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salenam · Sep 4, 2006, 11:39 AM

My toilet just started filling up and very slowly draning until most of the water's gone, but it's not flushing the waste down with it.
I've tried 3 times now. The tank empties and refills, the bowl fills up almost to the point of overflow and then VERY slowly drains. No flushing is happening.
How do I fix this?

jandtdeater · Sep 4, 2006, 11:45 AM

Got a plunger? Use it. Something, whether you just made a deposit in the tiolet or a child threw something in it then flushed it, unknowing to you, is plugging the drain and needs help going down. If you plunge for a period and it is still not draining as it should then there is a denser obstruction in there and you will need to contact a plummer. Until that time don't use that toilet.

salenam · Sep 4, 2006, 11:51 AM

Thanks. I actually don't, but I'm heading out to buy one now. Here's to hoping Home Depot is open.

speedball1 · Sep 4, 2006, 12:53 PM

I have one that most repair plumbers miss.. Look down at the bottom of the bowl. If there is a small hole, then that is a jet that starts the syphon action. If it's clogged the water will just swirl around and slowly go down leaving solids behind. Take your finger,(UGH! ) and run it around the inside of the opening. Over the years minerals build up and cut down on the syphon (flush) action. If it is rough or you feel build up, take a table knife and put a bend in it to get around the curve in the bowl and chip and scrap it clear. Next take a coathanger and clear out the holes around the rim. They start the swirling action. And last, check the water level in the tank. It should be 1/2" below the top of the over flow tube. And speaking of the overflow tube, Make sure the small 1/8" tube from the ballcock to the white overflow tube is connected so it discharges in it and that it's flowing when the ballcock fills. This is what raises the water level in the bowl. For a good solid flush they all have to work together. Hope this helps . Tom

salenam · Sep 4, 2006, 02:39 PM

Okay- either I bought a crummy plunger or I'm doing it wrong. Now the bowl is emptying more slowly and all the water's not leaving like it was.
I don't see any little hole in the bottom for a jet either. Any ideas?

speedball1 · Sep 4, 2006, 03:01 PM

I wish I had advised you before you went out and bought a plunger. Plungers just move the water around. You should have purchased a closet auger, (see image). If there's no jet then you have a washdown toilet.
Most hardware stores sell them. If you need instructions to use the auger just click back. Regards, Tom

salenam · Sep 4, 2006, 10:09 PM

Well, my fiancé came home and the plunger worked fine for him. It's all fixed now- thanks for your help everyone.

msjayp · Apr 28, 2012, 01:06 AM

The plunging does get the water down, but I have to do it every time?? And I used the auger already nothing is coming up on it?

mps15 · Jul 4, 2012, 11:23 AM

THANK YOU! I had tried everything to get this issue figured out and was ready to call in the big guns(a plumber). Stuck my finger in that hole--gross --and it was so clogged with mineral deposits... cleaned it out and used the hanger around the rimholes per your instruction and now I have that 'healthy wooshing sound' that I love back!

ArtDudley · Jul 23, 2012, 11:05 AM

Your solution tip saved me a bundle!! I was ready to call a plumber ($$$) when a quick Google search led me to this thread. I used a large toothpick to clear the holes around the rim and my pinkie in the hole in the bottom of the bowl. Presto, several successful flushes... thank you so much! The problem was intermittent, but was driving us nuts.

You da' best! :)

speedball1 · Jul 23, 2012, 01:03 PM

Thanks for the update. Always nice to hear when one of our solutions works. Cheers, Tom

wvcadle · Nov 2, 2012, 03:05 PM

I have the same problem. I had already taken a small pocket knife to the small hole and cleaned the holes around the rim. I finally decided that my vent pipe was clogged. After cutting out some of the pipe, I realized I was correct. It had solid waste built up in it. After cleaning it out and reassembling with new pipe and couplings, it still didn't flush. I got up on top of the roof and tried to run a long piece of re-bar down it, and hit metal. Same thing trying to run it up the pipe from the basement. After deciding (erroneously?) that it must be some kind of screen or flap, I decided to put a balloon on the end of my hose and put it in the pipe. That ended when the balloon burst, which means it's blocked somehow. After beating the re-bar into the vent pipe, I'm satisfied that it's got a few tiny openings for air, although not what it should. Anyway, even with the vent line open, it still is very slow to flush. I have a 3" copper main sewage drain, which is hollow (rapped a screwdriver against it). What else could be making the toilet not work properly? Could it be a bad toilet?

speedball1 · Nov 2, 2012, 03:37 PM

After beating the re-bar into the vent pipe, I'm satisfied that it's got a few tiny openings for air,

Tell me that you didn't take a length of rebar and punch holes in the base so that " I could get air"? Tell me I misunderstood you. What material is the vent pipe you punched? Have you ever rented a sewer machine and snaked your vent correctly?
You keep saying it doesn't flush right but you don't describe what happens when you flush. Does it back up and overflow? Does it raise to the top of the bowl, swirl around and then slowly drain away? Wha?
Back to you. Tom

wvcadle · Nov 2, 2012, 04:28 PM

I'm not sure what you mean by the base. I took the rebar to thevertical vent pipe. I think it's old galvanized pipe. The house is a hundred or so years old. Is it not supposed to have air open to it?

Anyhow, the toilet just chokes up and gargle and, although it does swirl (not like it should), it doesn't flush or empty what's in the bowl. However, about 15% of the time, it flushes normally.

Thanks for the speedy reply.

Oh, I meant to say, that whatever is in the pipe (by design or not) is about 3 ft. down from the top of the pipe. So, the obstruction, or whatever it is, is near the middle of the vertical pipe.

speedball1 · Nov 3, 2012, 06:10 AM

Sorry! It sounded like you punched a hole in the pipe with the rebar. I moved from a area that hadb real old homes that all had "S" traps. Do your traps run into the wall or down through the floor? You can't clear a blockage by punching a few holes in it with rebar. You'll have to rent a sewer machine and snake the vent. Once you clear the vent in the toilet still has a issue we'll go after that. Click on back when you clear the vent. Good luck, Tom

wvcadle · Nov 3, 2012, 06:17 AM

Whatever is in the middle of the vertical vent pipe is metal. Whenever I was pounding it, I could hear the clink of metal on metal. That's why I'm starting to think that it was something built into the pipe. And I've beat the crap out of it. All of the plumbing is below the floor in the basement.

speedball1 · Nov 3, 2012, 06:43 AM

Sounds like you were beating a elbo in the vent pipe. [QUOTE][All of the plumbing is below the floor in the basement./QUOTE] Not quite what I asked. Do your traps run into the wall or down through the floor? I moved from a area that had homes like yours. P)ne 4" sewer pipe in the basement that runs up to the roof and all the fixtures drain into that basement pipe. You're going to hafta snake and clear that vent. Good luck, tom

wvcadle · Nov 3, 2012, 06:49 AM

I'm sorry to be so ignorant. By traps, if you mean the curved pipe that holds water to keep the smell out of the house, then all of those go through the floor and reside in the basement, with exception of the sink beside the toilet.

speedball1 · Nov 3, 2012, 07:05 AM

You're not ignorant. Venting can be complicated and you've just told me how your place was plumbed so many years ago. Your place only have one vent and if it's blocked it affects every fixture in your house. Snake and clear the vent and get back to me and we'll work on 6he other issues. Good luck, Tom

wvcadle · Nov 3, 2012, 12:30 PM

Ok. So I bought a hand-cranked eel from Lowe's and, after 15 minutes of it fighting me and binding every chance it got, I finally got the vent pipe clear. I don't think I mentioned it, but the pipe running to the vertical vent pipe came out of the side of the main line about 3-4 inches behind where the toilet drain came down. I rerouted it to come from the 3 inch main sewer drain about 2 feet in front (down) from where the toilet drained into the main line. After a few flushes it, it looks like my toilet of old... my golden throne! Is the location of where I rerouted the vent from okay?

Oh, I forgot to mention that I now have the vent line coming out of the top of the main line, using a few 90° elbows, as opposed to it coming out of the side.