Hi, guys.

I'm hoping someone can help. I took my bathroom sink apart to clean out the p trap, because water was draining slow. I wound up taking the drain out, too. The thing is that the drain body is clearly crooked. It isn't the drain body itself, but the bottom of the sink is crooked, so when I screw the drain body in, its not completely vertical like it should be, which makes putting the p trap back in kind of difficult. I've got leaks. I've got a new 1 1/4 metal drain, a new
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 plastic slip joint p trap going to a 1 1/2 brass (I think) pipe with male threads on the brass pipe. Things aren't lining up and I've got leaks. It is almost as if the china/porcelain sink (drain part) has melted, if you can imagine that. I know china doesn't melt, but how can it be mis-shapened? I've got a leak at the drain body and flange connection and also where the female threaded plastic with connected slip joint attaches to male thread brass. I've tried the slip joint without anything, as I was first told. Leaks. I've tried the slip joint with pipe tape. Leaks. The last thing I was told was to use pipe joint compound where the p trap connects to the brass. Any opinions? Has anyone ever seen a crooked sink drain?

Robyn

Some lavatory basin drains are not perfectly molded but when the rubber gasket is installed against the drain opening and tightened down good and tight, it shouldn't leak.

If any of the pop-up drain assembly parts are plastic, try using a complete brass assembly, you'll have better results.



e-plumber
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The society which scorns excellence in Plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an
exalted activity will have neither good Plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." -
John William Gardner 10/8/1912 - 2/16/2002

Repair your leaking Plumbing fixtures ASAP [www.theplumber.com]
This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.

Thank you. I had tightened the old plastic drain as tight as possible several times, finding a leak every time. When I finally took the drain apart again, I found that the gasket was shaped crooked, so I went and bought this metal drain. I guess the gasket had molded to the mis-shapen basin and I just couldn't line it up right again. I'll try tightening it more. The poor angle of the drain body does cause a problem lining up the p trap slip joints correctly. Do you have any suggestions for that? This is frustrating. It is such a beautiful day out and I'm inside fooling with the plumbing. I appreciate your help and advice.
Robyn

I will not install one of those plastic pop-up's that come with the home center faucets.

Thanks, but it isn't plastic. I replaced the plastic drain with a metal drain. I didn't have any leaks, before I started this, though. I just had a slow drain. Gosh, the stuff you get out of the drain is gross. You plumbers earn every bit of your money. I can't afford a plumber right now, though, and this really shouldn't be that difficult.

Robyn

I mean it shouldn't be difficult just to put back together what I took apart. My Dad cleaned out a p trap in the upstairs bathroom for me, though, and it has a slow leak. It used to be (before my Dad's visit) that I would just use liquid plumber. I now know that I am not supposed to use it. Why do they even sell it? Anyway, am I better off using pipe thread tape or pipe joint compound at the back of the p trap? (The p trap female end with attached slip joint, which connects to brass pipe)

Robyn

You can use pipe dope. Did you try a new gasket? Also make sure it is in allignment before snugging it up. If it is cocked one way it won't seal properly.

put pipe dope all around the rubber gasket under the sink. I never get leaks with it...just a light coating.

Do not use dope on the washers for the trap, Do use a small amount of dope on the threads under the gasket. Use 2 wraps of teflon tape and a snall amount of dope on the tailpiece threads where it goes into the the drain body. As HJ says below you are going at it all backwards.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Since 1995 (3 years before Google started) PlumbingSupply.com has been THE best plumbing supplier on the web. Please visit our sponsor [www.PlumbingSupply.com]



Edited 1 times.

Thanks.

The gasket is new and came with the new drain. There's not really any room for misallignment, because the gasket fits pretty snugly around the drain body and is basically, if not exactly, the same size as the flange/nut.

I think I'm going to try doing things backward, starting with tightening the end of the p trap, then the front of the p trap to the drain, finally tightening the flange/nut and gasket to the sink basin. If I do it this way and put extra putty on the drain, then maybe I can counter-balance the poorly molded sink and get the drain body straight.

I'm still open to suggestions and I appreciate your help.

I've pulled this apart and put it back together probably twenty times now.

Robyn

You are going at it backwards. You install the drain in the sink, then fit the trap to it.

Author: hj

You are going at it backwards. You install the drain in the sink, then fit the trap to it.



HJ,

That is what I just said; that I think I am going to try to do things backward.

Robyn

Redwood,

Thank you.

As I said to hj, I know I was talking about trying to do it backward. I had good reasoning for thinking of doing it that way, but I am very well aware that it is backward, which is why I used the word "backward."

I do very much appreciate the constructive advice about the use of the tape and pipe dope. Thank you, again!

Robyn

You are, so stop doing it that way. One mistake you did make was removing the drain in the first place. There is seldom a need to do something that drastic.

HJ,

I removed the drain, because it was leaking, when I attached the new p trap. Call it a mistake, if you will, but it was leaking and I cleaned out the "overflow basin" (which I am calling it for lack of the correct term). There was a lot to be cleaned out there.

My house was built in the 1950's and some of my pipes are very old.

I still haven't tried doing anything backward. I've done it in the correct order many times, just can't get the leaks to stop. I have no desire to argue.

The bottom of the china basin is mis-shapened and it causes the drain body not to be plumb. It visibly comes out at an angle. I don't really have the money to buy a new sink and since the last person to work on the pipes was able to work with the poorly molded sink and keep the pipes from leaking, I know it can be made to work.

Thanks for your help.

Robyn

Thanks to all who gave advice! - Robyn

Apparently you are still having problems so I will now solve the problem for you

1) Install the pop-up assembly and let it cock in whatever direction it want to.

2) Cut the tailpiece portion of the of the pop-up assembly so it will only enter into the "u" bend about a half an inch

3) Install the "u" bend with the largest, softest, fluffiest rubber 1 1/4" washer you can find (not a poly washer)

4) Test with a few sink-fulls of water

5) Post back thanking me (and everyone else) for the help.

there is a supply house around here that sells a washer that touts that it wont leak. it is beveled just like plastic washers but is soft like black rubber washers but is pliable like silicone. they seem to work great

- - - - - - -

PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"

jerco,
Thank you. What do I cut the metal drain with? I know how to cut copper pipe, but I've never cut this kind of metal pipe. Do I use a hacksaw? Reciprocating saw? Also, it's okay to use a rubber washer with the plastic p trap/u bend? Just want to make sure you saw that I was talking about a plastic p trap or maybe you recommend I go back to a metal one. I appreciate the advice!
Thank you,
Robyn

Thanks, dlh. Do you know the name of the supply house or have any more info, like the brand name? It sounds like a really good washer.
Robyn

Plasic P-trap is fine. You can use a hacksaw to cut the trap outlet to length as well as the tailpiece if it needs trimming. Be sure to remove any burrs from your using a knife on plastic or, a file on metal.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Since 1995 (3 years before Google started) PlumbingSupply.com has been THE best plumbing supplier on the web. Please visit our sponsor [www.PlumbingSupply.com]

Thank you, Redwood! I hope you had a good 4th!
Robyn

I did and is your plumbing working now?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Since 1995 (3 years before Google started) PlumbingSupply.com has been THE best plumbing supplier on the web. Please visit our sponsor [www.PlumbingSupply.com]

they are called drip-free washers made by siouxchief.

- - - - - - -

PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"