Strange Toilet Problem

Rich Turley

Toilet is Standard Collection by American Standard. It will not completly flush, the water level stays the same in the bowl. If water is poured into the bowl it will empty. I have removed the toilet, wax seal looks great, can't see anything from the bottom.

Tried a couple of adjustments suggested by AS technical service, no change.

Customer told me it flushes after cleaning but just that one time, then back to the same old thing. Gave me an idea. If I put a couple of drops of Joy soap in the bowl, it works! But just for that one flush.

I am going to replace the toilet, but I have no idea why it is working this way. A friend with some plumbing background said he wouldn't believe it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

Rich

Mike Finley

I've seen this before, did you prime it with distilled water before you flushed it the first time?



Just kidding. But seriously thinking about your circumstances and just considering the simple physics involved with a toilet. It seems to me that the answer lies somewhere between the flush valve letting the water in to the bowl upon flushing and the exit at the flange.

Pouring water into the bowl makes it flush says to me that with enough water volume in the bowl the toilet works. Using the handle to flush your description sounds like the water just siphons out as fast as the water is entering from the tank.

Glasshousebltr

Another possibility is venting may be to close to the flange. The flush may not be able to create the vacuum it needs to pull turd. I saw something similar once, the plumber used a t to a 3 inch vent right off the water closet.

Bob

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Bob

Rich Turley

Thanks for the replys. Don't think the vent is too close as I didn't move the vent and the old toilet worked just fine. I just don't understand how a couple of drops of Joy soap could make a difference. Kind of like it lubricates the throat helping the water to flow faster. I'm leaning towards Mike's suggestion, I should've used distilled water the first time or sumpin.

I've spent too much time trying to figure it out, any suggestions on a good toilet, just needs to be comfort height and elongated.

Rich

Mike Finley

Come on now, don't give up on it yet! Now you've got us all curious.


American Standard Champion or Kohler Cimaron, both are also anit-clog models so they might be a bit more expensive then you want, about $200 each.

sage

Just installed an AS Champion comfort and elongated, seems to be OK. I have not personally christened it YET. But looks good and flushes well.
$236 tank and bowl at the supply house.
You could pay big $$$ and get a TOTO or something along the lines, I personally recommend to clients to spend their money on something that you don't crap in, but thats just me.

No insult intented, but did you try to take the slack out of the ball chain. Sometimes I can't see the things right in front of my face unless it is pointed out.

Soap! that's the damdest thing. Love to know how it turns out.

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firemike

One thing to try, take a coat hanger or other small diameter stiff wire, bend it into kind of a "J" shape, and clean out all the little holes around the underside of the rim. You can kind of feel where they are, and use the wire to open up and auger out the holes again. Most times, they become clogged with sediment and minerals, and when they become clogged, the toilet won't flush properly. The holes also generally go back into the casting at an angle. Sometimes you have to go around the rim two or three times, flushing after each time to get them opened up again. This works for me when I get a service call for the problem you described.

Tom R

This is what it sounds like to me, - - the flapper's closin' too soon.

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eastvanbuilder

99% sure there's something stuck in the toilet, toothbrush, comb, bar of soap ect..pull the toilet, lay it on its side and run a snake up through the bottom of the toilet..it should pop anything lodged inside into the bowl.

Peladu

This reminds me of a bathroom renovation and I reinstalled the toilet after the floor was complete. When it was all ready to go I threw a paper towel that I used to clean a mirror in it and the toilet a very slow momentum and the paper towel never did make it out. So I think that the wax ring was causing the problem and take the toilet out. Wax ring was good, but I tilted the toilet over and noticed that the horn was completely clogged. The ******** teenager was throwing his Q-Tips in the toilet. Pulled them out and everything was back to normal.

old27

"100 Q-Tips are worse than 100,000 Dumps"

Lake

The flapper is closing too soon due to the chain. I had a problem with three toilets installed in the same residence about a year ago. The flushing action on those is pretty violent and the chain will foul or simply flip off over time.

To avoid callbacks after installing AS toilets I now use a fisherman's knot on a section of monofilament line to secure the chain to the attaching wire on the flushing arm.

Have talked to American Standard about this problem and a problem that I've had with a particular faucet of theirs. Their response is to send a rep out with a box of parts, in the case with the toilets, and 4 new faucets for my trouble with the faucet.