Flush Lever on new Toto toilets.

First post from this Newbie. I have just had installed 3 Ultramax 1.28 GPF toilets and 1 (Eco?) Drake 2-piece 1.28gpf in my house. My daughter has the slightly older 1.6 models in her home. Although I haven't stressed them yet, the new flush system appears to be quite good.

I did note that the flushing levers appear loose and the arc it takes appears to drift away from the tank as the lever is depressed - this is not the case with my daughter's. Is this the way it was set up (all the flush levers on the toilets installed appear to function the same way) or is there a problem with the installation?

Also, on the Drake, the water level in the tank seems to vary with the length of time the lever is depressed. Correct?

Thanks for any help you can give me. Model numbers on request.

Best regards,

Pugzilla

There is a slightly "floaty" quality to the feel of the flush levers on our Totos. So what you are describing doesn't sound concerning. Also, the lever is installed at the factory, so it wouldn't be an issue with installation.

Generally, with low-flow toilets, you want to give the lever a good push so the flapper opens all the way, and then let go, because it's going to close very quickly. If you hold it down, more water than should will drain from the tank. The design of the toilet is to have more water in the tank than it will use in one flush, to raise the height of the water column and thus to raise the pressure with which that water will be shoved into the toilet. So, you push, let go, and then let the valve close as designed.

Thanks for the response - the explanation for the way the 2-piece Drake flushes makes total sense. The reason I was concerned was that 2 of the 3 Ultramaxes had the chrome lever replaced with body color ceramic levers (but they all felt the same, so it was probably not a factor). What I don't quite understand is that the "feel" of the lever during flushing is nowhere near as crisp or solid as my daughter's bought a few years back (and which are 1.6 GPF).

At least they're not defective.

Pugzilla