Strange toilet problem

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RunninRich

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Toilet is Standard Collection by American Standard. It will not completly flush, the water level stays the same in the bowl. If water is poured into the bowl it will empty. I have removed the toilet, wax seal looks great, can't see anything from the bottom.

Tried a couple of adjustments suggested by AS technical service, no change.

Customer told me it flushes after cleaning but just that one time, then back to the same old thing. Gave me an idea. If I put a couple of drops of Joy soap in the bowl, it works! But just for that one flush.

I am going to replace the toilet, but I have no idea why it is working this way. A friend with some plumbing background said he wouldn't believe it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

Rich
 

Bob NH

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Here is a hypothetical.

My guess it that something is caught in its throat. Maybe a piece of junk with some plastic grocery bag on it. When it gets a full flush, the stuff gets jammed up and blocks the water. When you pour in some water slowly, it dribbles through.

Test it while you have it off the system. Pour some water in the tank and flush it. See if you get the same result.

I would do a ramrod cleanout from the outlet end. Maybe you could get a line through it and pull a something large back and forth through it to be sure it is really cleaned out.

If the toilet works when it is disconnected but not when installed, maybe it is a problem with the plumbing and there could be a problem with a new one.

Just thought of another possibility. If there is a leak at the high point in the passageway it could cause loss of the siphon effect and make it flush poorly.
 
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Plumber1

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plugged toilet

Have you put a closet auger through the toilet while it goes through the motions of only partially flushing?
 

RunninRich

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Have not tried to run a line through it. I'll give it a go tomorrow. Still don't know how something in the throat explains why it will work if a couple of drops of soap are added.

Rich
 

Cass

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I had a similar problem once. You couldn't get the toilet to flush right for love nor money. It was a drug test kit on a plastic card stuck from one corner of the card to the opposit corner in the trap. When you flushed the toilet it turned in the trap so the card blocked the water and caused a very slow drain BUT if you ran an auger through it the card pivoted and the auger just went in and out.

Try, if you haven't and if you can, reaching in through the bowl. If you can't take a small or peice of mirror and flash light and look up into the trapway from the bowl.

The soap bit is strange.

Your discription makes me think Bob NH is on the right track.
 
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