Just subscribed to this group so I apologize if this is widely known.

My toilet started flushing slowly. Floaters needed a couple flushes.
Hardly any vortex to speak of. Very weak flush.
It's a standard toilet maybe 50 years old.

First thought it might be a vent restriction, but rejected that.
Then I concluded that something was stuck in the loop.
Like a plastic handled hairbrush or a toy.
I snaked it numerous times but couldn't feel anything.
After enough nagging from my wife, I decided to just pull it and put
in a new one.
Sort of wanted to hammer it to pieces to see what was in there.
That's my destructive side.

But my son got in there first and noticed scale in the siphon jet
hole. That's the hole in the bottom fed by the tank.
He took a stubby screwdriver and coat hanger to the hole and scraped
out a load of scale.
Toilet works perfect since, with a strong vortex.
Surprised me.

The holes in the rim seem to flow water okay, so I suspect the siphon
jet got scaled up because there's always water sitting there.
Might be a good idea to vinegar clean toilets once in a while,
especially if you have hard water.
I'd turn off the water supply, empty the tank and soak out the bowl.
Then pour enough vinegar in the tank to flow through the rim holes
when flushed. Then add enough vinegar to the bowl to submerge the
siphon jet, and let it sit overnight.
Probably need a few bucks worth of vinegar.
That's what I'd do. But I have to find the time.

This is a pretty good vid of how toilets work.
I can't help the leading 15 second ad, so don't blame me.
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/scie...work-video.htm

--Vic

On Sep 8, 5:17*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
Just subscribed to this group so I apologize if this is widely known.

My toilet started flushing slowly. *Floaters needed a couple flushes.
Hardly any vortex to speak of. *Very weak flush.
It's a standard toilet maybe 50 years old.

First thought it might be a vent restriction, but rejected that.
Then I concluded that something was stuck in the loop.
Like a plastic handled hairbrush or a toy.
I snaked it numerous times but couldn't *feel anything.
After enough nagging from my wife, I decided to just pull it and put
in a new one.
Sort of wanted to hammer it to pieces to see what was in there.
That's my destructive side.

But my son got in there first and noticed scale in the siphon jet
hole. *That's the hole in the bottom fed by the tank.
He took a stubby screwdriver and coat hanger to the hole and scraped
out a load of scale.
Toilet works perfect since, with a strong vortex.
Surprised me.

The holes in the rim seem to flow water okay, so I suspect the siphon
jet got scaled up because there's always water sitting there.
Might be a good idea to vinegar clean toilets once in a while,
especially if you have hard water.
I'd turn off the water supply, empty the tank and soak out the bowl.
Then pour enough vinegar in the tank to flow through the rim holes
when flushed. *Then add enough vinegar to the bowl to submerge the
siphon jet, and let it sit overnight.
Probably need a few bucks worth of vinegar.
That's what I'd do. *But I have to find the time.

This is a pretty good vid of how toilets work.
I can't help the leading 15 second ad, so don't blame me.http://videos.howstuffworks.com/scie...econstructed-h...

--Vic


yeah muriatic acid removes all that sediment fast and cheap....

if a toilet flushes solids fine with a bucket the drains etc are all
fine.

On Sep 8, 2:17*pm, Vic Smith wrote:


Check under the rim, in the front to see if there is another jet that
is clogged. It can account for a significant volume added to the
flush. (It is slightly lower than the rim-on the right)

On Wed, 8 Sep 2010 15:08:58 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

yeah muriatic acid removes all that sediment fast and cheap....

if a toilet flushes solids fine with a bucket the drains etc are all
fine.

Vic (OP) follow this advice. This "slow flush" comes up all the time
here.

This link will have you in business in 20 minutes, not using vinegar.

Make note for septic tanks and neutralize before a flush of acid.

_How to Fix a Slow Toilet_

http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Slow-Toilet

On Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:58:58 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Wed, 8 Sep 2010 15:08:58 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

yeah muriatic acid removes all that sediment fast and cheap....

if a toilet flushes solids fine with a bucket the drains etc are all
fine.

Vic (OP) follow this advice. This "slow flush" comes up all the time
here.

This link will have you in business in 20 minutes, not using vinegar.

Make note for septic tanks and neutralize before a flush of acid.

_How to Fix a Slow Toilet_

http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Slow-Toilet


Thanks for that. The toilet's been working fine since the kid cleaned
the siphon jet. I'll take a look at the rim jets when I remember.
As far as that muriatic acid procedure, I wouldn't do it.
If vinegar wouldn't work I'd toss the toilet and put in a new one.
That's just me.
But the water here isn't hard enough for it to be a big concern.

--Vic

On Sep 8, 6:08*pm, " wrote:
On Sep 8, 5:17*pm, Vic Smith wrote:





Just subscribed to this group so I apologize if this is widely known.

My toilet started flushing slowly. *Floaters needed a couple flushes.
Hardly any vortex to speak of. *Very weak flush.
It's a standard toilet maybe 50 years old.

First thought it might be a vent restriction, but rejected that.
Then I concluded that something was stuck in the loop.
Like a plastic handled hairbrush or a toy.
I snaked it numerous times but couldn't *feel anything.
After enough nagging from my wife, I decided to just pull it and put
in a new one.
Sort of wanted to hammer it to pieces to see what was in there.
That's my destructive side.

But my son got in there first and noticed scale in the siphon jet
hole. *That's the hole in the bottom fed by the tank.
He took a stubby screwdriver and coat hanger to the hole and scraped
out a load of scale.
Toilet works perfect since, with a strong vortex.
Surprised me.

The holes in the rim seem to flow water okay, so I suspect the siphon
jet got scaled up because there's always water sitting there.
Might be a good idea to vinegar clean toilets once in a while,
especially if you have hard water.
I'd turn off the water supply, empty the tank and soak out the bowl.
Then pour enough vinegar in the tank to flow through the rim holes
when flushed. *Then add enough vinegar to the bowl to submerge the
siphon jet, and let it sit overnight.
Probably need a few bucks worth of vinegar.
That's what I'd do. *But I have to find the time.

This is a pretty good vid of how toilets work.
I can't help the leading 15 second ad, so don't blame me.http://videos.howstuffworks.com/scie...econstructed-h...

--Vic

yeah muriatic acid removes all that sediment fast and cheap....

if a toilet flushes solids fine with a bucket the drains etc are all
fine.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I remember you posting on this cure a couple years ago. This was
exactly the problem I had with my toilet and I had been through
everything. Did the muriatic acid flush out and it was good as
new. The funny thing is that you really don't notice the decrease in
flow through the holes. Mine appeared to have plenty of water
flowing, but obviously it didn't.

Thanks again for that tip. One everyone should keep in mind.

On Sep 10, 8:51*am, wrote:
On Sep 8, 6:08*pm, " wrote:





On Sep 8, 5:17*pm, Vic Smith wrote:

Just subscribed to this group so I apologize if this is widely known.

My toilet started flushing slowly. *Floaters needed a couple flushes.
Hardly any vortex to speak of. *Very weak flush.
It's a standard toilet maybe 50 years old.

First thought it might be a vent restriction, but rejected that.
Then I concluded that something was stuck in the loop.
Like a plastic handled hairbrush or a toy.
I snaked it numerous times but couldn't *feel anything.
After enough nagging from my wife, I decided to just pull it and put
in a new one.
Sort of wanted to hammer it to pieces to see what was in there.
That's my destructive side.

But my son got in there first and noticed scale in the siphon jet
hole. *That's the hole in the bottom fed by the tank.
He took a stubby screwdriver and coat hanger to the hole and scraped
out a load of scale.
Toilet works perfect since, with a strong vortex.
Surprised me.

The holes in the rim seem to flow water okay, so I suspect the siphon
jet got scaled up because there's always water sitting there.
Might be a good idea to vinegar clean toilets once in a while,
especially if you have hard water.
I'd turn off the water supply, empty the tank and soak out the bowl.
Then pour enough vinegar in the tank to flow through the rim holes
when flushed. *Then add enough vinegar to the bowl to submerge the
siphon jet, and let it sit overnight.
Probably need a few bucks worth of vinegar.
That's what I'd do. *But I have to find the time.

This is a pretty good vid of how toilets work.
I can't help the leading 15 second ad, so don't blame me.http://videos.howstuffworks.com/scie...econstructed-h...

--Vic

yeah muriatic acid removes all that sediment fast and cheap....

if a toilet flushes solids fine with a bucket the drains etc are all
fine.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I remember you posting on this cure a couple years ago. *This was
exactly the problem I had with my toilet and I had been through
everything. * Did the muriatic acid flush out and it was good as
new. * The funny thing is that you really don't notice the decrease in
flow through the holes. *Mine appeared to have plenty of water
flowing, but obviously it didn't.

Thanks again for that tip. *One everyone should keep in mind.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

glad it worked for you, its helped lots of local friends too.

the page describing how to do it makes it appear muriatic acid is some
sort of bomb material or similiar. what you buy in the store today is
pretty weak solution.

i put some on my hand and it was just a bit warm, no burn occured.

and before someone says it might ruin toilet, remember the toilet snt
working anyway, and if your going to replace it you have nothing to
lose

On Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:05:20 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Sep 10, 8:51*am, wrote:
On Sep 8, 6:08*pm, " wrote:





On Sep 8, 5:17*pm, Vic Smith wrote:

Just subscribed to this group so I apologize if this is widely known.

My toilet started flushing slowly. *Floaters needed a couple flushes.
Hardly any vortex to speak of. *Very weak flush.
It's a standard toilet maybe 50 years old.

First thought it might be a vent restriction, but rejected that.
Then I concluded that something was stuck in the loop.
Like a plastic handled hairbrush or a toy.
I snaked it numerous times but couldn't *feel anything.
After enough nagging from my wife, I decided to just pull it and put
in a new one.
Sort of wanted to hammer it to pieces to see what was in there.
That's my destructive side.

But my son got in there first and noticed scale in the siphon jet
hole. *That's the hole in the bottom fed by the tank.
He took a stubby screwdriver and coat hanger to the hole and scraped
out a load of scale.
Toilet works perfect since, with a strong vortex.
Surprised me.

The holes in the rim seem to flow water okay, so I suspect the siphon
jet got scaled up because there's always water sitting there.
Might be a good idea to vinegar clean toilets once in a while,
especially if you have hard water.
I'd turn off the water supply, empty the tank and soak out the bowl.
Then pour enough vinegar in the tank to flow through the rim holes
when flushed. *Then add enough vinegar to the bowl to submerge the
siphon jet, and let it sit overnight.
Probably need a few bucks worth of vinegar.
That's what I'd do. *But I have to find the time.

This is a pretty good vid of how toilets work.
I can't help the leading 15 second ad, so don't blame me.http://videos.howstuffworks.com/scie...econstructed-h...

--Vic

yeah muriatic acid removes all that sediment fast and cheap....

if a toilet flushes solids fine with a bucket the drains etc are all
fine.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I remember you posting on this cure a couple years ago. *This was
exactly the problem I had with my toilet and I had been through
everything. * Did the muriatic acid flush out and it was good as
new. * The funny thing is that you really don't notice the decrease in
flow through the holes. *Mine appeared to have plenty of water
flowing, but obviously it didn't.

Thanks again for that tip. *One everyone should keep in mind.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

glad it worked for you, its helped lots of local friends too.


I've used acid on say, maybe 10 toilets since I read it here (your
posts). If you ever have your tank off for bolt repair, that is a
perfect time to pour the acid in the bowl (throat).

the page describing how to do it makes it appear muriatic acid is some
sort of bomb material or similiar. what you buy in the store today is
pretty weak solution.

I have to check one day. I read acid bought at a pool supply stores is
diluted more than what is bought at HD and cost more.

The page gives fair warning about use of acid (first timer).

I don't follow these:

# Tape
# Clear plastic film or a clear trash Bag
# Sandwich bag
# Aprons (2)
# Rubber boots (2 sets)
# Rubber band


i put some on my hand and it was just a bit warm, no burn occured.

and before someone says it might ruin toilet, remember the toilet snt
working anyway, and if your going to replace it you have nothing to
lose

And it beats using vinegar for cleaning hard minerals out of the jets.