Toilet Seal does not hold water

I sure wish I would have seen this thread early last week.

Last Friday I paid a local RV repair shop $150.00 to replace the seal in my Dometic toilet. Chances are that the olive oil and Swimming Pool silicone based lubricant for O-rings would have fixed to problem and I have both of those items in my house.

I had a situation once where it wasn't sealing, so I decided to take the mechanism apart. I didn't take a picture of the mechanism prior and the whole thing fell apart and the spring jumped down the hole to the black tank.

I purchased another spring and put it back together at the campground while the family was having fun. It seemed like it was working and I re-installed the toilet. It seems that I put the flapper on backwards (not upside down) .. The leading edge (the edge that you see when you flush) isn't round (I didn't remember seeing that before), and didn't seem to make a good seal, unless I release it with a *snap*, but not too hard, or it will over shoot the hole. Takes several tries to get a seal. I don't know if it was the backwards-ness of the flapper or the wrong spring (had to select a spring from memory)

Weeks later, I saw the spring stuck in the end of the hose while dumping.. Rinsed it off and will put it back when I get around to fixing it again.

I never got around to fixing it. I guess when I replace my carpet and linoleum at the end of the summer, since the toilet will be removed, it would be a good time to fix it.

Wishbone51 wrote:

It seems to me that all of these suggestions help condition a faulty seal. If you replaced the seal as you've mentioned, and it still fails, none of these tips should help. Sounds like an issue with whatever device (a spring on my Thetford) is holding the seal on the hole.

You might have to take the toilet out and inspect the mechanism from the underside.

Thank you. I guess it's coming down to that. Far cheaper than replacing the whole unit. Keep me off the streets next weekend.

I ordered a new mechanism($75) and then had it installed ($120) but now it holds water really well and in fact more water than before is in bowl! When I looked at the NEW mechanism, it looked like it did not close completely but it hold the water really well. When older mechanism was looked at, nothing could be found to be the problem, but it did not hold water. It is a piece of plastic that is on a spring, that when the pedal is stepped on it pulls the plastic piece back. IT IS NOT a RUBBER gasket, it is plastic so god knows how long it will last but fixed for now!! Thanks for all the suggestions!!!

Navychop wrote:
Our SeaLand toilet will not hold water in the bowl. We tried petroleum jelly but that did not work. We replaced the seal (very easy) and still no luck. To summarize what has been posted above, we should try:

- Fill bowl with hot soapy water.
- After it all leaks away, open valve, remove seal, use brush to scrape clean. Groove probably has hardened residue.
- Replace seal.
- Pour in olive oil with NO WATER and work the flapper a few times.
- Can also try Thetford toilet seal conditioner.
- Or Swimming Pool silicone based lubricant for O-rings.
- When leaving for a few days, put water in bowl and pour in some mineral oil to stop evaporation.

Have I got that right? Missed anything, or any other ideas? I don't want to replace a toilet over this.

It seems to me that all of these suggestions help condition a faulty seal. If you replaced the seal as you've mentioned, and it still fails, none of these tips should help. Sounds like an issue with whatever device (a spring on my Thetford) is holding the seal on the hole.

You might have to take the toilet out and inspect the mechanism from the underside.

Our SeaLand toilet will not hold water in the bowl. We tried petroleum jelly but that did not work. We replaced the seal (very easy) and still no luck. To summarize what has been posted above, we should try:

- Fill bowl with hot soapy water.
- After it all leaks away, open valve, remove seal, use brush to scrape clean. Groove probably has hardened residue.
- Replace seal.
- Pour in olive oil with NO WATER and work the flapper a few times.
- Can also try Thetford toilet seal conditioner.
- Or Swimming Pool silicone based lubricant for O-rings.
- When leaving for a few days, put water in bowl and pour in some mineral oil to stop evaporation.

Have I got that right? Missed anything, or any other ideas? I don't want to replace a toilet over this.

I just used the olive oil and so far that's working.

I have been totally unsuccessful getting water to stay in bowl of toilet. I tis a Thetford Bravura toilet, ordered the kit and will have installed. Toilet is 11 years old so not surprising it needs work. My rig is 2002 Sunnybrook 34 BWTS and LOVE it. We go to the shows and never find something we like better and it has been very good to us!!! Will keep for another 10 or so years and by that time will be 78 years old and will probably want a small motorhome by then so no bending over to do rear stabilizers etc. MHs cost so much more, motor maintainence is costly etc. but I think hooking up and such will be too much for us in 10 years. We LOVE our fifthwheel.

I really do not have RV savvey friends to fix it but do have a dealer nearby but not sure how good they are.

Thetford is a pretty common RV toilet. Your local dealer should be able to repair it, and/or have any parts you need. If you have a good friend he/she should be able to help you repair it. When I cleaned the seal in mine it was not difficult, but it was very messy. Have a "repair the toilet" party.