Here is a good one. We went on vacation leaving our teenage son at home. Sometime later the toilet in the garage bathroom would plug up and then flush for a while then plug up again for no apparent reason. I could run a snake all the way through no problem. I finally removed the toilet to investigate, looked up into the bottom of the trap and saw the tip of a carrot sticking out of the trap. The carrot could never pass through the trap. Our son would never confess. I also found Christmas lights floating in the septic tank when we had it pumped years later.

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Tony H
W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
Manual transmission

Past cars:
Porsche 914 2.0
'64 Jaguar XKE Roadster
'57 Oval Window VW
'71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new
'73 Toyota Celica GT

I hate to tell you, I have installed and serviced many toilets. And if you pull it off and can’t find the obstruction below, either in the toilet or in the opening to the sewer line, the answer is often “new toilet.”

One time we were having a problem with the toilet at a client’s rental unit. I took up the toilet and there was an odd ring around the bottom, at the exit point, sort of a circular half-inch ledge. Why in the bleeding hell this was included in the manufacture is beyond me. I didn’t think there would be any point in contacting them for clarification. This was a problem because there were four or five Q-tips stuck on that ledge and impeding the flow. At least I had a good smoking gun.

In your situation removing everything and replacing the wax might be the one thing you could do in terms of maintenance. That and installing a new flapper and new fluid master valve. The latter are cheap.

I once had to replace, three times, Kohler lowboy toilets at a client’s place, not replace with new units, took out the old ones and put them back in for various reasons. Those things are a serious pain. Visibility is very poor down low, because they are so wide. With a regular toilet, I would often just push the wax ring onto the bottom of the toilet and then eyeball the two bolts into the slotted holes on each side. Even with a regular toilet that method can go wrong. These days I take it easy on myself. I recommend getting six pieces of half-inch plywood, about 3 inches wide 10 inches long, and positioning three of them under the front and back of the sewer pipe, in a good spot to support the toilet. I still like putting the wax ring onto the toilet itself, because you can clean off the bottom of the toilet really well and jam the wax onto it.

You can then carefully position it over the two bolts sticking up from the flange and remove a piece of plywood front, and then back, or something until you’ve taken them all out. Two pieces of three-quarter ply just about as good. I’ve done it with two by fours in a pinch. Then you apply some pressure downward to mash in the wax, to seat if the wax onto the bottom flange, etc.

Occasionally my old cowboy method would give me grief when one of the bolts would fold over. You can firm them up if you have the right hardware. Or you can put them on without the right hardware and tighten it up and save a trip to the store.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Very interesting.

Thx.

Thanx for the professionals tip .

I use the beeswax rings with a plastic center piece, they seem to make the job easier and less failures .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Tip I use-warm the wax ring and the toilet base before setting-lets the wax flow easier.

__________________
Tony H
W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
Manual transmission

Past cars:
Porsche 914 2.0
'64 Jaguar XKE Roadster
'57 Oval Window VW
'71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new
'73 Toyota Celica GT

See ? .

I'm from snow country and never thought of that .

You guys are the BEST ! .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Sounds like a good idea. I’ll try it sometime. A hairdryer should do it.

I don’t know what to tell you about the rubber rings below the wax. They look good, I’ve use it many times without trouble, but I have read numerous plumber’s remarks saying they like plain old wax. Dunno. These days I rarely do them, so I’m not gonna have a lot of opportunity to compare methods.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Dont know if your toilet system works the same as ours over in the uk ,,but check to see how much water is in the tank.Reason i ask this is,, there is a seal inside the water flow stop valve in the toilet tank that shuts off after it refills . But if that seal leaks then the tank will only be half full as the water just trickles in to the bowl over time ,then the tank will never fully fill up .

Newer, "powerful" toilets have a 4" diameter drain hole in the tank instead of the typical 2.5" diameter hole. They use the same amount of water, but the flow is about 2.5 times faster.

Before that, the only option for a tank toilet was to smuggle in a TurdMaster 5000 in from Mexico. They're illegal here because of their high water use.

Not odd that you would know this. Have you been medically diagnosed yet?

I think this has been a problem since the introduction of water saving toilets. There has been a lot of flubbing around with the technology, and newer examples may work better. I replaced two toilets in my home to correct this problem, and in neither case was it a "user" issue. The new toilets fixed it. Home Depot used to actually have "flush ratings" on each toilet on display.

Kohler is a special PITA. Kohler reinvents the flush valve and the fill valve with every new product. If you replace the works with the wrong item, or worse, use a generic, the toilet won't flush correctly. In some cases, even the lowly flappers are unique designs. You have to go to a Kohler specialist and use the toilet model number to get the right parts. The low rise Kohlers from the 90's are special problems, since the parts are NLA. Have a look at how many variations they've made on this theme:

https://www.plumbingsupply.com/kohler-toilet-flush-valves.html
https://www.plumbingsupply.com/kohler-toilet-fill-valves.html

So I think the problem here is the actual toilet, and can't be fixed except by replacement.

I use a reflector flood light-awhile on the toilet base then the ring right before I place the toilet. Just warm, not hot.

__________________
Tony H
W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe
Manual transmission

Past cars:
Porsche 914 2.0
'64 Jaguar XKE Roadster
'57 Oval Window VW
'71 Toyota Hilux Pickup Truck-Dad bought new
'73 Toyota Celica GT

Helping Hands and priceless tips .

I've had a wonderful Kohler throne for some years now, long enough to replace the flapper valve more than once and the hardware sore had a single red silicone one that fits almost all Kohlers.....

Never a clog, not once nor has my son in over ten years with two young children .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

My mbr toilet, the most used in the house is now requiring three or four flushes to clear itself.

Drat!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Judging by the amount of old toilets set out by the curb every year. I suspect buildup in the hidden water passages as a possible common culprit. That hole in front of the trap possibly starts the syphon better. If there is buildup in that water passage. It would have a serious effect I suspect. A rubber inflating seal inserted past the toilet trap with an air hose for inflation.

Then the toilet filled to the brim with a good cleaner and water. Might make it as new. If you do not have mineral deposits. On the other hand new toilets are pretty cheap considering.

They almost use no water. Or the water is moving in a higher volume faster like all the no swirl toilets i have been installing. Yet wonder about how long they will preform as well. They are not going to do well with any buildup of in that hole passage. To me the flow just pushes the load into and through the trap visually. No Vortex at all. I was also thinking on a marginal sloping drain there may not be enough water per flush for that drain.

So far so good with the elongated toilet bowls. They almost instantly set up a suction pull. In comparison to toilets with a vortex action. I am still impressed. If they will go the distance is another issue. They are a little higher as well. This possibly increases the gravity drop effect of the water a little. The old ones use a developing suction. The non vortex ones more of a forced one. The centrifical force the vortex ones develop on the load as well as the water has to be overcome. Wasting the needed flush energy as well. A huge percentage of the flush water goes to building up the vortex.