Toilet leaking underneath

[akiceman]

I purchased an American Standard Champion toilet a couple of months ago and about 2 weeks ago I noticed water coming out from under the toilet base. I checked all the bolts for the tank and checked to make sure there wasn't a cracked tank leaking water down on the base....nothing leaking that I could find. So the only conclusion I could think of is the wax ring. I removed the toilet and put a silicone extra deep ring on and after I finished I felt that I had solved the problem....NOPE! A couple of days later there is water coming out again! Ok so I tell myself I will do it again only this time I will put an extra thick way ring on. I did and paid very close attention to how I put the toilet down on the ring so I would be sure that I did it correctly....got done and was pretty happy with myself...again...but only 5 hours later I once again have water coming out from under the damn thing! It's important to note here that when I clean the water up with a paper towel or toilet paper the water I soak up is clean not dirty! Could the leak be from a crack in the base that I can't see? Has anyone run into this before? HELP!

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Yes, there could be a crack in the base. Do you notice the level of water going down in the bowl when this happens? Does the tank empty and refill mysteriously when not being flushed? Are you sure it is coming out of the base of the toilet and not leaking from the supply side and running that way? Did you inspect the flange for defects?

 

[havasu]

Also look for common leaks from the gasket between the tank and the bowl.

 

[Jeff Handy]

There are so many places that clean water can appear around a toilet.
Besides the good suggestions listed above, water can also drip from the base of the fill valve connection.
Or from either end of the flex supply hose.
Or from the packing nut or stem of the shutoff valve.
Sometimes the fill valve is defective, and a little stream of water will spray out of the top, up towards the tank lid.
Then it can run out from the tank lid overhang, onto the floor.

 

[breplum]

On brand new china, I've had my share of hairline cracks on both tanks and bowls on the underside.
On a tank sometimes using colored dye will reveal the hairline, but you have to check with circumspection.
On bowl, have to pull the unit, put it on a support (mud buckets or sawhorses), and flush test to reveal those cracks.
Plumber's nightmare but had many over the years and ALL were real.

On the other hand, 99% of the time water was coming from a source that revealed itself with bright flashlight and observation w/o removing the fixture.

 

[Jeff Handy]

This is probably dumb and obvious, but many toilets are located very close to a shower or bathtub.

So water on the floor right there could be from getting past the curtain or shower doors.

Just covering all the bases.

 

[skeezix]

Years ago one of my toilets developed a leak. The rug next to its base was damp, so I pulled the toilet and resealed it. The next day... the same thing.
Turned out to be my water heater. It's outside in its own little closet, and shared a wall with the toilet. Replaced the heater... no more leak.
Just sayin'... you might check your particular situation.