toilet not flushing fully help !

[Raff]

Hi first post here, and in desperate need for some advice thanks

Our toilet is a very old style system, its not one of those built all in ones it has a separate tank way above the toilet bowl.

Looks similar to this:

hxxp://st.houzz.com/simgs/526124c802174c0c_15-8512/modern-bathroom.jpg (replace xx forum not allowing me link picture)

On xmas day our toilet starting to not flush fully, plenty of water in the toilet bowl always but I noticed it required 2 pulls of the lever to get it to flush right.

But today its flushing barely (maybe works once within an hour) when I pull the lever it goes straight down without force where as before it felt like it was pulling something ? Perhaps odd way to describe it but feels like the tank up there is empty of water or something worn out?

Council has refused to send a plumber round since they deem it not health and safety and not emergency they said to try again next week if it gets worse:xmas:

she did however suggest the stopcock is worn out before refusing or helping me.

Any help would be appreciated, I can attempt a DIY fix perhaps.

 

[TomLane]

More than likely the large plastic diaphragm washer in the syphon.

These can be replaced but going to that trouble, the whole syphon itself can be replaced fairly inexpensively.

If you don't feel confident in doing the repair, in the mean time use a bucket to flush the loo.

 

[tom609]

Syphon is worn out and requires either a new washer or syphon stopcock faulty is a load of ball cocks you are in rented accomodation you have tenants rights contact them again

 

[tamz]

I think you could contact them until you went blue in the face. It won't get done any quicker.
The council like everyone else at this time of year have limited staff on duty who's time will be taken up by more important things like turning up room stats and topping up the pressure on some halfwits boiler.
It is not an emergency unless you know how to play the game :wink:

 

[tom609]

Tell them you have a leak that will get them out ha ha

 

[Raff]

I think you could contact them until you went blue in the face. It won't get done any quicker.
The council like everyone else at this time of year have limited staff on duty who's time will be taken up by more important things like turning up room stats and topping up the pressure on some halfwits boiler.
It is not an emergency unless you know how to play the game :wink:

yup I knew the timing was bad, I should have told them its completely stopped flushing and now toilet is piling up will say just that next week when they open again.

I have watched some youtube vids it is an involved process if my top tank was at the bottom I could do it but not at such a height, I guess I could remove and bring it all the way down and then replace with an entire syphon kit seen this one here:

hxxp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/dudley-duoflush-turbo-88-toilet-syphon-8-inch-/310830362037?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&hash=item485eeeedb5

Ill op for the call out again next week and see how it goes.

 

[Raff]

Ok got right up there and took the tank top off and its a dudley duoflash turbo 88 already installed in there lol

I tried flushing it again twice and it failed again the lever just goes down quickly as if not catching the water or pressure. I noticed the water fill level but the water was a good inch away less so topped it up with 1 jug of water and it flushed straight away

I have made sure all connections are tight and cleaned some openings just in case and it seemed to flush ok again. Takes a good 5-6 minutes to fully fill up again.

Is this perhaps just a setting adjustment I need to do here possible or it still needs replacing ?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

sounds like the fill valve is slow to fill and not filling enough to correctly flush the toilet. it needs a new fill valve.

 

[Raff]

sounds like the fill valve is slow to fill and not filling enough to correctly flush the toilet. it needs a new fill valve.

It does seem to fill a bit slow but not really that much different from before.

I have cleaned the pipes and bits inside and tried 4 flushes over the past 2hrs and all were successful the first time round, and I noticed when pushing the lever it now retains that force and pull as if its pulling water in which I have not had for past few days.

Perhaps the turkey did not win after all :asshole:

 

[Best]

The handle will feel like it's not pulling anything- if there is very little or no water in cistern, or if the washer in the syphon is torn.
You probably have a syphon washer problem and you def must have something wrong with the fill valve. Water should ideally fill to the full level mark & in about 2 or 3 min with luck.

I just Googled Dudley 88 syphon, & it is I think as I thought - a 2 part syphon that can have the main part of it removed from the stem easily & a new washer fitted or you could carefully cut one out of very heavy polythene sheet.

 

[Raff]

The handle will feel like it's not pulling anything- if there is very little or no water in cistern, or if the washer in the syphon is torn.
You probably have a syphon washer problem and you def must have something wrong with the fill valve. Water should ideally fill to the full level mark & in about 2 or 3 min with luck.

I just Googled Dudley 88 syphon, & it is I think as I thought - a 2 part syphon that can have the main part of it removed from the stem easily & a new washer fitted or you could carefully cut one out of very heavy polythene sheet.

Thanks yeah I noticed on youtube they were showing how easy it is to remove and replace the dudley 88 without having to remove the main piping and whole system. If it does totally stop and my council people are still acting like scrounge I may take it out and see if I can find this washer from it and order one off.... or worst case order entire unit for 20 quid.

 

[Raff]

just found this one ebay:

hxxp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THOMAS-DUDLEY-SPARES-SERVICE-KIT-FOR-TURBO-88-SYPHONS-Part-No-319228-/251286373717?pt=UK_HG_Toilets_RL&hash=item3a81d5c555

says it contains all washer spares for the dudley and for just over 5 quid maybe my best bet... will see how it goes!

 

[Best]

I just very carefully cut a washer for syphons if they are unusual type or if I simply don't have that washer. Rarely will a syphon need anything else - especially a 2 part syphon. Should be a few seconds job (not joking) as usually you remove a pin or slacken a nut on the 2 part syphons & it pulls upwards.
Beware that the water level is sometimes lowered due to a new lower syphon being fitted to a cistern and if the water were to remain at water line mark then it would run through syphon. Sometimes a lower syphon was fitted to avoid the need for an overflow pipe.

 

[Raff]

just wanted to thank all on here

It has a few times not flushed, but now at least can ring council and get them to sort it... if worst comes to worst and I have to replace the syphon or the washer in it ive seen a few youtube vids and saved them so got a better idea on how to do it.

 

[Raff]

Well plumber came out was very friendly and nice and even advised me that it sounds like the syphon is gone.

He explained how easy this one was since you pull out the yellow peg and it separates (which I knew already from the youtube vids) he told me this ones better but more expensive but saves him from spending hours to replace the syphon since he can just replace the part.

plumber showed me how the white plastic part which is the syphon diaphragm :

hxxp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151015911890&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

Had a massive hole in it so was unable to work correctly.

Is this what you guys meant by washer ? cos a washer looks different on the ebay link.

Perhaps easier just to order a whole new part at 20 quid just in case but for now its flushing again so happy family

 

[TomLane]

More than likely the large plastic diaphragm washer in the syphon.

These can be replaced but going to that trouble, the whole syphon itself can be replaced fairly inexpensively.

If you don't feel confident in doing the repair, in the mean time use a bucket to flush the loo.

Well plumber came out was very friendly and nice and even advised me that it sounds like the syphon is gone.

He explained how easy this one was since you pull out the yellow peg and it separates (which I knew already from the youtube vids) he told me this ones better but more expensive but saves him from spending hours to replace the syphon since he can just replace the part.

plumber showed me how the white plastic part which is the syphon diaphragm :

hxxp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151015911890&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

Had a massive hole in it so was unable to work correctly.

Is this what you guys meant by washer ? cos a washer looks different on the ebay link.

Perhaps easier just to order a whole new part at 20 quid just in case but for now its flushing again so happy family

That's certainly what I meant, yes.

Glad you managed to get it sorted. At least by watching the plumber, next time this happens you will be able to fix it yourself. Disaster averted!