Toilet that should but won't

[L. D. Jeffries]

Don't really expect any answers on this one; but about two months ago the toilet in the master bedroom started to act funny? Just didn't want to flush properly, or at least the way the second bath toilet did. Got a snake and tried to get it down to see if there was a obstruction-that was nearly impossible. So went to the clean-out plug in the main line to the sewer..snake down that for at least 20 feet-no blockage! Now I am scratching my head! Meanwhile the flushing is getting worse if anything. Decided to bite the bullet and went and got a new toilet. Installed it and lo and behold the thing would nearly take your hat off when it was flushed! Just had to satisify my mind, so took the old bowl and with a few well placed hammer blows cracked it open. Wouldn't you know there was NOTHING blocking anywhere in the complicated "S" bend. Darn thing was only ten years old and just got tired of working properly I guess. So I am still scratching my head, but at least I got a flushing toilet now

[maxparot]

With the new water saver toilets the flapper is critical to proper operation. Many exhibit poor flushing or leakage due to the flapper. I've found that a Korky adjustable flapper is usually the trick to ending the problems.

[TJG]

Over the years, I've found the 'howstuffworks' website to be very useful. It's taught me a great deal, and probably could have helped you out with this one.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/toilet.htm

Still a good read for future reference.

A bucket of water is all it takes to determine if the problem is in the bowl or tank. In this case, I think you would have found that the problem was the flapper. My guess is it was closing too quickly and not letting enough water into the bowl, or wasn't letting it in quickly enough, to fully activate the siphon action.

[Salty]

Well, yes, howstuffworks give a good basic explanation of thow these devices work but here is one factoid that was not really covered. This problem showed up twice recently for me. Once where we used to live and once when we bought this house a year ago.
The article explains that some of the water from the filler valve goes into the bowl while the tank is filling. It is extremely important that this happens because the bowl must have the maximum amount of water in it for the flush cycle to complete properly. If the bowl is not filled, a large amount of the water that is released during the flush will be used to get that water level up to where it should be and then there may not be enough left to complete the flush. This happen at my old residence when the filler tube came loose and that water was going into the tank instead of the bowl. More recently in this house, I think the attempt was to try to conserve water and the filler tube was purposly run into the tank.
You will know this is happening when there is very little water left in the bowl when the flush is completed and the tank is filled. Same thing would result if you turned off the water and flushed the toilet.

[Warren]

I am flabbergasted that anyone wouldn't expect an answer to any question on any subject on this forum.

[scorrpio]

Yeah, when toilet drain is blocked, you don't get poor flushes - you get an overflowing toilet. Bad flush = insufficient water supply. In other words, something not right in the flushing mechanism.

With the new toilet - did you get a pressure-assisted model? Those things have a pressurised bladder that is compressed by domestic water pressure (around 60-80psi) when the tank is filling. When flushed, this bladder forcefully expands, applying that same 60-80psi to water being jetted into the bowl. Can suck you in if you not careful.
A friend of mine had a water pressure regulator fail, which jacked his pressure to 150psi. did not go higher cause TPR valve on the heater did its thing. He did not consider all the implications, though, and when he flushed his power-assisted toilet.... let's say his ceiling needed cleaning afterwards.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Thanks for all the advise guys. But believe me I went thru the whole routine: bucket of water to flush=good action. Adjusting the flushing bits and pieces=no luck, still a slow flush. Checking the fill level=right where it should have been. Watching the flush action in the tank=no visable problems. What I really think is that since it was 10 years old and had the around the rim flush holes that they were just filled with hard water scale or whatever and didn't let the water come out fast enough to do the job. Well its moot now as the new one works GREAT. I REALLY didn't expect much in the way of replies as this was just a "rant"