Toto toilet dies!

I have had several posts here about 2 new toilets that I installed recently. A Kohler Cimmaron, and a Toto (not sure of name) one piece, low profile. Anyway, this evening, I came in, and noticed the Toto was clogging, and even after unclogging, it seemed like any normal amount of useage for solid waste would upset the balance again. I removed the toilet myself, and discovered a clog in the trapway. After investigating a little, I found the trapway to be finished very roughly, with a rough surface, very poor glazing, and some very large blisters that seemed to be favoring snagging waste, with a very large and nasty buildup of "crap" (pardon the pun). Since I am now helping out the plumber who installed this toilet, I will be sending it back for a replacement. I have done some reading here in the past about Toto's glazing problems on some models, and I am seriously considering replacement of this unit with another Cimmaron. My question for any Toto dealers here; Is this a normal problem for Toto? Or did I just pick a bad year or a bad model to buy? I find it hard to believe that with 2 new toilets, the one that I am having problems with cost me better than twice as much as the one that I am starting to consider a favorite! Yea, the Kohler has washdown issues, but it's not as bad as some make it out to be. Plus a local box store now keeps everything that I would ever need for repairs on it....and when I flush the Kohler, its all gone, and with no clogging.

With all the reviews on Totos that I have read I would say you just got a bad one.

Cass said:

With all the reviews on Totos that I have read I would say you just got a bad one.

Click to expand...

I have been doing some digging online, and I have come to the same conclusion. Maybe a monday morning or friday afternoon product. What gets me is that this thing has worked perfect for the last several months, and believe me, with all of the kids that run in and out of here, it has been well tested, and then all of a sudden, this happens overnight. Anyway, Ive got another one on the way, and we are also going to investigate the drain line while we're in there. My helper thinks that the problem might be beyond the toilet, and because it went wrong so suddenly after working perfectly for months, I agree with him.

Try pouring a 5 gallon bucket of water down the flange hole with the toilet off and see what happens.

Quote:
"What gets me is that this thing has worked perfect for the last several months, and believe me, with all of the kids that run in and out of here, it has been well tested, and then all of a sudden, this happens overnight."

I'll bet there is something stuck in the trapway that you can't see.

Kids

Cass said:

Try pouring a 5 gallon bucket of water down the flange hole with the toilet off and see what happens.

I'll bet there is something stuck in the trapway that you can't see.

Kids

Click to expand...

Lol! Already done. $100 later, line is clean, and toilet reinstalled. They pulled a large sponge out of the line, which was stuck in a 45 degree el with what looked like 20 pounds of toilet paper and crap behind it. Im amazed that this thing made it through the toilet, and even more amazed that it stopped in the line under the house. Anyway, they put the same toilet back on the floor. There is another one on the way, and it will be switched out, but as well as this one worked in the past, I would be content even with the rough trapway. I told the guys just to put it back and leave it be, but they want to replace it regardless, so Im ok with that.

It may not have. Do you recognize the sponge?

Who installed the toilet?

I know many plumbers that use a sponge to remove water from toilets.

Cass said:

It may not have. Do you recognize the sponge?

Who installed the toilet?

I know many plumbers that use a sponge to remove water from toilets.

Click to expand...

Yep..I did recognize the sponge. Lol! Had a kid here over the weekend, and gave it to him for a bath. Just didnt realize it was missing until it was found. Now Im even more impressed with this magical toilet that can swallow a sponge! By the way, I had a short section of 3' pipe replaced with 4" pvc. I always thought that all toilet lines were 4"...guess I was wrong.

I'm glad it wasn't the Toto. Happy flushing!!!!!

I owned a couple of rental properties in my younger stupider days. From that experience I learned if there are kids around and you have a plumbing problem, they are the first suspect.