Toilet Tank Leakage

[Tony & Sue]

I need help with one of my toilets. The tank bolt holes are slightly naorrower than the holes in the bowl. I have tried all kinds of ways to reassemble and to seal it to no avail. Is there a way to make the holes in the bowl larger ie. drill and or file them without breaking or cracking the bowl?

[Wgoodrich]

shut the water off going to the toilet. Flush the toilet and empty the tank then get out any excess water left in the tank. Remove the bolts and lift the tank of the bowl of the toilet. You will find a rubber gasket sandwiched between the tank and bowl that you now can not see.

Go to walmart of any plumbing or hardware store and buy a tank rubber seal and new replacement bolts. Clean the surface of the tank where the seals of the bolt and the tank rubber seal seat against the tank. Set the new rubber gasket on the bowl and set the tank on the rubber gasket then install the new bolts. You should be ready for a case of the emergency I got to go to the toilet activity again. Repair cost should be less than $ 10 or so and about a 20 minute repair job. Easy DIY repair.

Let us know how you come out.

Wg

[Tony & Sue]

I have replaced all the rubber gaskets in the tank and on the bottom of the the tank. I believe the leak is from a stress on the bolt causing it to tilt at the haed inside the tank due to a misalignment of the bolt holes between the tank and the bowl. That is why I need help with widening the bowl bolt holes.

[Wgoodrich]

You do not want to widen the bolt holes or you will ruin your toilet. YOu must take the tank off and realign the tank to the bowl so that the bolts are straight. Then when you tighten them down they have to be tightened in a cycling manner to ensure even length and pressure of the bolts.

Enlarging the holes will only ruit the toilet.

Sorry

Wg