"blueman" wrote in message
...
I replaced the gasket and tank bolts of a 10+ year old toilet.
The tank bolt kit included rubber-fiber and stainless washers.
The kit warned about tightening the bolts too much and potentially
cracking the porcelain but I still tightened them a fair bit - enough
to deform the rubber washers.

When I filled the tank, water dripped out in a steady stream from both
sides. Tightening the nuts a bit more didn't seem to make much of a
difference.

I don't see any crack in the porcelain and the contact surface around
the washers seems pretty flat without any noticeable pits, bumps, or
cracks.

- Is there any "trick" to making the joints leak tight or do I just need
to keep tightening?

- How likely am I to crack it if I tighten more?

- Am I better off adding some pure silicon caulk to make it watertight
or do I just keep tightening until the leaking stops and hope the
porcelain won't crack?

- Any other suggestions?

Thanks

If the washers are deformed, you may have tightened the bolts too much.
Consider replacing the washers with some new high quality ones-- maybe even
new bolts too.