Removing gasket cement from inside of toilet tank - how?

[newbury]

Looks like the previous owner put gasket cement on the toilet to tank bolts on the inside of the Toto tank. I've 4 tanks to do. I don't want to chip the tank. Any recommended solvent that will take it off?
I need to get a good seal on the connection.

 

[ponytug]

Why do you need to do four tanks, and what is the goal? Do they all leak?

I think of gasket cement in the context of boilers and wood fired stoves.

Are we talking about here? Does it look like JB Weld, silicone, plumbers putty, cement?

A little more detail, and even a photo could help.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Torvy]

Roughly $480 to get 4 replacement tanks...for me, my aggravation would be worth right about that much.

Turn the existing ones into planters.

 

[newbury]

1.Why do you need to do four tanks, and what is the goal? Do they all leak?

2.I think of gasket cement in the context of boilers and wood fired stoves.

Are we talking about here? Does it look like JB Weld, silicone, plumbers putty, cement?

A little more detail, and even a photo could help.

All the best,

Peter

1. Four toilets, all put in about the same time and I suspect by the same person with the same methods.
2. It looked like a wad of black sealant. Like I've put on wood stoves.

 

[newbury]

Roughly $480 to get 4 replacement tanks...for me, my aggravation would be worth right about that much.

Turn the existing ones into planters.

The only advantage of a replacement tank would be it's clean. If I find a solvent that would work it should be quick.
I don't need to spend $480 for planters, I could use it to buy tractor parts.

 

[CalG]

Wire brush on a drill motor!

They come in a variety of sizes and confidurations

 

[newbury]

Wire brush on a drill motor!

They come in a variety of sizes and confidurations

Yeah, that may be the next step. I just was trying to limit it to solvents, elbow grease and copper pads.
Power tools raise the possibility of porcelain breakage.

 

[CalG]

That toilet tank is tuff! Just don't bang it.

If solvents worked, (approved and available ones that is) then they would not serve as "all purpose sealants".

Those brushes come in all grades of wire size.

Weiler is a useful reference

Weiler 1" Crimped Wire End Brush .006" Stainless Steel Fill 1/4" Stem 36285 | Zoro

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[mikester]

Roughly $480 to get 4 replacement tanks...for me, my aggravation would be worth right about that much.

Turn the existing ones into planters.

American Standard Reliant 12 in. Rough In 2-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Round Toilet with Slow Close Seat in White 726DA101.020 - The Home Depot

Give functionality and style to your restroom by adding this American Standard Reliant 2-piece Single Flush Round Toilet in White with Slow Close Seat.

www.homedepot.com

$119 for a brand new toilet - why replace parts when you can get everything new?

 

[newbury]

American Standard Reliant 12 in. Rough In 2-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Round Toilet with Slow Close Seat in White 726DA101.020 - The Home Depot

Give functionality and style to your restroom by adding this American Standard Reliant 2-piece Single Flush Round Toilet in White with Slow Close Seat.

www.homedepot.com

$119 for a brand new toilet - why replace parts when you can get everything new?

Because the
toilet is a Toto elongated.
IF a little spray of brake cleaner, or ether, or vinegar or something else would do it it would be a lot cheaper and easier.
Apparently the TBN knowledge base hasn't kicked in yet.

 

[ponytug]

@newbury Any chance at all for removing the bolts bodily? Can you unscrew them at all?

Not to be critical, but "black sealant" is...a little indefinite, at least to me. If it were me, I would gently scrape off a chunk to get a better idea of what it might be before I got too far into things.

Pure guess: If it were mine, I would start by using a plastic scraper. I bought a kit of 6-8" long sturdy plastic scrapers in various small blade shapes for a few dollars when I had a big caulking job (flat roof, specialized caulk, and all of the caulk needed to come out). Depending on how the material behaves, I would do the following.

• Dry all four tanks out.
• If the material is hard and goes to pieces, like dry mud or mortar, I would suspect that it is old plumber's putty, and this is what I would expect to find on plumbing. If it is plumber's putty, that should soften up with heat (carefully!), or (OR!!!) organic solvents from mineral oil (slow) to naphtha, or acetone. I find it is usually just elbow grease as the material tends to fracture out pretty easily. Some people find hot water is enough to soften up plumber's putty for removal, but I haven't ever found it useful. Generally, plumber's putty starts soft and hardens with time, so old plumber's putty pretty well ignores heat in my experience. YMMV. It may leave a linseed oil stain in the porcelain, but that won't matter if you replace the old plumber's putty with new plumber's putty. If you want to switch to caulk, that's probably magic mix territory as the surface will need to be chemically free of the oil.
• If the material shows any sign of being elastic, i.e. caulk, then spray the material with caulk remover, put a folded or rolled piece of paper towel down on the material and saturate the paper. Leave it for 24 hours, and try to scrape it out.

A dremel with a wire wheel or abrasive fluff ball helps to clean out the residue, but I find I go through both very quickly. Again, I would start with some sturdy plastic scrapers and by hand, without a hammer, see how far you get.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ponytug]

@newbury Random question/thought: how sure are you that the bolts are leaking, rather than being a cold point for condensation to drip off of?

It just seems odd to me that you have leaks on four toilets at about the same time.

All the best,

Peter

 

[mikester]

@newbury Random question/thought: how sure are you that the bolts are leaking, rather than being a cold point for condensation to drip off of?

It just seems odd to me that you have leaks on four toilets at about the same time.

All the best,

Peter

Interesting point on the multiple failures experienced at the same time.

Too bad the previous owner decided to do some non-standard plumbing and left a bunch of leaky tanks to fix. I know my heart would be really set on holding onto a 1970's avocado green bathroom suite if it matched my linoleum floors. Luxury vinyl just doesn't have the warmth of linoleum, especially the premium stuff made with asbestos.

 

[ponytug]

Interesting point on the multiple failures experienced at the same time.

Too bad the previous owner decided to do some non-standard plumbing and left a bunch of leaky tanks to fix. I know my heart would be really set on holding onto a 1970's avocado green bathroom suite if it matched my linoleum floors. Luxury vinyl just doesn't have the warmth of linoleum, especially the premium stuff made with asbestos.

View attachment 3638778

That's a classic! I don't know how you managed to part with it.

All the best, Peter

 

[skipmarcy]

I would try some carb/choke spray, let it soak some/respray and try a plastic scraper - be sure not to get the choke spray on other plastic/rubber components. Brakleen is good for oily/greasy items but not so much on hardened caulks/putties. Brakleen is less harmful on MOST plastics/rubbers if you can use it though.

 

[EddieWalker]

Toto is one of the best brands of toilets out there because of how good they glaze them. Super, super smooth so nothing sticks to the bowl. I would never throw a Toto away, but I also hate paying for them!!!

Gasoline is known to soften sealants. I might also try some of the different acids that you can buy at the home stores just to see if you get a reaction. And you can get crazy trying paint removers and even wallpaper remover. I'd try anything that dissolves glue.

Everything has it's weakness. It's just a shame that you don't know what it is, that would make it a lot easier to figure out what to use.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

If an air chisel won't do it, try Tannerite.

 

[kenmac]

Don't know what your dealing with, but I've had good luck with brake parts cleaner. If your sure it's concrete, I'm not sure you'll find anything to dissolve it

 

[newbury]

Toto is one of the best brands of toilets out there because of how good they glaze them. Super, super smooth so nothing sticks to the bowl. I would never throw a Toto away, but I also hate paying for them!!!

That's why I was trying to do it with a solvent.

 

[ponytug]

Any luck?