Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - Toilet flushing problem returns

The current problem is that every few weeks the toilet gurgles and doesn't complete the flush. If I keep trying numerous times I can sometimes get it to flush for another few weeks. Recently a plumber snaked it a short way and it worked fine for a while but then the same thing happened.

History: My toilet would work fine for several weeks, then not. I would flush and flush till it worked and it was taking increasing numbers of flushes. In 2007 I had a cleanout put in and roots cut in the clay main line. There were many roots.

The toilet had a problem flushing once, soon after that. The plumber changed something--maybe the handle--and it flushed fine but from time to time the tank wouldn't fill properly. After that he changed the ballcock and flapper and the toilet continued to flush fine but have trouble on occasion refilling the tank.

Someone said it probably needed a new flush valve so I bought a kit for this model from Kohler but didn't have it installed. After a few months the problem appeared to have solved itself, but I thought it might come back, so when a different plumber came in late 2008 and cut the roots in the main line (which were greatly reduced in size and number from the previous year), I had him put in the new parts.

It was soon after that that the flushing problem started again. (No further problem with the tank refilling.) When the toilet doesn't flush, it gurgles. I can't remember if it gurgled before all the fixes in 2007.

Could the problem be the new parts or how they were put in?

I just flushed with the top off and noticed that the water in the tank only goes down to about 3 inches above the bottom, and the bowl doesn't fill up as high as usual.

OK, let's start at the beginning.

Is the toilet an American Standard? I am sorry, it appears you mentioned it is a Kohler.

When you remove the tank cover, is the water height at the level it is designed to be at? Approximately 1/2" below the height of the refill tube unless noted differently on the inside of the tank.

Make sure there is nothing extra inside the tank such as a brick or bottles of water. By the way, those blue things or 1000 flushes are really not good for the toilet as it has a tendency to clog the jets in the bowl, which we will get to in a moment.

Make sure the refill shut-off valve, usually located directly under the toilet tank is fully in the open position. "Righty tighty, Lefty loosey"


Once all these things have been checked and they are proper we can move onto the bowl part of the toilet

Put on a rubber glove and check to make sure there is no obstruction in the large jet hole at the bottom of the bowl if it has one. You will also want to check the series of small holes around the inside rim of the bowl for obstructions like scale build-up with a hanger or something of sorts.

If the bowl checks out proper, the next step is to auger the bowl with a good quality closet auger and see if you feel anything in the trap, pushing and pulling the snake through to try and loosen anything (pen, toothbrush, cap off hairspray, or childs toy, etc) into or out of the bowl.

There are times when removal of the toilet will be needed to search though the bowl with a small mirror and look for a problem described above.

Has the drain itself been checked for any obstructions around the toilet area, from the toilet to the main drain?

If all appears well, replace the toilet. It could actually be a defective toilet or a crack inside the bowl.

How old is the house/plumbing?
You will also need to look into a vent issue if the plumbing is older, It is less of a chance to be an issue if the plumbing is less than 10 years old but is not completely withdrawn as an option.

I think I have covered all bases here so Good Luck,
Mark

Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up having a plumber come over, so I'll see how it lasts.