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american standard actuator/flapper problem Tony 02-24-2007
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Posted by Tony on February 24, 2007, 9:27 am


I've got a 30-35 year old American Standard toilet that needs to have
the actuator assembly replaced. Symptom is that when I flush, the
actuator tips back beyond the point where the actuator can fall back and
enable the toilet to refill. As such, I have to jiggle the handle a
little to get that to happen. I've looked at the plumbing supply
websites and I'm "assuming" that the part I need is the "Actuator for
Old American Standard Toilets". I looked at the #4 and #5 AS actuators
and I'm guessing they are for more modern AS toilets than mine. So I'm
basing it on the age of the toilet. So before I do this, I have a couple
questions that hopefully someone could answer as this will be the first
time I've replaced an actuator:

1) How do these actuators fail...in other words, what on the actuator
causes the assembly to tip back beyond the point of resealing the toilet?

2) How easy (or hard) is it to replace the assembly? I've been on a
couple other sites and some posters reference leaking problems at the
base after replacing one of these.

3)Does the whole assembly have to be replaced or can the base of the
actuator be left on and the rest of the new actuator be fitted onto the
base of the old actuator?

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Posted by Speedy Jim on February 24, 2007, 9:55 am


Tony wrote:
> I've got a 30-35 year old American Standard toilet that needs to have
> the actuator assembly replaced. Symptom is that when I flush, the
> actuator tips back beyond the point where the actuator can fall back and
> enable the toilet to refill. As such, I have to jiggle the handle a
> little to get that to happen. I've looked at the plumbing supply
> websites and I'm "assuming" that the part I need is the "Actuator for
> Old American Standard Toilets". I looked at the #4 and #5 AS actuators
> and I'm guessing they are for more modern AS toilets than mine. So I'm
> basing it on the age of the toilet. So before I do this, I have a couple
> questions that hopefully someone could answer as this will be the first
> time I've replaced an actuator:
>
> 1) How do these actuators fail...in other words, what on the actuator
> causes the assembly to tip back beyond the point of resealing the toilet?
>
> 2) How easy (or hard) is it to replace the assembly? I've been on a
> couple other sites and some posters reference leaking problems at the
> base after replacing one of these.
>
> 3)Does the whole assembly have to be replaced or can the base of the
> actuator be left on and the rest of the new actuator be fitted onto the
> base of the old actuator?
>

You're right to be cautious.

The actuator or "rocking boat" can get unbalanced due to wear.
A quick fix if you want to try it, is to wrap a couple turns
of solder wire around the neck of the thing to add some weight.
That will put it back in balance and it won;t get stuck.

Some of the flush valves have plastic hinge points the actuator
snaps into. Use great care taking the actuator out.

One solution for actuator problems is the Fluidmaster 555C
"FlusherFixer". The whole assembly "glues" to the existing
flush valve base after the hinge pivot arms are removed.

Jim

Posted by Big_Jake on February 24, 2007, 11:47 am


> I've got a 30-35 year old American Standard toilet that needs to have
> the actuator assembly replaced. Symptom is that when I flush, the
> actuator tips back beyond the point where the actuator can fall back and
> enable the toilet to refill. As such, I have to jiggle the handle a
> little to get that to happen. I've looked at the plumbing supply
> websites and I'm "assuming" that the part I need is the "Actuator for
> Old American Standard Toilets". I looked at the #4 and #5 AS actuators
> and I'm guessing they are for more modern AS toilets than mine. So I'm
> basing it on the age of the toilet. So before I do this, I have a couple
> questions that hopefully someone could answer as this will be the first
> time I've replaced an actuator:
>
> 1) How do these actuators fail...in other words, what on the actuator
> causes the assembly to tip back beyond the point of resealing the toilet?
>
> 2) How easy (or hard) is it to replace the assembly? I've been on a
> couple other sites and some posters reference leaking problems at the
> base after replacing one of these.
>
> 3)Does the whole assembly have to be replaced or can the base of the
> actuator be left on and the rest of the new actuator be fitted onto the
> base of the old actuator?
>
> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet
News==----http://www.newsfeeds.comThe #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
120,000+ Newsgroups
> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Honestly Tony, I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but why troubleshoot
and fix a 35 year old toilet when you can pick up a nice Kohler
Wellworth at Home Depot for about $100?

JK


Posted by dreamchaser on February 24, 2007, 9:45 pm


I agree, the newer toilets save water besides. Now setting a toilet
isn't much fun I must admit. My old house had 30 year old American
Standard toilets and the rubber replacement flapper worked just fine.
One of the tricks to good flapper motion is to get the chain or
plastic wire tension just right. If it's too tight, you will pull the
flapper up too far.





Posted by mm on February 24, 2007, 11:11 pm


wrote:

>> I've got a 30-35 year old American Standard toilet that needs to have
>> the actuator assembly replaced. Symptom is that when I flush, the
>> actuator tips back beyond the point where the actuator can fall back and
>> enable the toilet to refill. As such, I have to jiggle the handle a
>> little to get that to happen. I've looked at the plumbing supply
>> websites and I'm "assuming" that the part I need is the "Actuator for
>> Old American Standard Toilets". I looked at the #4 and #5 AS actuators
>> and I'm guessing they are for more modern AS toilets than mine. So I'm
>> basing it on the age of the toilet. So before I do this, I have a couple
>> questions that hopefully someone could answer as this will be the first
>> time I've replaced an actuator:
>>
>> 1) How do these actuators fail...in other words, what on the actuator
>> causes the assembly to tip back beyond the point of resealing the toilet?
>>
>> 2) How easy (or hard) is it to replace the assembly? I've been on a
>> couple other sites and some posters reference leaking problems at the
>> base after replacing one of these.
>>
>> 3)Does the whole assembly have to be replaced or can the base of the
>> actuator be left on and the rest of the new actuator be fitted onto the
>> base of the old actuator?
>>
>
>Honestly Tony, I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but why troubleshoot
>and fix a 35 year old toilet when you can pick up a nice Kohler
>Wellworth at Home Depot for about $100?

I'm not Tony, but

A toilet he knows he's satisfied with instead of one that he might not
be.

A half hour installation time instead of 2 hours
(or 10 minutes installation time instead of an hour)

20 dollars instead of 100 dollars,
compound interest on 80 dollars for 20, 30, 40 years = 500 to 4000
dollars

An extra vacation, or never being short of money, or
not depending on your chidren or handouts from the government for
expenses when you're old, PRICELESS.



>JK


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