Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Many plastics don't like petroleum products...try a silicon plumber's grease. No idea if this will work, or work long term, but at least use something designed for this purpose!
However, it is fact that Toto realized from the very beginning that the low flow requirements could not be reached with superficial and minor changes to flush valves. . . They did not rely on gimmicks like pressure assisted flushing or fancy flush valves to accomplish this, so when normal replacement of things like flappers is needed, they are available in hardware stores and discount centers everywhere. So yes, we do tend to tout the Toto toilets, but it is with good reason that we do.
Hey, Brian. Enjoyed your post.
Don't try to put a pressure tank with a gravity bowl or visa versa. Won't work; one way will create a big mess, and the other way the water will just go "glug" and, for the most part, stay in the tank. There are a few (very few) good analytical articles around the web that show in detail the different engineering involved.
The original Toto Drake is available in a lot of places for an about-$200 price point. Given the quality of the unit, that seems like a fair price to me. We now have two. We will probably end up with more. (We also have a tonier Carlyle II, but the basic Drake would work fine for us in most applications.)
We have this toilet and it worked for about two months, then stopped flushing reliably. Called the company and they sent a new flush mechanism. Very prompt service. Because of the shape of our tank, it was not an easy task to replace this part. Would have to remove all of the insides to replace the flush mechanism. So, we tried just removing the two little caps on it and replacing the springs inside with the springs that came in the new unit. It worked! Flushed reliably again for about 3 months. Now, back to never knowing if it will flush. If we take off the caps, the toilet will flush while the cap is off, seemingly from some kind of relation to the spring action being released. My husband wants to just replace the toilet. I am going to try to find a source for the springs and see if replacing them regularly will solve the problem. Just guessing, I suppose, but for our unit the springs definitely seem to be a factor.
Because he is trying to say that the toilet is a piece of crap. Buy the FLUSHMATE for better performance. Made in USA and far more reliable.Why do you call it a lemon?
From my reading of this thread and others, where EcoFlush seemed to get into trouble was on the dual flush 1.1/1.6 that they put into all the Gerbers, Zurns, etc
If I go with the Flushmate, is there a 1.1 gpf option available?
The 1.28 Flushmate should work fine. I had switched the EcoFlush B8104 1.1 GPF out to Flushmate 503 Series 1.28 GPF on my American Standard 4142.100 tank. WDI EcoFlush tends to have various flaws including constant leaks at the upper supply when the tank is re-pressurizing after a flush.Question for the professionals who have been having problems with EcoFlush over the past 10 years:
I'm a homeowner who has bought and installed two American Standards with the EcoFlush B8104 inside, a single flush 1.1 gpf. Both have been top performers with *knock on wood* no problems thusfar. The serial numbers start 2013- and 2014-, which I assume are the dates of manufacture, so perhaps they're still on their probationary periods.
From my reading of this thread and others, where EcoFlush seemed to get into trouble was on the dual flush 1.1/1.6 that they put into all the Gerbers, Zurns, etc. Does anyone have anything to report specifically on the reliability of the B8104 1.1 single flush?
I'm picking up an American Standard 2467 tomorrow that is being given away because the owner supposedly has issues with the B8104 inside. I'm assuming I will have to replace the pressure tank but will test it first. If I go with the Flushmate, is there a 1.1 gpf option available? All I see is a 1.28.
I'd really rather not go backwards on the water consumption, since my current 1.1s have the raw power to handle the aftermath of Mexican food and half a roll of TP. But then again, reliability is, of course, paramount.
Thanks,
Dan