Low Bowl Water Level

Hi,
I'm having a similiar problem with low bowl water level as astro46 mentioned in his posting (https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4692). I'm a novice homeowner so I don't understand what "The horizontal under the toilet" is that's mentioned in the post. Can someone describe what that is?

I have a Kohler Rialto "gravity lite" toliet, model K-3386. My problem started when the toliet became plugged. I used a plunger so the toliet is now able to flush correctly but the water level in the bowl didn't return to the originial level. After using a 3' auger the water level is now lower than after I used the plunger. My thought is I might have moved a partial blockage farther down the system but I'm not sure. Should I try a 6' auger, remove the toliet to check for a blockage or something else? Thanks in advance for the help!!

level

The water level in the bowl is controlled by its internal construction, and cannot be changed. So if your level is lower than normal, then something inside the tank is not correct and the proper amount of water is not being returned to the bowl after flushing.

One point I forgot to mention is which is also similiar to astro46's post. After flushing the water in the bowl reaches the original level but then quickly drops to the level it's at currently. It will stay at this level until flushed again so water doesn't appear to be leaking from the bowl.

You may have a siphon situation, which suggests a vent problem.

Here is a test. Slowly pour water into the bowl. The water should reach a level equal to the lowest point in the highest arch of the outlet passage; not higher and not lower.

In most low-flow toilets, you can see the shape of the outlet passage if you look at the side of the toilet. Allowing for the thickness of the ceramic, the low point I am talking about is the lowest point of the highest part of the arch of the discharge passage.

If the water sustains a level that is too high, you have a plugged toilet or drain.

If the water sustains a level that is too low, you may have a leak in the toilet, but that is rare. Because you are pouring the water in slowly, you can't start a siphon effect.

Now, if you pour a bucket of water in quickly, you will start a siphon effect which will take the water out until the siphon is broken. That is what happens in normal flushing, and the failure to return to the correct level in the toilet is usually a result of the fill tube in the tank not putting water into the standpipe in the tank while the tank is filling.

If the water level reaches the normal level in the toilet after a flush, and then goes lower after some time or event such as another toilet flushing, then you probably have a plugged vent or no proper vent.

It could also be due to some hair stuck in the trap which then siphons the water out.

See here

Hope this helps,
.../j

How about while using the auger in this bowl it damaged the trapway and it does not hold water like it originaly did? thus the smaller waterspot. I've seen people put an Auger right thru the side of a bowl!

I've seen the auger through through bowl too, but you have to be an animal to accomplish that.

If the refill tube flows water into the overflow pipe, then I would look for a toilet that partially plugged or the drain just below the toilet is partially plugged.

you really dont need to be an animal to do it! But in regards to what I stated earlier, the hardest part to push your auger through is over the WEIR especialy if using a drop-head auger and breaking the littlest part of this off or cracking this area Will effect the water level in the bowl once the water becomes stagnant. remember its quite obvious that it is not a refill or overflow problem because the water fills to normal height during cycle of tank refill. and I doubt a slight blockage because the water level receades as quickly as described, reinforcing my conclusion. Kohler realtos and just about every other toilet manufactured today were not designed by rocket scientists! While your tank is refilling there isn't a precise amount of water dumping down the overflow tube to refill the bowl. Quite a large amount of water is overflowing past the weir of the bowl. Now once the Ballcock shuts off stopping also the bowl refill, the water only now can be seen receeding in the bowl and stops when it reaches its new level below the crack.

also if there was a stoppage problem below this toilet somewhere further down the line.... if it was substantial enuf to cause the water level to drop quickly it would also effect the way the toilet flushed solid waste, which the poster is not complaining about.