OLD THREAD: Dribbling loo - how to get at the cistern

Eldi_Dos

Never actually seen one of these so forgive if this is daft question.

Does the panel with instructions on it unclip and hinge up and give room for parts to go in horizontally then rotated into fixing position.

knightstyle

Ihave had a similar toilet leaking water into the pan from time to time for a few months and tried to fix it but it kept coming back.
In the end I bought a new, customer return, cistern from Ebay and fitted it. Easy job, no special tools just screwdrivers and pipe pliers.
Cost £16 for the cistern.

JohnB47

Eldi_Dos said:

Never actually seen one of these so forgive if this is daft question.

Does the panel with instructions on it unclip and hinge up and give room for parts to go in horizontally then rotated into fixing position.

That little panel just unclips and can be totally removed. See one of my pictures. Not sure if it can be rotated - it's better off altogether.

I've now found the details of the cistern, left by the installer. It's a Geberit Montage. It has a lid but this is held on by two screws accessed from above. So the worktop needs to come off to get that off.

My plan is to lift the worktop up, complete with basin and wedge it just high enough to let me remove the cistern lid and remove the top half of the flush unit. Hopefully the seal just needs cleaned. I'll then see if there's a way to remove the flush mechanism with the cistern lid and worktop in place. Maybe there's a certain knack to getting it up and out through the gap left by removing the label cover. If not, why that cover there?

JohnB47

Decided to order a seal before proceeding. I've been reading about 'old' design seals failing. I'll check in again when it arrives.

NSG666

You don't need to remove the work-top. Order both a flush valve seal and an inlet valve seal or get one from your local plumber's merchants. They are a doddle to fit and you don't need to remove the work-top. Release the flush valve from it's basket as per the instructions and it will lift far enough for you to turn it horizontal to get it out. If you cannot do it then get a plumber in as removing things you don't need to could end in tears.

JohnB47

NSG666 said:

You don't need to remove the work-top. Order both a flush valve seal and an inlet valve seal or get one from your local plumber's merchants. They are a doddle to fit and you don't need to remove the work-top. Release the flush valve from it's basket as per the instructions and it will lift far enough for you to turn it horizontal to get it out. If you cannot do it then get a plumber in as removing things you don't need to could end in tears.

Thanks. I have been trying to get the top part of the flush valve out through that access hole. It seems logical that it should come out but no matter how I lift and twist and tilt, it just hits the cistern cover and I can't fully release it at the bottom. I'm planning to play with it when I have full access from the top to see what the technique is. That may be wasted though because I may never have to do this again!

Maybe, when the seal I've ordered arrives, I'll have another go before lifting the worktop.

NSG666

Definitely a technique problem. Geberit (and others) do cisterns where you can only access them by removing the flush plate which is only just bigger than a letter box and you can replace parts quite easily. Be careful not to snap the little spigot that the pneumatic valve pipe connects to.

JohnB47

Ta. Ok I'll keep an eye out for that.

JohnB47

Well, I had hoped to finish this off last Wednesday but I hurt my back, just as I started the job.

An old problem of mine. Every few years (last time was 2018) I bend and twist in a certain way, nothing too strenuous, and I get a severe stabbing pain in my lower back, to one side. Some sort of spasm that effects the spinal nerve. Very very sore and puts me in bed for at least three days. I wish there was some sort of warning but it just happens out of the blue.

Anyway, I've bought one of these seals and despite the image shown, the seal is perfectly flat on both sides. Would that matter?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225106042708

The add quotes the same part number as on my cistern label: 816.418.00.1

NSG666

JohnB47 said:

Well, I had hoped to finish this off last Wednesday but I hurt my back, just as I started the job.

An old problem of mine. Every few years (last time was 2018) I bend and twist in a certain way, nothing too strenuous, and I get a severe stabbing pain in my lower back, to one side. Some sort of spasm that effects the spinal nerve. Very very sore and puts me in bed for at least three days. I wish there was some sort of warning but it just happens out of the blue.

Anyway, I've bought one of these seals and despite the image shown, the seal is perfectly flat on both sides. Would that matter?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225106042708

The add quotes the same part number as on my cistern label: 816.418.00.1

That's the correct part and it doesn't matter which way round you fit it.