Any plumbers? Toilet wont flush

[JBod]

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:

Any help gratefully received!

 

[JBod]

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]

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.

 

[JBod]

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]

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