I get what you’re saying about the old dual flush setups being a pain, but I can’t help feeling like they *should* work better than they do. The idea makes sense—save water, save money, right? But then you end up with a half flush that barely moves anything and you’re flushing twice anyway. Kind of defeats the purpose.
“At a certain point, swapping out for a newer valve is less hassle in the long run.”
I keep going back and forth on this. On one hand, yeah, it’s tempting to just rip out the old guts and put in something modern. But then I look at the prices for decent replacement valves and start thinking, “Is this really worth it?” Especially when the rest of the toilet is still fine. Plus, I swear, every time I try to fix something in the tank, some tiny plastic bit snaps or falls into the abyss behind the bowl.
I’ve tried all the usual suspects—cleaned out the seal, checked for cracks, even swapped out the button mechanism once. It worked… for about a week. Then it was back to holding down the button and hoping for the best. Maybe it really is just bad design. Or maybe these things were never meant to last more than a few years.
Still, it bugs me to throw more money at a problem that feels like it should have a simple fix. Part of me wants to keep tinkering, but I’m starting to think my time might be better spent elsewhere. Maybe there’s a sweet spot between “replace everything” and “live with it”—like finding a universal kit that actually works with older models? Has anyone managed to get one of those to work long-term? Or am I just being stubborn at this point...
Man, I feel this. I’ve spent more time fiddling with those “universal” kits than I care to admit, and half the time they don’t line up right or the flush is still weak. At some point, I just gave up and started using the full flush for everything. Not exactly eco-friendly, but at least it works. If you ever find a kit that actually lasts more than a month, let me know... otherwise, I’m convinced these things are just designed to mess with us.
Honestly, I think a lot of the “universal” kits just aren’t a great fit for certain tanks. I’ve seen way better results sticking with the brand-specific parts, even if they cost a bit more. The half flush should work if everything’s set up right—height, chain length, all that stuff—but yeah, it’s finicky. Sometimes people don’t realize the float needs to be adjusted just right or the seal isn’t sitting flat.
I get why folks give up and use full flush every time, but in my experience, when you dial in the setup (and avoid those cheap kits), the half flush can actually work pretty well. Not saying it’s always perfect... but I wouldn’t write it off completely. Maybe worth checking if your tank model has a dedicated kit? That’s made a difference for me more than once.
Ever notice if the half flush works better right after you install everything, then gets worse over time? I’ve run into that with a couple tanks—wondering if mineral buildup or a slightly warped seal could be messing things up. Have you ever tried swapping just the seal instead of the whole kit?
- Seen this a bunch—half flush is great for a week, then it’s like the tank’s on strike.
- Mineral buildup’s a real pain, especially if you’re in a hard water area. Sometimes just cleaning the seal helps, but if it’s warped or stiff? Swapping just the seal can totally do the trick.
- Did you check if the button mechanism is sticking at all? I’ve seen some where the button gets gummed up and doesn’t lift the valve enough. Ever tried a bit of silicone lube on the moving parts?
