I am trying to replace the flush mechanism. Bought that Fluidmaster complete repair kit from Lowes. No matter what I do the darn thing leaks around the bolts holding the tank on. I do not see any cracks. I think it is leaking around the gasket and then out the bolts. The only model number I see is a big "K" in the tank and a date which is SEP 198. The last digit is illegible but my guess would be 1986 or 1987. There are also these weird rubber bumper like things that where fitted on the lip that the tank sits on. No one seems to have a clue about them either. Do these Gerber toilets require proprietary parts?

I have a great deal of experience with the Gerber toilets from that time period and yes, the jam washer (between the tank and bowl) is indeed special to that toilet. It is extra thick compared to all other toilets. The sponsor for this site has them ...
[www.plumbingsupply.com]
... But it seems to me that the Gerber gasket was more than 1/16" thicker than the American Standard. Maybe get the one that says it's 1 1/4" thick while you're at it just to be sure.
Also I remember those black rubber things. I never used them unless I needed them on one side just to level the tank for esthetic reasons. The tank will tighten all the way to the bowl no matter how tight it feels on the way down. You probable had no problem with that with the smaller gasket. Good luck. Let us know what happens.

make sure the bolts and nuts are solid brass, not brass coated steel.

Are the washers between the bolt head and the inside bottom of the tank?

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"You can't get there from here"
Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe

Are you putting metal washers between the bolt head and the rubber washers? That is the most common, and almost the only way, for the bolts to leak. But then, I always use metal washers and nuts under the tank to secure the bolts to the tank before attaching it to the toilet bow.



Edited 1 times.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I appreciate your time. I'll try answer the posts. I attached the bolts in this order as described in the instructions: Bolt head, rubber washer, tank, brass washer, nut, (air space), bowl, rubber washer, brass washer, nut. When it was leaking I tried: rubber washer, tank, rubber washer. It still leaked. I think it is leaking around the gasket and out the bolts. I tried buying a Gerber gasket from Lowes but it leaks as well. It appears to be too big. It does not seat and the whole tank is literally just resting on the gasket and wobbly even with the bolts in place. By now I've taken the bolts off and on so many times they're probably ruined.

The original gasket goes straight over and down and seats into two depressed concentric circles.
Whereas the new ones just angle down.

At this point the whole stupid project that should have taken an hour or two has taken over and ruined my entire weekend. In 15 years I've not done one successful plumbing project. Something like this always happens and I should know better. So I'm going to follow another post and call a plumber. I've had it and I just want it fixed.

Anyway, thanks again for everyone's replies.

I always use a socket to tighten up the bolts.

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"You can't get there from here"
Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe

I sit on the tiolet when I use it.

I hope that helps as much as the tips on brass coated bolts and using a socket effing wrench.

On a serious note I have the same toilet, and problem. It would probably cost around $100 bucks to get a plumber out. I can buy a new toilet for $150 and put it in myself so that's what I'm going to do. In the meantime I curse the souls of the owners and employees of Gerber to damnation.

I just got a Gerber toilet and used it to replace one that would not flush anything, kept clogging up, any way i found the same thing that it would leak from under the tank. this is even with a standard washer on the underside of the tank.
it will leak because they make theirs with a little extra room under there so standard sponge washer will not work.
Here is what i did to fix the problem, First I used a Thrifco brand (because that's what they had) "flanged spud washer" part #526-T (here is an image, although not the same brand, just so it will be identifiable for you) [www.acetogo.com],(cost $1.69 from my local hardware store), I placed this down in the opening to the bowl with the flange up (wider part up), then i used a Thrifco brand "American Standard Tank To Bowl Washer" part # 1726-T, $2.99 at the hardware store , here is an image [www.azpartsmaster.com], (not the same brand either but similar), placed this on the other side of the flush valve, (it also covers the nut too) then i put it all together and it works great.
So don't get discouraged, i had to go to hardware store three times but persistence pays dividends.
Anyway hope this helps someone.

If you use the 1" thick gasket (I got mine from Plumbing Supply) the tank sits on the gasket and wobbles because the gasket is too thick. You can tighten the nuts on the 2 bolts and squeeze the gasket down so that the tank sits flush but then it leaks as before, probably because the gasket is deformed. I tried loosening the nuts but that also caused leaks, maybe around the rubber bolt washers. I solved the problem by putting 1/4" shims between the tank and bowl, one at each end, so that the nuts could be tightened but the gasket is not deformed - it works perfectly but took some trial-and-error to determine the correct thickness of the shims. Maybe there is an intermediate-sized gasket that works without the shims?

I was also able to resolve the problem with two gaskets.

I had previously changed the entire flush valve (including the gasket). This held tight for about a year, so I didn't think anything was different with the Gerber toilets. Then it started leaking - Gushing actually. Went through some trial and error with different gaskets (even one labeled specifically for Gerber toilets). I almost thought about using a wax ring usually used for under the toilet!

In the end, I put on one labeled for Gerber toilets, followed by another generic one pushed against the first one.