I have the 1.6 flush but lately it has the following symptom;
it seems to flush like the old toilets with 3 gallons.

It has a dice shaped float above the flapper. No matter where I put the float it does the same.
I think the problem is because there is some slack, about an inch, between the arm which holds the chain and the float. I cannot unhook this to make it tighter because my fingers are not strong enough to pinch it free. I used to think there should be no slack. Is my best bet to get a new flap, chain and arm with no float or is there a trick to unhooking that chain that is pressed into the plastic arm?
Thank you

 

Needle nose pliers are the trick. As for the rest of your post, I have no idea.

 

Thank you very much for the pliers suggestion; I 'll give it a try.

 

Whats the make and model of the toilet? Its probably a kohler or a american standard, no?

Possible you have the wrong flapper. Sometimes you need OEM.

 

American Standard and possibly so.

I had a thought, it began all of a sudden and our grand children visit occasionally.

Not to blame them but It looks like there is too much water trying to go down, OR, it looks like there could be something not allowing the water to leave.

I tried an electrician's tape but could only get about a foot in the hole beause the tape has a coil of wire on the end about 1/2 inch around or there is a block.

I could insert a thinner plastic toilet cleaner all the way though.

I am too old sick and not wealthy enough to have the toilet removed or do it my self so I will keep doing the double flush.
At least there is one in the first floor.
Thank you for your ideas.

 

Sorry to bother you.

As I said I have a bright orange and yellow square of foam or something that is supposed to be a float to hold the flapper up.

Should it be lower to the flapper or towards the top towards the handle?

I need to increase the speed of the water leaving the bowl

Thank you

 

Get a toilet auger and give it a try..... Have a friend auger it if your not up to the task.... An electricians tape just will not cut it.....

 

**Please re read my post # 6 about where the float should be; that might solve everything.

I will ask around for an auger + thanks.
Peter

 

The float (if adjustable) should be set so that almost all the water empties from the tank. When I say almost all....normally the flapper will close when there is about 2" or so remaining. Both my newer 1.6 gal AS toilet and older 3.5gal toilet work that way.

Trial and error...but I would think moving it further away from the flapper would allow earlier closing.....moving it closer would delay closing.

 

I am off to Home Depot. The pliers or me broke the plastic handle where the beaded chain sits.
I can price an auger while I am there as there seems to be too much water to get down.
However, a normal bathroom visit was not backing up or clogging..

 

I am sorry to keep the plumbing dept. too busy.

I got a new arm, flap with chain. It is universal by FluidMaster and like my other toilet that runs good you turn it left or right for faster or slower flap closing.

I have the chain as tight as can be without the flap leaking, BUT, the flap closes as soon as you turn the handle not allowing time for the bowl to even begin to empty. I turned it both max and min. If I hold it and count to four or five it flushes.

It needs more time but how do I do that?

 

Was that old flapper with the float the original? You need one with a float then.....

Take a pic of the original flapper....

Could you get #'s off the lid and tank? You said its american standard? What year?

Lets make sure its not the toilet. Get a 5 gallon bucket and fill with 2 gallons or so. Dump it in the bowl quickly. How does it flush? Try it several times.

Let us know....

 

The chain needs some slack....otherwise the weight of the chain after releasing the handle will help pull it down. Also with the chain too tight...it may not allow the flapper to "flop" all the way to it's open position.

Bucket test is a good thing to do.

 

I started this so I wanted to let you all know the results.
This may sound strange but, I remember fixing the flapper on the downstairs toilet by installing a FluidMaster (minimum/maximum )flapper. It was a brownish orange flapper which you adjust by turning the flap itself. I remember it took about a week before it started working right and has worked ever since.

I installed the same upstairs that had a float which I removed. The same thing happened. At first it would close too fast. Then it stayed open too long. But with each flush over the days, it is now flushing nicely like downstairs. They should state in the directions that it has to acclimate to the ears of the toilet or the toilet itself. I will write the company.
Sounds fluky but that's it.
Thank you all for all the help and hopefully this will help someone else..

 

Thanks for posting back Peter. I too have used those flappers and was always happy with them. I wonder if it just takes a bunch of flushes for the parts to wear in? I know the ones I used had a hard plastic pivot that the flapper snapped in to.

 

Hi GunGuy45
You wrote, "it just takes a bunch of flushes for the parts to wear in", and I think you hit the nail on the head.
Let us hope others read this.
Thanks
Peter

 

Hello
The Fluid master universal doesn't close on time and too much water comes in like the toilet is going to over flow. We have to stand by with a plunger.
A while ago a friend cut about 1/12 inch off the over flow tube.
I put a piece of tubing on the over flow tube to bring the over flow tube to the correct height and it is so tight I cannot remove it.
Now I cannot slide a set of ears down the over flow tube to install a flapper that works easily. That could be the problem. Now I don't have the ability to slide the ears holder onto the tube.
I think the original had the float.
I can't seem to coordinate the pieces.
It does close, just too late. I know I should either turn the tank over and put a new tube in or buy a new toilet but I guess by now you can tell my age and surgeries are preventing me from doing that.
If you don't reply I don't blame you as this is a mess. if you have an idea I would appreciate that.
Thank you

 

Hello
I am sorry to beat a dead horse but needed an an opinion on an update. I adjusted the replacement Fluid Master universal flap so the at least the toilet flushes like the old 3 gal ones although it is a 1.6.
When I flush usually it acts like the 3 gal one and works but, often the water comes as high as the rim of the bowl, sits there and slowly begins to go down then suddenly goes down rapidly. At times I just put a plunger in and it goes right down with hardly a plunge.
Could a rodent or bird have gotten into the air pipe behind the wall or would the toilet not work at all if that was the case?
I had person lower a brass nozzle on a hose from the roof all the way down - clear.
Also, could it be a cheap one and the throat not glazed so excess toilet paper clogs it? These ideas are new since my older posts.
Thank you
Peter
P.S. I read that you could move the aim of the rubber tube shooting water into the overflow tube so not so much goes in that tube - if that is a good idea, am I wasting water ?

 

Sounds like a blockage to me... Best to use an auger to clear anything...

The toilet paper test can confirm...

Flush toilet with wads of toilet paper... If it clogs then there is blockage in the throat /trapway..

q tips, plastic cleaning wands....ect.

 

@lawrosa
I will get my neighbor's auger and give it a try and let you know. Thanks all.
Peter

 

Hello again
i wanted to report back.
The auger seems to have gone about 1 + 1/2 to 2 feet in. It is hard to tell. I also tried am electrician's tape because it is skinnier.
The toilet seems to flush like a 3 gallon one but I am thankful it flushes.

Does the idea about diverting the rubber hose a little so not all the water goes in the overflow tube seem good or bad regarding the bowl filling so much on a flush?
Maybe the flapper is open too long - I don't know.
Anyway, I appreciate the help and like I said, at least it flushes and has not over flowed yet.
Thanks
Peter

 

No, you need the water to replenish some water in the bowl for a proper flush. Some low flush toilets actually do a pretty good job of mimicking a high flush toilet in terms of bowl swirl and action.

The flapper will stay up due to the air pocket found on the underside until the suction from the water going down the hole pulls it shut. I have seen toilets act like yours and found foreign objects as Mike eluded stuck at the toilet/flange transition.

 

Czizzi - I think what you are saying is that there could be something where the bowl meets the floor flanges which would mean removing the bowl to see. I'll think about that if I can find a young back.

I also wish I could replace the ears that hold the flap but they are part of the tube and I would have to take the tank off to use new ones that come with the new flapper.
It flushes, so thank you all. If I go further I'll let you know.
Peter