Flush Valve - Replacing a Flush Valve

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If you have a leak between the tank to bowl on your toilet, you may need to replace the flush valve, or the gasket on the flush valve. I show how to replace the flush valve.
You will need a large adjustable pliers or a lock nut wrench to remove the nut from under the flush valve. The lock nut wrench is available at your local hardware store. You can also use it for slip nuts on other plumbing projects.
You will need to remove the 2 or 3 nuts that holds the toilet tank to the bowl. If you have an older toilet, this is a good time to replace these bolts and washers.
There are 2 types of flush valves. The most common is a 2" valve. A new larger style was started around 2002. It is 3- 1/4" wide, measured from the inside diameter of the flush valve. This larger flush valve gives a better flush with less clogging. Look at your old model to see what you should pick up at the hardware store.
The flush valve that I show is a 2" valve with a larger flapper. It does a better job of flushing if you have a small tank or low volume toilet.

American Standard Flush Valve

If you need to change the flush valve of an American Standard Toilet, it will help to bring the part with you to the hardware store. There are at least 6 styles of flush valve or flaps. For one style, there are 3 unique shapes. For the style I am showing, there is a #4, #5 and a #6.

In many toilets, they will accept the universal flap style, but not all the American Standard.
If you have a toilet tank that is slowly leaking, causing the fill valve to turn on and refill the tank with water, you probably have to replace the toilet flap or flush valve. For the American Standard, if it has a circular rubber disc that lifts to flush the toilet, try to replace just this first. You should bring the part with you to the store to find a match; there are a couple different styles of this too. It will be connected by a screw or snap fitting.