[Sgt_carbonero]

Toilet recently started draining very slowly, it is a 1.6 gall flush. Augered the toilet, pulled up nothing, took the toilet off, Augered from the back end, no standing water in the main drain pipe. Sink and shower drain fine. Augered the short distance from the toilet base to the main line, clean. My only ideas at this point is a toy stuck in the toilet or clogged vent. Help! Any ideas?

[Sgt_carbonero]

I forgot to mention there was a little bit of bubbles that flowed back with each flush.

[speedball1]

You've given me all the information except what I need. What, exactly does your toilet do, Fill to the rim and slowly go down? Not take solids? Back up? What?
Let's see if there's something down there.
Open the lid. You're going to flush by hand for more control. Take a BIG wad of TP and drop it in the bowl. Now put your hand in the tank and lift the flapper. Hold the flapper but if the toilet starts to overflow push the flapper back down on the flush valve seat. There's something blocking the flush down there, If it flushes do it +
Over again to be sure. Get back to me with the results. Good luck, Tom

[Sgt_carbonero]

You've given me all the information except what I need. What, exactly does your toilet do, Fill to the rim and slowly go down? Not take solids? Back up? What??
Let's see if there's something down there.
Open the lid. You're going to flush by hand for more control. Take a BIG wad of TP and drop it in the bowl. Now put your hand in the tank and lift the flapper. Hold the flapper but if the toilet starts to overflow push the flapper back down on the flush valve seat. There's something blocking the flush down there, If it flushes do it +
over again to be sure. Get back to me with the results. Good luck, Tom

Tom, thanks for your reply and patience, just a newbie homeowner here. Even without tp, toilet fills close to top then drains slowly.

[speedball1]

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 and thank you for rating my reply.. Tom

[Sgt_carbonero]

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 and thank you for rating my reply.. Tom

Tom,
Thanks for the detailed reply. There doesn't appear to be any build up around the jet at the bottom (it's a newer toto one piece) but I will do a detailed inspection. We have very little mineral build up ( I'm in nor CA) and I also used some CLR just in case as well earlier. The volume and positioning of the fill tubes etc inside the tank are correct.

As an aside, I also used hot soapy water with a bucket to see if that would help, with no effect. I still wonder if there is a toy jammed in there I am somehow missing with the closet auger. My plan is to check the vent tomorrow and if that is clear, pull the toilet off yet again and run hose water through the base upside down to see if the water comes out turbulent and/or shows clogging signs, unless there is a less invasive method you can think of.

Cheers,
Klaus

[speedball1]

Did the TP go down as the bowl drained? New toilet? How new? Has this problem been there since the installation? I just might have a solution if this has been a ongoing problem. Have you got a closet auger and did you use it? Let me know, Tom

[Sgt_carbonero]

Toilet is a newer model toto but had it working fine for at least 5 months. Toilet paper just bobs around as there is minimal suction/syphon action. Used a closet auger quite a few times, no material came back or was evident, clean. Took the toilet off the base and even augered it from the back to front, nothing.

Update: works fine now. Ran hose through the roof vent, was clear. Took toilet off again and augered front to back, back to front, nothing. Put toilet back on and was still having issues. Augered the crap out of it again and something must have dislodged because now it works like a champ. Thanks for all your time and effort helping me, I really appreciate it, and now have a new skill in my set.

Cheers!

Klaus

[speedball1]

Thanks for the update. Whatever was down there must have gone out the main. Good luck. Tom