1 of my 3 old Kohler K-3397 Low Profile toilets is misbehaving & I really need help!

[havasu]

Those "drop in" Scrubbing Bubbles tablets are hard on the rubber seals inside your tank.

 

[Jeff Davis]

If water is leaking from under the flapper it goes into the bowl. Its probably why your loosing water from the tank

Thanks Tom. I'm not wanting to argue but the only water that is apparently coming from the tank is seeping down from under the rim of the toilet, not the chute that the flap is on. Are you aware of that? I've said it and I even added a photo of it in my last Reply of the blue lime streak buildup that the seeping creates.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Throw those toilets in the dump and buy good toilets so that means not a kohler.

My house, that I bought new in 1993, has counters over 2 of the toilet tanks, so a low profile toilet is almost required to make it reasonable to work on anything in the tank.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Those "drop in" Scrubbing Bubbles tablets are hard on the rubber seals inside your tank.

OK. Where's the seal that needs replacing? I bet I have plenty of them & I'm a 65 year old guy that's OK with tools and retired on permanent federal disability, so I've got plenty time & not enough money to pay someone to fix something simple that I can learn to do myself

 

[havasu]

So, this is a one piece toilet, right?

 

[GReynolds929]

Thanks Tom. I'm not wanting to argue but the only water that is apparently coming from the tank is seeping down from under the rim of the toilet, not the chute that the flap is on. Are you aware of that? I've said it and I even added a photo of it in my last Reply of the blue lime streak buildup that the seeping creates.

Water does not get into the bowl unless the flapper or flush valve is leaking. Kohler are very particular about the flapper used which is why I only install factory Kohler flappers in Kohler toilets. It doesn't hurt to swap the flapper since you have so many on hand. While you have the flapper off run a finger around the lip that the flapper sits on and make sure it's smooth with no nicks or debris on it. Another test is turn off the water to the toilet and see where the water level stops. If it stops at the flapper level, it's the flapper leaking. If it stops below the flapper and empties the tank, the flush valve is leaking.

 

[havasu]

While you have the flapper off run a finger around the lip that the flapper sits on and make sure it's smooth

Best advice right here!

 

[Jeff Davis]

Best advice right here!

I've got to say that I'm smart enough to have already known to do that months ago. I've also tried using both a new Kohler brand flap and another of my many spare new Korky flaps.
I ran my Van-K Wheels Inc. for 20 years from 1985 to 2005, the nation's leading manufacturer of spun aluminum wheels for the racing go-kart industry. What I'm saying is I know how to analyze machinery and processes.
The new owner left me off the History page on www.vankwheels.com but that's their choice.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Guys, thanks for your continued help. Could somebody explain to me where the water comes from that runs down from under the rim when you flush the toilet on my model toilet, Kohler Low Profile K-3397?
Does it have anything to do with the water in the tank that the flap releases? It sure doesn't look to me like it does, but maybe I'm too stupid to be trying to fix this myself.

 

[havasu]

The problem with our members is we really have no idea with how mechanically inclined everyone is. My neighbor designed the guided missile system for Aerojet Systems, but couldn't figure what side of the screwdriver was the handle. Just sayin'

 

[havasu]

The water that goes under the rim can be found in the trapway under the flapper.

 

[Jeff Davis]

The problem with our members is we really have no idea with how mechanically inclined everyone is. My neighbor designed the guided missile system for Aerojet Systems, but couldn't figure what side of the screwdriver was the handle. Just sayin'

LOL Sounds funny but I seriously doubt that's true. Maybe come up with a better one?
Also, that's why I mentioned my Van-K Wheels Inc. history. We were a small business with only 6-8 employees. I was who fixed everything, rebuilt machinery, both manual ones & CNC, and even designed & built upgrades to machines.
The metal spinning machine that spun aluminum discs into bowl shaped wheel halves started out as an AutoSpin template tracer machine and then I converted it to CNC operated.

 

[GReynolds929]

Guys, thanks for your continued help. Could somebody explain to me where the water comes from that runs down from under the rim when you flush the toilet on my model toilet, Koehler Low Profile K-3397?
Does it have anything to do with the water in the tank that the flap releases? It sure doesn't look to me like it does, but maybe I'm too stupid to be trying to fix this myself.

The tank via the flapper.

 

[Jeff Davis]

The tank via the flapper.

Could you please explain what you're saying? It's an incomplete statement.
Thanks

 

[GReynolds929]

Sounds like you've had an exciting career, but in this case you simply don't understand how the toilet works. We see these problems every day. It's not our fault you don't understand or believe what you are being told is the problem. Factory parts for those toilets are difficult to get and often cost much more than a new toilet, which is why the common recommendation is to replace the toilet with something newer that has readily available parts. That obviously is not an option in your opinion but that is why it's recommended.

 

[GReynolds929]

Could you please explain what you're saying? It's an incomplete statement.
Thanks

When you use the flush handle, the flapper lifts up and lets water into the bowl through the rim jets and siphon jet, then the flapper closes and the tank fills, waiting for the next flush.

When water leaks out of the tank it enters the bowl via the rim and the siphon jet. That is why you're seeing the staining around the rim.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Could you please explain what you're saying? It's an incomplete statement.
Thanks

It was a complete statement you just didn’t understand it.

 

[Jeff Davis]

When you use the flush handle, the flapper lifts up and lets water into the bowl through the rim jets and siphon jet, then the flapper closes and the tank fills, waiting for the next flush.

When water leaks out of the tank it enters the bowl via the rim and the siphon jet. That is why you're seeing the staining around the rim.

Cool thanks. Now I get it. I never knew the water that the flapper lets flow did anything but rush down the molded ceramic channel into the toilet's bowl, that's why I was confused by those streaks all around under the rim.
I had experienced that if it was still leaking a little down the very front of the toilet bowl, that if I would reach in and wiggle the Korky flapper, that would seem to stop it. That confused me since I didn't know that the flap also sent the water to the rim outlets.
Now I know. Thanks.
Does the water level in the tank affect how well the flapper seals, probably because of its weight on the flap? If so, maybe I need to adjust that, although it hasn't been leaking the last 2 days quite oddly.

 

[havasu]

Some of the older toilets use an extra large, extra wide flapper for a solid fit. If you can wiggle it, I'm guessing it is not the needed extra large flapper.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Some of the older toilets use an extra large, extra wide flapper for a solid fit. If you can wiggle it, I'm guessing it is not the needed extra large flapper.

It's exactly the same as the old Kohler one. By wiggle it, I just mean that I push down on it with my fingers and thumb around the ½" tall sticking up & sort of twist it back and forth a tiny bit.