Leak from cystern to pan

[Motleyboy]

When i flush the loo,i have a leak coming from the underneath of the cystern where the pipe to the pan starts off.I'm guessing that maybe a washer has broken or something like that as no matter how tight i screw the fitting nothing stops it from pouring out.I now have a bucket behind my toilet just to catch the water.The leak is coming from underneath the cystern and not at the joint where the pan is.Can i do the job myself by tying up the ball cock and taking out the pipe and getting a new liquid tight fitting from say B+Q?Is this a simple job for a novice like myself?

[sime10]

I take it its close coupled ? if so you need to take the cistern off and replace the foam or rubber washer.
Easier said than done with rusted bolts

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[Motleyboy]

Can i not leave the cystern on and take the top off?Then work on it from the bottom.Yeah i think its what you would call close coupled,there is a circular bit with a hand tight grip on it then something red and then a white plastic nut that attaches to the underneath of the cystern.Is that right?

[sime10]

No hang on.

Is your flush tank on top of the pan or have you got a pipe between the two?

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[sime10]

what have I done answering this

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[Motleyboy]

Ah sorry.Yes there is a pipe between the cystern and the pan and the leak is at the cystern end.Sorry about the confusion.

[sime10]

I am confused The cistern (flush tank) is above the sitting down type thingy yes?
You get a leak when flushed, not at any other time?

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[Motleyboy]

Yep the cystern is stuck to the wall and is seperate to the toilet pan which is below and a little away from the wall.There is one pipe coming from the cystern to the pan.This enters the pan at the top but at the back of it.I have just double checked and it is not leaking and bone dry,now i have just flushed it and water is sliding down the pipe from the fitting in the underneath of the cystern(which is plastic) and dripping onto the floor below where there is a slight bend.It only leaks when you actually flush the loo and its dry every other time.The bit where the pipe enters the pan is dry so the leak is from the cystern eveytime i flush it.Don't know why but this is the best way to describe it to you.

[sime10]

From here in my living room I may be able to help

That nut that you say was hand tight, Tighten it more than hand tight with a tool like a pair of grips not too much as too slip the thread but tighten it.
It maybe it is a little loose and when you push the flush handle down, It may lift the syphon.

(your toilet is low level not close coupled)

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[Motleyboy]

Ah hope you have moved onto this problem now sime10.I have tried to tighten the hand tightening piece until it will not go anymore and still it leaks ONLY when flushed,all other times the water does not seem to come out of the cystern.The pipe is moveable by hand either back up to the cystern or more to the pan where the kind of rubber doughnut fitting is,more movement in either direction sometimes stems the flow a bit but in other directions it will just pour out worse than before.The cystern is well secured at the top but comes away from the wall just a little at the bottom and i dont think this makes a difference to the leak.Do you think that i should just go to B+Q on sat and ask for the complete fitting for the bottom of the cystern and then fit it and see if that works?The leak doesnt really bother me that much but we are selling the house next year and i cant leave it like this with a takeaway tray stuck behind the toilet,that would not go down too well with the next occupiers.Hope you can help again like before.Any other advice from other people out there would be gratefully received.

[Tom JE]

Try your first idea, tie up the ball cock to stop more water entering the cistern. Loosen the nut holding the pipe to the underside of the cistern and slide it out slowly, keep the bucket handy to drain any remaining water.
Inspect the threads on the fitting and on the nut. Its quite easy to cross thread these as they are plastic. There should also be a washer on the pipe, check that also. You may have a tapered washer, make sure its the roght way around, ie the narrow end goes into the fitting. For the sake of a few pence id replace the washer regardless and probably replace the nut and fitting while you are at it. Reassembly is the reverse of fitting.
Hope that helps

[Motleyboy]

Hey Tom any comments are help to a novice like me.Changing the whole fitting was my first thought,its just that i needed a bit of encouragement and mainly confidence to do the job myself.Can i buy the whole thing at B+Q if i ask one of them helpers,or do i have to buy the washer and stuff seperate?

[Tom JE]

Its not a big job mate but i know what you mean about having confidence! So long as the water has been isolated then there is no pressure on you and you can take your time. You should be able to buy the whole fitting from B&Q, i havent been in there for a while but i'm sure they would stock it. I know you can buy the whole kit in there (ball valve, flush pipe and fitting etc).