and with your other repairs, you've moved the cistern enough to cause it to fail. Or, the sealing olive inside has failed, but I find the former option more plausible.

The simplest solution would be to replace the solid pipe with a flexible water connection. There are a few different sizes to select from, so make sure to take a measurement between the fittings and then pick a connector longer than that length. A plumber simply needs to remove the solid section by undoing the two joints and screwing the flexible connection into position.

Before you go about replacing anything, try tightening the white nut at the top. If it's already tight, don't over-tighten it, as you risk snapping off the threaded section of your inlet valve. Since the water is coming out of the threaded section, it indicates the plastic olive inside is not sealing correctly. However, it does appear to be sealing the chrome tube side. Removing the white nut and applying some thread tape on the grey threaded section could solve this issue.

In case you're interested in why this is occurring, check out the rendering I put together for you below. A nylon olive is slipped over the chrome pipe. When the white nut is done up it compresses the olive into seats on the nut and threaded pipe sealing them. The tweaked pipe induces a more significant gap on one side of the olive, and typically tightening the fitting won't resolve the leak as that gap can't be reduced. This is why it's essential for pipes that use an olive for sealing to approach the joint perpendicular to it. In your case, the water is finding its most accessible exit, which is working its way up through the threads, hence why I suggested the thread tape might work.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[rosharch]

Thank you for the detailed post @MitchellMc , really helped give me all the info I needed to feel confident tackling it...I was all set with my thread tape too and then I decided to turn down the cold water mains outside a smidge (I'd turned it on full ball when the shower hadn't worked) and...turning it down seems to have stopped the leak. The shower still runs well.

I'm now a little hesitant with fitting the flushpipe reducing rubber, but now that I know how delicate the situation is, I'll try to take extra care not to move the cistern too much.

We're definitely due a new cistern, but I'm hoping to hold off until we can redo the entire bathroom and get it all done in one go.

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @rosharch,

The reason that fitting below the cistern where the rigid metal pipe enters the plastic faucet coupling is because it is poorly aligned.

I wouldn't have thought you could make a joint like that that wouldn't spray water everywhere.

It does however need a flexible hose length between the valve and the cistern.

[rosharch]

Yeah, even as a layman it's surprising to me it's lasted the 7 years I've lived here.

In any case, it seems resolved!  We'll see how the last little bit of work goes and if that brings the issue back 

[rosharch]

Hi Mitchell,

I know this is an old old thread (pun not intended) but the toilet stopped leaking seemingly on its own but over the last couple of months has started again. Weirdly it only leaks at night once we shower or first thing in the morning, filling up about half a plastic takeaway container worth of water.

Looking at the white nut, it looks pretty crushed, like someone previously overtightened it but also somehow compressed it? Maybe using a wrench?

I'm going to loosen it today and apply some tape as you suggested, but I thought I'd check and see if you or anyone has any idea why the water is leaking at those times and if that gives any sort of indication of the root of the problem.

Cheers!

[MitchellMc]

I can't think of any reasons why those actions would cause the toilet to leak, @rosharch.  

Let us know how you go.

Mitchell

[rosharch]

Hi Mitchell,

Thanks for the encouragement, so far it seems to have worked like a charm.You can see the angle the rigid metal pipe's on pretty clearly once the white nut is removed.

Night 1 down and no further leaks, I'll keep monitoring for the next week or so.

One thing I'm wondering about it, is that every time I turn off the toilet tap, turning it back on always results in leaking from the tap itself. It takes me a good five minutes of testing different points in the radius to turn the tap to before I find a sweet spot for the water to stop leaking. Each time the "sweet spot" is

totally different.slight bendleaks until sweet spot is found