Thought I could swap a toilet fill valve in 20 minutes. It took me four hours.

The old one in the guest bath was making that constant hissing sound. I shut off the water, got my basin wrench, and figured it was a straight swap. The first problem was the old nut was totally seized. I sprayed it with penetrating oil, waited, and still had to use a lot of force. When I finally got the new valve in, the water line connection wouldn't stop dripping. I must have taken it apart and put it back together five times, changing the rubber washer each try. The last time, I saw a tiny crack in the plastic fitting on the new valve itself. Had to run back to the hardware store for a different brand. Anyone have a trick for dealing with those stubborn, corroded supply line nuts?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wren13d ago

You mentioned using a basin wrench, but those are for sink faucets. A toilet fill valve is usually just a big plastic nut you can get with channel locks.

oliver_torres413d ago

Ever try to loosen one of those plastic nuts and feel it start to crack? Channel locks can mess them up pretty fast if you're not careful. What do you use to get a good grip without breaking it?