Speaking of Toilets

[GreatWhite]

I don't have a leaking toilet.. thank goodness.. but, I do have an issue with mine. It's one of those porcelain thrones.. Thetford as I remember.. I might have to go down and check if it's necessary. I'm sure most of the newer Montana's have the same throne.

Anyhow.. my problem is that when I flush the ball doesn't want to close on it's own.. It did once.. but now we have to lift it with our toe. Is that likely a lube issue or?? Suggestions? I'm sure it's not terribly uncommon.

Thanks

[Exnavydiver]

It sounds like the spring cartridge on the peddle. Mine just broke for the first time and I got a replacement at CW. Check the screws under the cap on the peddle, if they get loose the ball doesn't want to close either.

[rohrmann]

On our original toilet, a Thetford Aqua Magic Style II, the tab that the pedal spring pushes against broke when the pedal flew off the toilet one night. Couldn't put the pedal on again with the spring, so used it without the spring for a couple of weeks until we obtained a new pedal assembly. That new pedal worked for maybe 6 months and was binding up again. Tried to repair with new parts, gave up and installed a new Dometic 310. We should have just replaced it with a Dometic at the first problem. We have friends that had many thousands of dollars in damage from a spring problem on their toilet that flooded their MH. Toilets aren't that expensive or hard to replace compared to the nuisance and damage they cause if not working right.

[steelpony5555]

First of all pull the cover off the side of the pedal. Spray the inside with some silicone, you will see when you operate the pedal where the plunger rides on the outside circle. If it is all gunked up try to clean it. If that don't work then might be the spring pack is either weak or sprung. Most RV dealers carry them and are only around $20. It's easy to put on in just don't over tighten the 2 screws that hold it all together. But they do get kinda gunked up in there. Also take a tooth brush and clean the grooves in the toilet the ball rides on and would be good to lubricate the rubber lip with some vasilene....

[DQDick]

Took mine completely apart and replaced the seal. Area below the seal was full of crap, literally. Tried all the other approaches but in the end had to deal with it.

[GreatWhite]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try easiest to more difficult

[grampachet]

I had tried the silicone, vaseoline, cleaning and the letting it snap closed. DW didn't appreciate that at the 2:00 am duty call.
I finally took it all apart and found that the shaft that runs through the body was too tight of a fit in the hole. Perhaps silicone or something caused it to swell, anyhow it was too tight. After taking off the two O rings I put the shaft in my drill and using fine sandpaper I "turned"the shaft down a little, reassembled it and it hasn't missed a flush since in over two years.

[DQDick]

There is an article on this in the current issue of trailer life. Cleaning under the seal with a bent nail or coat hanger to clean out the "crap" I mentions was recommended. I'll try that next time before i take it apart and replace the seal.