# Size matters



## cmh (Jul 29, 2016)

Just wanted to share a 1st time experience for me. I replaced a commercial toilet (flushometer) style at a gas station. A brand new toilet and it would not flush properly. It would take all the paper I put in it, but the bowl never emptied. My first thought was flushometer problem, but what are the chances? The flushometer was fine before replacing the toilet. I took it apart, completely destroying the caulk that I just laid down around the toilet base due to all the water that dumped on the floor. No debri, in fact the thing looked brand new. My next step was to change the stop, maybe it wasn’t allowing the water to flow after I had turned it off and on. Turned water off to the building (no isolation valve for bathrooms) replaced the stop, dumping even more water on the floor. Put everything together for the same results. Water shooting into bowl fast enough to jump over the rim but would not empty the bowl. So I finally checked the siphon jet hole ….. WAY too small. I thought surely, I’m not seeing this right, the water is refracting light and making that hole look smaller than it is. So I used my trusty siphon pump to empty the bowl and sure enough, the hole was no bigger than a pencil lead. I called American Standard and asked the rep to look at a drawing to see what the proper diameter should be. After a few minutes on hold (customer service there was pleasant to deal with) 5/8 diameter she says, you have a defect and you can exchange it where you bought it. Easy enough for her to say right?

Here I am, a professional who makes it a point to purchase parts at a reputable supplier who stocks reputable name brand parts and who happens to be about 15 miles away from my job site. Maybe I should have inspected this a little closer before installing but I would think American Standard would have quality control to prevent this. I would hope it’s a 1 in a million kind of thing but what if it isn’t? I've learned my lesson and maybe this will save some of you some time if it isn't just a one in a million kind of thing.

Made the exchange at the supplier who couldn’t believe the picture I was showing him. Installed new toilet after cleaning up the sloppy wet caulk under the old one. Over 4 hours later, newest toilet flushes perfectly.

Size DOES matter.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks for sharing that. As I was reading I thought that you were going to say there was a hairline fracture with the porcelain. Good catch.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

**** happens.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Don't matter what brand fixtures you get they are all junk and made in Mexico,to get a final test nowadays you just about have to plug ever hole in ever fixture,sand holes let air and water intermingle in places it ain't supposed to be,I can tell you for sure American standard sure ain't what it used to be,just paying for a name that is all,Koehler same way nothin but cheap expensive JUNK:furious:


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

I opened a box for a Toto one piece unifit toilet a few months ago and pulled out a standard mount potty. Had to get another on delivered while the customer did without for a few days. Credit was even more fun. Had to send the rep a picture of the toilet in question next to the box it came out of with the product label clearly visible. When they started talking about shipping it back to Illinois, I informed them the box was beyond salvage. A couple of weeks pass and with the toilet sans box sitting in my customer's garage. Finally, I get the go ahead to bust it up. Since it is a one piece comfort height wc worth $300, I decided instead to find it a good home (my guest bath).


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Thanks for sharing. Remember those Kohlers that leaked out of the casting holes? I know I can't make a perfect product myself. We're human. Hopefully the good ones pay for the bad ones.


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## jnohs (Jan 27, 2012)

KoleckeINC said:


> Thanks for sharing. Remember those Kohlers that leaked out of the casting holes? I know I can't make a perfect product myself. We're human. Hopefully the good ones pay for the bad ones.


Omg. This response just sent shivers up my spine. I installed a toilet about 1 year ago. On a 2nd floor. That had a leak from the underside casting hole. Of course it was a bone semi special order 2 days out. Witch now turned into a 1st floor bathroom ceiling. That when I ripped it open had a bee hive in it and I needed to have the home owner call an exterminator. All said and done 8 days later. A toilet bowl turned into a 2nd toilet a first floor bathroom ceiling and an exterminator. Lots of fun thank u kohler.


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## Mpls Jay (Jan 1, 2011)

I have had no luck with American Standard products for years. I call them the American Substandard plumbing Company.


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## indyjim (Apr 29, 2017)

Mpls Jay said:


> I have had no luck with American Standard products for years. I call them the American Substandard plumbing Company.




They must be cheap, because I'm getting a lot of them on commercial bid jobs. At least one in 6 is a turd and goes back. 


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## Mr_David (Jun 21, 2017)

I never did care much for the AS toilets. Anybody here remember the Vent-a-ways? 

Got bored one day so I made this Half-a$$ turlit. I think it was a kohler I pulled out of a tire shop


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## indyjim (Apr 29, 2017)

Mr_David said:


> I never did care much for the AS toilets. Anybody here remember the Vent-a-ways?
> 
> Got bored one day so I made this Half-a$$ turlit. I think it was a kohler I pulled out of a tire shop




Yep. Vent-a-ways, case, the old kohler one pieces, etc. just rebuilt two case wall hungs with tanks. Getting hard to find ballcocks for the obscure ones. 


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

Mr_David said:


> I never did care much for the AS toilets. Anybody here remember the Vent-a-ways?
> 
> Got bored one day so I made this Half-a$$ turlit. I think it was a kohler I pulled out of a tire shop


 Yuup... installed many vent-a- ways. My brother still has an old Roma in his house, was a leftover from a job many years ago, it will flush a horse turd.


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Mr_David said:


> I never did care much for the AS toilets. Anybody here remember the Vent-a-ways?
> 
> Got bored one day so I made this Half-a$$ turlit. I think it was a kohler I pulled out of a tire shop


Oh man, that's neat ... how long did that take to cut that cleanly? I know what it take to cut porcelain and I say that took some dedication.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

What I remember about setting old one piece AS wcs is that they weighed a brick. Good thing I was young with an as yet strong back.


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