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bracebeagler22 · Aug 14, 2006, 05:04 AM

The toilet works,tank fills and it flushes,but the bowl gets no water?what is up with this?

speedball1 · Aug 14, 2006, 06:16 AM

Look on top of the ballcock,(see image) There will be a small tube coming out of it. This tube fills the bowl as the tank fills. It must be positioned so that it directs water into the white overflow tube. If it just shoots into the tank then the bowl well not fill. Let me know it all the parts are connected.
Regards, tom

bracebeagler22 · Aug 14, 2006, 01:34 PM

Yes hose is working fine and squirting lots of water in the tube.also at bottom of tube where water comes out the opening is clear.

speedball1 · Aug 14, 2006, 03:59 PM

Now you're going to hafta explain kow low the bowl level is. Is this a 1.6 gallon low flush toilet or a 3.5 gallon one. Does the water come out of the ring? Does the bowl fill up and then drain? Give me details. Regards, Tom

bracebeagler22 · Aug 20, 2006, 07:07 AM

Yes the bowl does fill and then drain.I believe its 3.5 gallon tank.I don't understand when you ask does the water come out of the ring?are you referring to the bottom of the tank where the inlet water hose attaches but on the inside of the tank?
Thank you

speedball1 · Aug 20, 2006, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by bracebeagler22

yes the bowl does fill and then drain.i believe its 3.5 gallon tank.i dont understand when you ask does the water come out of the ring?are you refering to the bottom of the tank where the inlet water hose attaches but on the inside of the tank?
thank you

By the ring I mean the holes under the rim of the bowl. They start the swirling action as well as filling the bowl.
Toilet bowls have lowered levels for several reasons. A vent's blocked and the water's suctioned out or a hidden crack or blow hole in the casting allows it to leak out or the ballcock isn't filling the bowl. You say," the bowl does fill and then drain." Does it just fill up, swirl around and drain without giving you a good flush?
If that's the case I may have the solution. Let me know. Tom

bracebeagler22 · Aug 20, 2006, 04:50 PM

This is the wife, yes that it exactly what it does.

speedball1 · Aug 21, 2006, 05:43 AM

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. Let me know, Tom

bracebeagler22 · Aug 21, 2006, 06:25 PM

I checked the little hole,its wide open.when I flush, the bowl fills from the holes around rim and it swirls.water comes down in bottom of bowl but won't fill.could it be going out the little hole?once in a great while bowl will fill after a flush acting normal.would bowl not being level cause this?or the vent pipe?

speedball1 · Aug 22, 2006, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by bracebeagler22

i checked the little hole,its wide open.when i flush, the bowl fills from the holes around rim and it swirls.water comes down in bottom of bowl but wont fill.could it be going out the little hole?once in a great while bowl will fill after a flush acting normal.would bowl not being level cause this?or the vent pipe?

In a word no. The bowl can't drain out the jet hole. The only other explanation could be a partial clog in the bowl that impedes the siphon (flush) action. I suggest you take a closet auger,(see image) and auger the bowl to be sure it's clear. Let me know, Tom

bracebeagler22 · Aug 23, 2006, 04:20 AM

I ran a little snake through the bowl assembly but still have same prob.no great flush action and bowl still not filling after flush.

speedball1 · Aug 23, 2006, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by bracebeagler22

i ran a little snake thru the bowl assembly but still have same prob.no great flush action and bowl still not filling after flush.

If the vent's open and the bowl's not clogged then that leaves only one other thing. Back pressure from a partial clog in the toilet drain line. You flush and the discharge hits a partial clog that impedes the flow sending back pressure back up the line which prevents a complete flush.

To remidy this the toilet will have to come up and a regular sewer machine, (not a small snake) run down the toilets drain. This is about all that's left. We've checked everything else out. While you can do this, pulling a toilet and snaking out its drain line can be a messy job best left to a experienced plumber. I know of nothing else to try. Good luck, Tom

bracebeagler22 · Aug 25, 2006, 06:20 AM

OK but why is the bowl not filling after each flush?and when it does it slowly drains out?

speedball1 · Aug 25, 2006, 10:23 AM

"why is the bowl not filling after each flush?and when it does it slowly drains out"

There could also be a factory defect in the bowl. Sometimes in casting the bowl there is a small bubble in the china. Instead of junking the bowl the manufacture will put a porcelain patch over the hole and send it on through. On occasion the patch will fail allowing the water to seep out of the bowl. If that's the case you would have a full bowl after you flushed and the bowl filled but some time later you would notice a drop in the bowl level. The only other thing might be if you dropped something in the bowl and cracked it. If you're worried about where the water's going, in both cases it drains back down into the sewer and not under the bowl on the floor.
Regards, Tom

Plmberman · Apr 21, 2007, 10:51 AM

I have an idea why this happens. Most toilets have a fill valve that has a water outlet on the bottom (to fill the tank) and a hose that extends to the flapper halve (the thing that allows water to enter the toilet bowl). If your hole that shoots out water at the bottom of the toilet (a syphon jet) is clogged then the water will usually just swirl around or go down at the last second. If it is clear, it will make the water go down so much more quick, but with that being said, your bowl needs refilled which requires the hose from the fill valve to be connected to the flapper valve. If neither doesn't work, then you have another problem. Ask me any question, I know exactly how a toilet works. Another thing, if the water does drain out, it could either be a crack or the pressure might be dropping which would make the water go up and down with out flushing.

speedball1 · Apr 21, 2007, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Plmberman

I have an idea why this happens. Most toilets have a fill valve that has a water outlet on the bottom (to fill the tank) and a hose that extends to the flapper halve (the thing that allows water to enter the toilet bowl). If your hole that shoots out water at the bottom of the toilet (a syphon jet) is clogged then the water will usually just swirl around or go down at the last second. if it is clear, it will make the water go down so much quicker, but with that being said, your bowl needs refilled which requires the hose from the fill valve to be connected to the flapper valve. If neither doesn't work, then you have another problem. Ask me any question, I know exactly how a toilet works. Another thing, if the water does drain out, it could either be a crack or the pressure might be dropping which would make the water go up and down with out flushing.

Let me clear up a few of pimbermans terms and explanations. First off, what he calls a "flapper valve" is correctly termed a "flush valve". Next, what he calls a "fill valve" is correctly called a "ballcock". The "hose" from "fill valve" to the "flapper valve" is not really a "hose" and it doesn't connect to the flush valve. It's a small 1/8" tube running from the ballcock to the upright white "fill tube" and was addressed in earlier posts.

Sorry pimberman, but if you're going to talk like a plumber, you got to learn the language.
Cheers, Tom

M.Michelle · Dec 21, 2011, 06:28 PM

Just wanted to say "thanks" for the conversations. Just fixed our problem with the bowl not filling properly thanks to your advice!

speedball1 · Dec 21, 2011, 09:32 PM

Hi Michelle and welcome to the Plumbing pageat at AskMeHelpDesk.com. You piggybacked on an a 6 year old dead thread. In the future, before you post, look in the upper left hand corner for the date.
Thanks for the update. Glad you got fixed up. Cheers, Tom

bobfinquiry · Oct 8, 2012, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Look on top of the ballcock,(see image) There will be a small tube coming out of it. This tube fills the bowl as the tank fills. It must be positioned so that it directs water into the white overflow tube. If it just shoots into the tank then the bowl well not fill. Let me know it all the parts are connected.
Regards, tom

Thank you... You solved my problem... Thank you... Bob