Flapper leak - hard to fix

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Jeff, there appear to be a chlorine tablet in the toilet tank, If so I would remove it - those chlorine tables can cause premature flapper failure,plastic failure,etc. Have you tried to sand the flush valve seat ? (Where the flapper sets)- Use very very fine sand paper and sand lightly.
 
Hi IFIX. I don't believe there are any tablets in use in the problem toilet at the moment. The one in the picture is the working one. But I will keep that in mind. I didn't know those tablets were problematic.

The first time I cleaned the flapper and seal I did use a fine grade sandpaper and a fine grade brillo pad. And that helped for awhile, but just like cleaning with the scrungy sponge, it doesn't seem to last. The new flapper should arrive this week (while I'm out of town of course). So come Friday, I'll replace it and see how it does. Thanks.
 
Thankfully, the new flapper (ala the Walmart one described earlier) fixed our leaking issue. Yaye. Don't ask me why that one works better than the original or the replacement I bought at Lowes that didn't work.

The Ebay seller, who said he'd get back to me with the false advertising of "adjustable" wen it isn't, never followed up. Not a surprise.
 
Similar problem here. Have several unused (black) flappers and all leak significantly. Have assured it is the flapper. With water level set below the flapper seat, with dye, leak stops. Flapper seat is perfectly flat and uncontaminated. Replacing flapper with a metal plate with a modeling clay seal, leak stops. Will next probably try a Korky but I suspect the leak will remain.
 
I would look for a costal blue flapper or a kohler blue flapper. I have had luck with these flappers when i could not get others to work. The flush valve could have a small crack in it as well. Try the flapper first -- if problem continues replace the flush valve.
 
Similar problem here. Have several unused (black) flappers and all leak significantly. Have assured it is the flapper. With water level set below the flapper seat, with dye, leak stops. Flapper seat is perfectly flat and uncontaminated. Replacing flapper with a metal plate with a modeling clay seal, leak stops. Will next probably try a Korky but I suspect the leak will remain.

Don't forget to take an abrasive sponge to the rubber seat to clean off any residue that might be interfering. Like I mentioned earlier, if the last flapper didn't work, I would have replaced the whole affair with a totally different system, as described in an earlier message.
 
Thanks all. As an engineer this really challenged me.

Finally I replaced the flapper with a small piece of glass and was able to see the leak path clearly. The valve seat just isn't flat anymore, maybe warped from aging. I will now "hone" the seat flat and expect that to work. Don't really want to replace valve because dummy me placed the toilet partway under the sink counter. What could go wrong, right?
 
That's a nice trick putting a flat piece of glass on the flush valve opening.
I might have to try that someday. This reminds me, though a plumber hates to work on his one stuff, I have a toilet that is ghost flushing (flapper leaking). Really how hard is it for me to walk out to my service truck and get a new flapper. Maybe later ; )
 
Just an update; It's been 4 months since my positive repair of replacing the flapper with a Walmart type one. But, now it is back to leaking badly at the seal, even after cleaning both surfaces carefully. An inspection of the flapper surface shows that it is somewhat deformed from most likely our cruddy Granbury TX water. So I will probably just replace it again. Cheaper than a major fix.
 
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