Non-functional cistern

[skylark42]

Loo cistern (vintage 80s, 90s?) fills & cuts off normally. It used to do a fine job but recently began flushing only about 30% of the time.

When it does flush it is perfect. The rest of the time you depress the handle and it goes down normally but only about a cupful of water comes out into the pan. On inspection the water level is normal and nothing apears to be wrong but - the water doesn't come down. I have adjusted the water level (with the adjusting and locking nuts) to be as high as it can be without water running down the overflow.

I haven't figured out yet how to post a photo of the flush innards on here but does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can try adjusting or replacing? Thanks; I'm tired of flushing with the 2-litre kitchen jug!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Lever flush or push button?

Andy

 

[xr4x4]

Plastic is split in the siphon.

 

[Charnwood]

Syphon diaphragm washer US.
Remove Syphon, fit a flapper valve.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Syphon washer about 50p from a plumbers merchants, or cut your own out from a suitable piece of plastic!

 

[skylark42]

Thanks, all.

Paul, it's a lever flush.

Hugh, Andy, Charnwood: Which bit is the siphon? Where is the washer?
Sorry to be so challenged.

Here are some images:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/195/flush3.jpg/ and http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/535/flush4.jpg/

 

[xr4x4]

put the pictures somewhere else, i cant view them.

this site allows you to upload to it.

 

[skylark42]

Is this any better Paul? //www.diynot.com/network/user_album_update.php?album_id=11888

 

[xr4x4]

Untitled

• skylark42
• 1 Apr 2012
• 1

that blue thing to the right is the flush syphon, inside it will be a plastic flap, which when you pull the lever, it pulls water from inside the cistern, up and over inside the syphon and into the loo.

the plastic flap is split, fit a new syphon or flap or replace with something better like a flapper valve.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/fluidmaster-toilet-flush-valve-handle-kit/50692

 

[Charnwood]

that blue thing to the right is the flush syphon

Actually, the blue bit to the right is the sparge pipe from the float valve. The middle blue bit is the top of the syphon.

ILOP. Motto: Accuracy Over Tact.

 

[skylark42]

Hmm, that screwfix kit looks utterly diferent from the innards of my cistern. Not sure which bits to throw away and which bits to keep.

I've discovered this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4AdckesOlg , which looks promising but suggests that the cistern has to come off the wall (and also off the down pipe to the loo). There is no way I can do this, as I have only got a couple of screwdrivers and a small adjustable spanner. Do you, in fact, need to do something as major as this, or can the siphon be replaced with the cistern still connected up?

 

[xr4x4]

Better call a plumber then.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Shouldn't need to take the cistern off the wall, but it does have to be dismantled to remove the siphon and replace the washer. You wont do that with the tools you have either.

 

[Charnwood]

Hmm, that screwfix kit looks utterly diferent from the innards of my cistern. Not sure which bits to throw away and which bits to keep.

It looks different because it is.
It is a flapper valve, which would replace the middle blue-topped white thing - the syphon.

That Fluidmaster kit allows you to use your existing handle.
You can get a kit that uses a push-button instead.

Why would you think you need to throw anything away?

 

[skylark42]

Thanks Charnwood and Hugh! Got to go out now but will be back on tomorrow and will try to digest this...