Toilet problem

[stirfry1]

I have a problem with a older toilet. The toilet will only partially flush. Yet if you increase the level of the water in the bowl with a plunger it flushes perfectly.

my question is: Is the toilet or some of the lines partially plugged or do I have to increase the level in reservoir to increase the water in the bowl?

Also would a new low flow toilet work if there is a line problem



Thanks for any information that you may be able to give me

[HayZee518]

try adjusting the float so the water comes up to almost top of the overflow tube then try flushing it. I'm also thinking that after you flush it, the water that refills the bowl isn't coming up high enough to seal the trap that's built into the porcelain. could be the flapper isn't slamming shut fast enough. see if it's waterlogged or isn't sealing properly.

[rastoma]

I have this exact same problem. I hope it's ok to post in here too, as I would just be duplicating exactly what the originaly replier entered


Locally, everyone keeps telling me something is stuck in the trap under the toilet where it mounts on the floor. But this toilet has done this for years. If it something stuck somewhere, the problem would have to get worse wouldn't it? The toilet never stops up or backs up. It just takes several flushes for everything to go down. I can pour in water in the bowl from a bucket, and it will flush automatically completely.

I have a new flapper and float in the tank. I have set the water level almost level with the overflow tube but it doesn't change the affect no matter what leve the water in the tank is in.

I flapper closes just as soon as the water level in the tank drops below the level of the flapper itself, so I assume it's closing fast enough.

I've never removed a toilet before but I have seen it done. Could it be that waxy donut type ring under the toilet not causing a good seal or something?

[LazyPup]

If you will go to the bottom of this page and select page 13, then check the post labelled "Toilet Parts" you will see a complete text and set sequential illustrations I prepared to explain how a toilet flushes.

Years ago when toilets discharged 3.5 to 5gallons per flush it was common to take a new toilet out of the box, attach a wax ring, set it in place, attach the water line and call the job done, but with the advent of the new low volume toilets it is vitally important that we take the extra time to properly fine tune and adjust the toilet after it is set.

1. When attaching the tank to bowl bolts it is important that we insure the tank is level.

2.Turn the water on and watch the filling action. Make sure the small diameter trap primer line is attached to the top of the standpipe correctly so the full volume of water from the trap primer is going down the standpipe. If even a small amount of water is spraying over the standpipe and into the tank the water level in the bowl will not be sufficient.

3.When the fill stops check the water level. There is a manufacturers indexed "Water Level" either printed or embossed on the inner tank wall. Make sure the water level is up to that mark. If not, adjust the fill valve.

4. Check the chain from the flapper to the flush handle. The chain should be attached close to the end of the flush handle arm and should be adjusted so there is no more than two links of slack in the chain when the handle is in the at rest position.

One of the most common complaints with low water volume toilets (1.6gpf) is that it takes two flushes to get a complete flush. In fact, this is not a problem but rather a failure on the part of the manufacturers and installers to inform the consumer on how the new toilets work.

In order to get maximum water conservation many of the new toilets are now fitted with a dual action flapper. When the flush handle is quickly depressed and released it only releases about .9gal of water which is enough to flush liquid wastes. In order to get a full flush the flush handle must be depressed and held in the down position momentarily to discharge the full 1.6gallons thereby effecting a full flush to discharge solid wastes.

In one of the above posts it was stated that once the water in the tank is discharged if you hold the flapper open the water from the fill valve goes down the flush valve inlet under the flapper then seems to dissappear. That water is in fact entering the bowl however the volume and velocity is substantially less that what would occur during a normal flushing action. As the water enters the upper portion of the bowl it is dispersed around the water inlet holes then slowly goes down the bowl walls by surface tension and is almost unnoticable. Even if allowed ot continue the level in the bowl will not rise because an equal volume of water is continually spilling over the trapway and down the drain.

With the advent of the new low volume toilets it became necessary to redesign the flapper valves. The differences in the new flapper is in the size of the air bubble chamber on the underside of the flapper valve. The actual change in demension is very slight and often difficult for even trained plumbers to see. The packaging on the new flappers is now indexed with the actual flow rate of the toilet and when replacing flappers it is vitally important that we get the correct one. Fluidmaster now makes a universal replacement flapper that has a rigid plastic hinge mount and the rubber ball section can be rotated to adjust for the differing volumes.