Toilet won't hold water- simple job or replace?

[NoMoSOBs]

I have a Thetford Aqua Magic GH plastic toilet in my '98 Excella that won't hold water. I assume it is original to the trailer. It is bone white with a brown naugahide-looking top that reminds me of a La-z-boy my parents had in the 70's. I tried the coat hanger trick to scrape the blade seal ... and it made no difference. Water stays for 20 seconds then drains completely.

My question is this: Assuming the toilet needs a new seal of some sort, is this a job that basically boils down to removing the whole toilet and disassembling the nastiness, only to have something else go bad next year? (I'm a manly man, but the idea of pulling this thing apart makes me ) Would I be better off to replace the whole thing now with a nice new china model? If so, which would you recommend? I have no idea whether this is a 2 or 4 bolt installation, as I can't see any of the bolts, but I would really prefer a simple no hassle installation.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by NoMoSOBs

I have a Thetford Aqua Magic GH plastic toilet in my '98 Excella that won't hold water. I assume it is original to the trailer. It is bone white with a brown naugahide-looking top that reminds me of a La-z-boy my parents had in the 70's. I tried the coat hanger trick to scrape the blade seal ... and it made no difference. Water stays for 20 seconds then drains completely.

My question is this: Assuming the toilet needs a new seal of some sort, is this a job that basically boils down to removing the whole toilet and disassembling the nastiness, only to have something else go bad next year? (I'm a manly man, but the idea of pulling this thing apart makes me ) Would I be better off to replace the whole thing now with a nice new china model? If so, which would you recommend? I have no idea whether this is a 2 or 4 bolt installation, as I can't see any of the bolts, but I would really prefer a simple no hassle installation.

Thetford toilets usually are good for at least 20 to 30 years.

The issue in your case, is the valve gasket.

As an example, if something is caught within that gasket, then obviously it won't hold water, since the valve cannot completely close.

Try cleaning the gasket area to make sure that some small whatever, such as a piece of a peanut, is stopping the valve from completely closing.

To replace that valve, is not a difficult task.

The harder part is removing the toilet.

Andy

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by NoMoSOBs

I have a Thetford Aqua Magic GH plastic toilet in my '98 Excella that won't hold water. I assume it is original to the trailer. It is bone white with a brown naugahide-looking top that reminds me of a La-z-boy my parents had in the 70's. I tried the coat hanger trick to scrape the blade seal ... and it made no difference. Water stays for 20 seconds then drains completely.

My question is this: Assuming the toilet needs a new seal of some sort, is this a job that basically boils down to removing the whole toilet and disassembling the nastiness, only to have something else go bad next year? (I'm a manly man, but the idea of pulling this thing apart makes me ) Would I be better off to replace the whole thing now with a nice new china model? If so, which would you recommend? I have no idea whether this is a 2 or 4 bolt installation, as I can't see any of the bolts, but I would really prefer a simple no hassle installation.

It depends (n how much you like your current toilet. If you aren't attached to it, you can replace it with either a Thetford or Dometic china model, the Thetford would be slightly easier to install. An older toilet can either last years or fail again tomorrow, there are no guarantees.

[NoMoSOBs]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Thetford toilets usually are good for at least 20 to 30 years.

The issue in your case, is the valve gasket.

Try cleaning the gasket area to make sure that some small whatever, such as a piece of a peanut, is stopping the valve from completely closing.

But how would a peanut get... Ah nevermind. I've scraped the gasket as well as I could with a coat hanger. The bowl has a long 3 or so inch tube at the bottom before the valve which makes it impossible to use anything else, due to lack of clearance. I've read where some people have added silicone, dish detergent, or oils to the valve and let it sit with good results. I suppose this is worth a try...

[Gene]

Originally Posted by NoMoSOBs

But how would a peanut get

They don't always digest completely, but the seal could have failed after 13 years. Either way you'll probably have to remove the toilet and put it back or put in a new one, unless you can dislodge something you can't see. Trying to do that is a challenge and put on some rubber or vinyl gloves and feel around—finger work better than anything else to feel around. You can feel more with vinyl gloves.

I think you'll have bite the bullet—no, don't, they don't digest at all—and take it out. I've replaced a number of toilets and it is not a pleasant job, but it is not as nasty as it may seem. Drain the black tank, put some water in it and deordorizer. Once you get the toilet out, put a rag in the hole to stop up odors and make sure the rag is big enough not to fall into the tank.

I hope you don't have to do this, but the odds are not with you I fear.

Gene

[Bill M.]

I replaced mine. It depends upon the exact model of the toilet how much dissambly is required to change the gasket. On the one I had you would have had to change the entire valve assembly at about $80 and take thetoilet out to do it. I went with a new one. But it was very difficult to get the bolts loose on the old toilet. Rusted and very hard to get to. I ended up cutting them with a hacksaw blade in a holder after I had hack sawed out a chunck in the front of the toilet to get to the bold.

Another reason the toilet can leak is if the lever that flushes it is binding against the housing and does not let it close all the way.

[NoMoSOBs]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

put on some rubber or vinyl gloves and feel around—finger work better than anything else to feel around. You can feel more with vinyl gloves.

Yeah, I'm not doing that.

I just priced a new SeaLand 310 china bowl, 18" height, no sprayer for less than $150 with shipping. Opinions?

[NoMoSOBs]

Well, I cleaned the gasket off as well as I could (coat hanger) and I've added 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to it, in hopes of getting it to seal. So far the oil has not drained, but we will see what happens in the morning. Otherwise I'll be ordering that 310.

[azflycaster]

I had the same issue with mine after it ran dry from sitting at the RV storage area. I used some O ring lube that is recommended for swimming pool parts on the seal and it has been holding water for several years. I now fill the bowl with water when we store the trailer.

[Jim Foster]

I just replaced the blade seal in the Thetford Bravura in the Excella. Bought the seal kit at an RV supply while we were in Pismo Beach last week for $34.00. I remove and disassembled the toilet, cleaned everything, re-assembled with the new seals in the kit, and installed the toilet in about an hour. Not a hard job at all.

Yes, cleaning everything to make it look like new is not a pleasant job, but with help of vinyl gloves, a sponge with Scotchbrite on one side and a bucket of soapy water it wasn't bad at all.

Bowl now holds water once again.

[Gene]

John T., what happened? Did you rejuvenate the seal?

Gene