Any plumbers? Toilet wont flush

JBod · 16 Feb 2013 at 09:51

I can't believe I am starting such a thread but I don't know the names of any toilet parts to even google (I did try). But what we have is a traditional English toilet with a handle you turn and it flushes. However over the last few weeks I have had to pump the handle to get it to flush harder and harder until now I can't get it to flush at all.

I have taken the cistern lid off and it seem to be a container is not filling, I can't see how to get it all out in order to even see how it works. Here is a pic:

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Any help gratefully received!

Mickie · 16 Feb 2013 at 10:02

siphen washer.. look it up on google, to find out how to change it..

hope this helps, im out of here

RJC · 16 Feb 2013 at 10:04

One of these is needed:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/opella-du...Search-_-SearchRec-_-Area1&_requestid=1271323

Also it looks like the handle has cracked as well.

Edit: if you pull the metal ring does it flush that way?

Duke_ · 16 Feb 2013 at 10:10

Morning, I'm hoping this post isn't too late and you're swamped in sewage...
Is the toilet filling at all? The blue float to the LHS of your photo is used to shut the valve which is to the far right along the arm supporting the float. Push the float down into the water, you should hear the valve opening and the toilet will start to fill.
Try a test flush when the cistern is full. If the handle doesn't work, pull up smartly on the wire attached to it. This is to the right of the blue oval in your photo.
The above should help determine what part is broken.

JBod · 16 Feb 2013 at 10:24

Thanks guys, big help! I have found youtube videos now I know what to search for:

This suggests quite a long nasty job but I am willing to give it a go as I am sure I can't make it any worse... *ahem*...

Luckily there is an isolation valve so I can definitely turn the water off first. It is a small downstairs toilet so not a lot of room to maneuver.

JBod · 16 Feb 2013 at 10:35

Whoa, I just discovered the House & Garden forum! I did not realise this was here! We need some kind of OCUK Forum Newsletter.

Anyway, armed with my new knowledge I just checked the toilet. Some great news here, the wingnuts holding the cistern to the bowl are pretty fresh, not rusted at all. Also it appears to have been a lazy install as it isn't bolted to the wall!

So all I gotta do is drain, remove wingnuts, pull cistern off and replace the siphon - I think I will take the advise from the Youtube video and get a modular siphon so cistern removal isn't needed next time.

RJC · 16 Feb 2013 at 10:38

Is the lever broken which connects to the handle?

I was unaware of House & Garden until now as well! :eek:

JBod · 16 Feb 2013 at 12:32

RJC said:
Is the lever broken which connects to the handle?

I was unaware of House & Garden until now as well!

It was, I already fixed that. The picture was actually taken 2 or 3 weeks ago.

JBod · 16 Feb 2013 at 19:32

Great news everyone! The replacement went without a hitch or leak first time and I have a fully flushing toilet again.

Easy peasy compared to my water cooling loop

physichull · 17 Feb 2013 at 08:24

Not really related to the problem, but with my recent experience of my new house, if you ever have a leaking ballvalve, its 9 times out of 10 better to just pay £5 and buy a whole new mechanism rather than just getting new washers, as sometimes its the whole mech that is knackered.