How to solve the Champion 4 ghost flushing problem once and for all!

[@averageguy1261]

I lived with this for 12 years. What a massively poor designed. Consumer Reports duped me into purchasing one. Glad you found a fix.

[@OCC_Plumbing_and_Restorations]

I replaced a couple of them and destroyed those things. They're expensive, heavy, and they don't work well.

[@r.r.6205]

Wow..... great video - just wish I came across it sooner! I was a victim of the crap-tacular design flaw of the American Standard flush valve. I followed the directions & YT videos to replace the rubber gasket, only for it not to work. Replaced the gasket & the tiny O-ring & ended up with no solution to the ghost flushing - I attempted to further tighten the black plastic wing nut, thinking that the gasket wasn't making enough of a seal. SNAP! plastic parts broke, & I ended up replacing the toilet, as parts were back-ordered for weeks, & I didn't want to wait. Went with a Gerber Viper with a 3" flush valve that uses a traditional flapper. Fingers crossed that I made a good choice.

[@paulmcwilliams1709]

That's a great fix for those toilets! I'm going to get two of those flush valves. I have two American Standard Champion 4 toilets and I'm so tired of replacing the seals every one or two years, and those seals are around 7 to 9 dollars a pop! So the cost of those replacements will be paid for eventually. Thanks for making this video!

[@jerrydelcannon9458]

once every one or two years? How lucky! Mine leak almost as soon as they were replaced!

[@BeaversAreInsane]

Secret plot twist: while the TOP of the OEM flush valve is 4", the gasket and lower part of the flush valve (where the tank and bowl are attached together) is 3". So ANY 3" flush valve replacement kit with gasket and hardware will fit a Champion 4. Look at Korky 5030 for example...

[@lorenzocriscuolo7869]

Does that include also the fluidmaster 3 inch flush valve kit?

[@eddbrowne]

The oem toilet has short-press 3/4 flush for liquid, and full flush for solids. The 3/4 flush also good if you wonder about drain restriction.

[@samdavidowicz]

It’s not about the power of the flush, it’s a design defect in the OEM flush valve that causes the rubber seal on top to eventually start leaking and “ghost flushing” to happen. Since we had these aftermarket flush valves installed we have had NO issues.

[@eddbrowne]

@@samdavidowicz ... Agreed, but I'm talking about the function in a brand new unit. Saw the short flush feature written as a design feature somewhere, and for 3 years I have used that unit accordingly. If the flush valve is replaced with Newflush the water use can still be limited with an easy float adjustment; and the large oem flapper seal problem is avoided.

[@toejam9372]

For those of us that are tired of double flushing to get all the crud down the drain pipe, get the NuFlush extension for this valve and get an additional 4" of flushing water. Flush twice without the extension and dump 9"+9" =18" of water, or flush once with the extension and flush 9"+4"=13" of water. For those that say 1 flush is adequate to flush the bowl, that gets the crud out of the bowl but leaves it in the drain line with very little water to carry the load to the sewers - thus the need to double flush.

[@forty9er49221]

Thanks for this video. After 2 years, have you had any issues? Have you had to replace that flapper? Do you mind sharing the exact link to what you purchased?

[@short5stick]

show the water in the bowl flushing too.

[@phillipbranch8291]

I have a Champion 4 toilet and just replaced the gasket. Where did you get the replacement for the flush valve and does Lowe's or Home Depot carry it? Thanks!

[@samdavidowicz]

You have to order it directly from NuFlush. At least that's what I did.

[@phillipbranch8291]

@@samdavidowicz Yeah, I looked it up. That would be OK. I also found the part number in one of the comments. Part number 28904.

[@toyotaracing5578]

Nice job! Those "Champion 4s" are a PITA. Typical EPA regulation BS!!!...When I heard these things were manufactured for Cali...that answered all my questions lol. If buying a new toilet ALWAYS look for a model with a "standard" 2 in flush valve...it will save you alot of headaches and $$ down the road...(this is coming from a Home Improvement Contractor)

[@MrKfq269]

Did you remove the plug on the fill valve? Thats the black device on the left. Manufacturers install a white colored plug that slows the water filling the tank . It makes for a quiet fill. Remove that plug and the tank fills much faster after a flush. Do a video on that. You'll have to remove the fill valve to remove the plug. A wooden chopstick will pop that plug right out. I just installed an American Standard champion 4 toilet and i plan on replacing the flush valve real soon.

[@reggiepotts3437]

question, in order to install this neflush, don't you have to remove the Tank?

[@samdavidowicz]

Yes.

[@stevenbrems2876]

What is the NuFlush Model #?

[@williewill4653]

Got a model number for the replacements from nuflush? Thanks

[@analopeztv]

Can you please inlcude the model number of the flush valve you got? Thank you.

[@bobunderwood803]

That would indeed be very helpful.

[@bobunderwood803]

I think I found it: NuFlush Part Number 28904

[@hjs9td]

This solution defeats the water conservation principle of the toilet as it narrows the size of the water column. If you do this, put some water dams in to preserve the water column height (and the flushing power) while reducing the total volume if water needed for a full flush.

[@samdavidowicz]

Truth is, I really don't care. Ever since I had this installed, my toilet works flawlessly.

[@hjs9td]

@@samdavidowicz Good to know. Can you point me to someone who does?

[@charlie1872]

A sad commentary on the state of quality control on this product. I have two of them and the ghost flushes cost me a lot of money as a result. I added steel washers to the chain in an effort to apply additional load to the seal. I am not sure if that solves the problem. There is an inherent problem in the design, The cap should have a ring that is a machine fit with the drain section pipe to ensure the cap centres in the opening and the cap be made from heavier/mire dense material. I need to replace another toilet but will NOT buy one of these

[@OCC_Plumbing_and_Restorations]

Those water saver laws are absolutely ridiculous and a massive overreach by the government. These Champion toilets have issues with bad flushes and they are horribly designed but replacing the flush valve pretty well fixes it. Thanks to NuFlush for making a part since a normal flush valve doesn't fit right.

[@ScantPear]

You should have bough the fluidmaster flush valve and close the float to number 10

[@short5stick]

I have a champion 4 max with this same problem from day one. What Fluidmaster flush valve fits the champion?

[@LateNightYinzer]

You need a 4". I only saw up to 3" on Fluidmaster website.

[@joelhuppe3725]

I hate this toilet. Bad flush, the seat sucks and had to be changed and now hairline crack in tank now leaks…

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

California is just plain ridiculous

[@mondaynightmitch2823]

They are ok with you stealing the parts from the stores but don't waste that dam water

[@OCC_Plumbing_and_Restorations]

They need to just sink into the ocean already

[@davidschumacher9697]

Dude, it is not a ridiculous standard. The West is running out of water. The Champion toilet has faulty gaskets that leak. What can I say, don’t buy a Champion. I own the American Standard Vormax Optimum. Bought it at Home Depot. Works like a champ. Way better than the Champion. Very good flush, A+ bowl wash, and only uses 1.28 gallons; yes, the standard is 1.28.

[@4663David]

The problem is, "dud", the phantom flushing is going to waste more water than the Champion 4 system was supposed to correct. Instead of throwing more money at a new toilet, my suggestion is to install the Nuflush flapper in place of the Champion 4 system and then reduce the water level on the fill valve. I plan on doing this and will update.

[@davidschumacher9697]

Sorry to have ruffled your feathers; didn’t mean to. Sure, if you can’t afford to replace this defective toilet. The Champion is not a good toilet. A relative just installed one. Flush looks like a “B” at best (hold the handle down for a couple of seconds). Bowl wash “C+”. Most importantly, it started leaking within a week of install. She got notified automatically by the water company that she had a leak somewhere in her home. By the way, class action lawsuit now in California on this toilet. There are good toilets out there-Champion is just not one of them. Mentioned a good one in my previous post. Also, recently bought and installed a Niagara Stealth. Uses 0.8 gallons per flush. Good flush, mediocre bowl wash. Only $129 when on sale at Home Depot. (However, beware that it has potential issues unclogging if it ever gets clogged because of its design. Hasn’t clogged on us yet though.)

[@4663David]

I originally had the predecessor to the Champion 4, which I believe was also called Champion, but the "new improved" 4 was supposed to correct a short flush issue. I remember American Standard sending the 4 to me for free. Anyway, with the plus or minus 4 inches water that always remains in the tank would, in my way of thinking, create a sediment-ladened liquid that would create more of a film on the edge of the Champion 4 flush valve edge, causing the leaking and phantom flushing. I'm just trying to make the best of a bad situation at this point. What I do like about the design of the Champion toilet is the canal in the bowl that creates a larger column of water in the bottom of the bowl instead of a small jet in previous bowl designs. I've always been the individual in the family that would stop up the toilet 😁, so the more forceful flush has served me well! Sorry for the name calling. I was having a bad day! ✌

[@jimrusch22]

Do you have to hold the handle down to get a full flush like I have to do on my AS Cadet?

[@davidschumacher9697]

@@jimrusch22: Funny, I actually own the “American Standard Cadet 3 FloWise Right Height 2-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Toilet” in addition to the “American Standard Optum VorMax Complete Tall Height 2-piece 1.28 GPF Elongated Toilet”. Bought the Cadet about six months ago for a different bathroom. The Cadet 3 FloWise comes with an adjustable flapper. That flapper MUST be adjusted by the customer to get an adequate and useable flush. From the factory, the flapper is set to close as early as possible and use the least amount of water; however, at that setting, it might only work for #1’s. Turn off the inlet value, flush the toilet, remove the tank lid and place in a secure location, remove the flapper, make an adjustment, and try it again. Don’t remember at which setting I set my to, but now I get a decent flush without holding down the handle. Don’t just set it to the max water use because that will waste water. Getting the perfect setting might take a week or two with real world flushes. Keep the lid off and protected until the final and perfect adjustment is made. Why AS sets the flapper from the factory the way they do is nuts. I am sure customer service has tons of complaints and totally unnecessary.

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

American Standard sucks

[@vicever08]

This uses more water, so they can not claim 1.6 gallon or so per flush, this likely uses 3 gallon of water per flush.

[@samdavidowicz]

Don't really care, because it's performed flawlessly ever since install. No more ghost flushes and the flushes are better on top of it.

[@SHJTMoises]

The NuFlush will save water by eliminating ghost flushing. You can save water by adjusting the fill valve not the flush valve and get rid of the lousy American Standard flush valves.

[@erichodnett338]

I'm assuming the tank must be removed to install the Nuflush. If that is the case, it may work better but is no less work to install. Am I correct?

[@samdavidowicz]

@@erichodnett338 Correct, the tank needs to be removed as part of the install.

[@vicever08]

It the manufacturer who has to comply to the regulations, they can only make it this way. @@SHJTMoises