Toilet issue

[fishinJohn]

In my house our toilet quit flushing on the first day of my vacation. I tried the plunger, no luck. I tried a snake, big regret, only scratched the finish of the bowl. I took the whole toilet out and saw water sitting in the drain pipe so I knew it was not a blockage in the toilet itself. I tried to snake the drain pipe, got the snake pretty far but no luck. Then I took off the drain pipe for the sink in the bathroom and snaked from there. Still no luck. I went to the downstairs sink, opened the drain pipe and snaked from there to see if I would have a better angle or something. No luck. On the other side of that wall is a cleanout cap (not sure the technical term - made of brass with a square end for your wrench) in the main pipe. I tried to get that off but couldn't. I looked online for ideas and saw one to try - going in from the vent in the roof. I used my chimney sweeping pole, found the blockage right away and was easily able to push it through. I went back inside and poured water down the drain and all was well.

Since I had the toilet all apart anyway and some components were rough looking I decided to replace the float valve and flapper. I also removed the old wax and put in a new wax ring when putting the bowl back on. I get it all back together, adjust the water level in the tank and that little float on the flapper chain so it will fill the tank properly and drain most of the water when I flush.

The Issue: when I flush the toilet the water drains fine but it doesn’t make the flushing sound and when it is draining the water level doesn’t seem to go all the way to the bottom of the bowl. This allows some material to stay in the bowl. The bowl doesn’t drain slow, it just doesn’t drain completely before refilling. I experimented with the water level and the float on the flapper but nothing I do gives me a solid flush. There is no weird gurgling or anything that would tell me it isn’t venting well but I am wondering if that could still be my issue. I also don’t see the swirling action in the bowl as much as I think there should be. Searching online has not helped. I know there are some really good people on this site who help others. If you made it through my book of a post I hope you can give me just another minute for a reply. Thanks and happy new year. I should also mention that my tank has a big plastic "flomaster" thing that sits kind of over a vent tube, not really sure what it does but it says to not remove.

[Nordern]

I had that same symptom last year and finally traced it to the holes under the rim being blocked or partially blocked. I used an inspection mirror and a bent coat hanger to remedy the issue. Once the holes were all clear she flushed just fine. The culprit I later discovered was some type of block toilet freshener that was put into the tank and as it dissolved it plugged the holes.

[fishinJohn]

Hmm, I will have a look but I am doubtful (never used anything in the tank and we have lived here 5 years). I wonder if I bought the wrong wax seal. I bought for a four inch drain pipe but inside the wax area there is a piece of plastic that seemed to reduce the hole size. I am thinking that maybe when the bowl fills to that tipping point of flushing that I am not getting the proper suction due to that reduction(?). Maybe all wax seals have that, I am not sure. When I pulled off the toilet I don't recall any plastic being there, just wax.

[schmoe147]

I have seen where the Wax ring itself is blocking part of the drain and that will sometimes affect the Flushing itself.

[Archerysniper]

I have seen where the Wax ring itself is blocking part of the drain and that will sometimes affect the Flushing itself.

+1000 it happens a lot with the jumbo wax rings when you don't need them,sometimes more is less.

[Marbleye'd]

I would say if you can flush other toilets and sinks drain fine then it would have to be in the wax ring. I was told by a plumber once, that he was on a call to fix a toilet that a home owner had installed, that he removed the toilet and found that the home owner didn't remove the plastic wrapper/ packageing off the ring. It would flush slow and no solids would go down

[Archerysniper]

I am a plumber and you wouldn't believe what homeowners and building maintenance guys do,they keep me really busy.

[Redlantern]

Try running your snake through the bowl again to break up any excess wax that might be impeding the flow. I'd suspect the holes under the rim but it doesn't sound like the house is that old. Minerals and chemicals (as mentioned earlier) do eventually fill the holes.

Off topic a bit but I strongly advise against using any chemical cleaners that you leave in the tank of the toilet. They break down the rubber components prematurely and make a huge mess when trying to pull a toilet. Water is going to splash when you pull a stool, no matter how much you try to get all of the water out. That blue stuff stains everything. Some toilet manufacturers will void a warranty if a chemical cleaner was placed in the tank.

[crackcrappie]

the hole in the tank were the flapper is may have something in it or your flapper is not working properly did you replace it with the same style that was in there before, being a maintenance person for 15 yrs in hated the fluid masters nothing but problems for the extra you pay buy same replacement parts