Compton Series Toilet Repair Parts
by American Standard

Q. "What is the difference between "OEM" and "will-fit" parts? And what does OEM mean anyway?"
A. "OEM stands for "Original Equipment Manufacturer". This means anything from the original manufacturer that is sold to a second company to use in production of that second company's product. In other words, many toilet manufacturers outsource for the internal working parts of the toilet, such as the fill valves, flush valves, or flappers. When this happens, they have the opportunity to use an existing part, or to specify something for a specific toilet. When the toilet manufacturer chooses to use an existing part, the manufacturer of the part can still sell that piece under their own name, just as they had been all along. If the toilet manufacturer chooses to specify something that will only fit a specific toilet, the part manufacturer can often only provide that part to the toilet manufacturer. What this means for you is that you can sometimes get the *exact same part* (by the original manufacturer of the OEM part), but under another name and usually at a better price! So when your toilet's internal working parts need to be replaced, you may have the option to use either the "OEM" part number or use the "will-fit" part number to order what you need. Please note that only some "will-fit" items are manufactured by the OEM manufacturer. If this is essential to your repair, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to check for you.

Q. "Are all American Standard parts 'standard' and are ALL their products and parts made in America?"
A. A number of their products are made overseas (as is the case with many other plumbing manufacturers as well). Please do not assume that all products made by American Standard (Am. Stan.) are made in the U.S. The word "standard" and "American Standard" are NOT identical. Most of their faucet parts will only fit their brand (as is the case with their competitors as well). Many of their toilet parts will only fit their brand of toilet. Not all of American Standard parts are universal ("standard"). We get this question frequently, and it is probably because some people assume that since they have the word "standard" as part of their name that they must be using parts that are "standard"; as in universally fitting. Just as car bumpers don't fit on all brands of cars, parts for "standard" toilets and faucets will generally not fit on other brands. Generally you must buy parts specifically made for (designed to fit) your specific brand of toilet/faucets, etc.

Q. "How are the lengths of the toilet fill valves measured?"
A. The toilet fill valve measurements we show are measured from the inside bottom of the tank to the top of the fill valve. The threaded water supply shank that fits through the bottom of the tank is not included in this measurement.