head flushing hard

[Bobg]

Lately when I flush the head, the plunger (new last year) pushes down pretty hard and will bounce back up unless I hold it down, then the joker valve will shudder a bit, this happens every time I stroke the handle in dry bowl. I have taken the vent hose off the holding tank right at the tank.  no improvement.  The tank is empty.  I have removed the anti-siphon fitting in the hanging locker, it seem to be ok, I can blow through it one way but not the other. my hose from the toilet to the holding tank is clear (checked it last year anyway)  I am kinda at a lose here.  did a search on the archives and didn't see the same problem.  Anyone got a idea?  Thanks guys and gals  Bob

[KWKloeber]

hmmm.. you might have something "foreign" stuck in there, but before taking anything apart I would try lubricating the pump/plunger.

You can suck through several ozs (like a bathroom cup) of mineral oil (eg, baby oil) (best done on the flush water inlet side so it gets to everything.)
The ultimate is to disassemble and lube with Super Lube teflon grease in a tube.

-Ken

[Jack Hutteball]

Is your seawater intake thru hull and hose free (unclogged)?  That sounds like what happens when I try to flush when the stopper in my head sink drain is closed.  I flush with fresh water tee'd off the sink drain and when it is closed what you describe happens.  It creates a vacuum so tight I have trouble getting the sink stopper out.

Jack

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Bob, when that happened to me I found that the hose from the holding tank was blocked almost solid with a salt build up but I wouldn't think that would be a problem in fresh water although you could still have some sort of blockage. Also check the "Y" valve if you have one.

Mike

[Ron Hill]

BOB : IF YOU REMOVE THE HOSE FROM THE JOKER VALVE FITTING, YOU'LL FIND THAT IT IS NECKED DOWN TO THE POINT THAT HARDLY ANYTHING WILL GO THRU IT!! 
JUST BITE THE BULLET AND REPLACE THAT HOSE.

[Ed Shankle]

I had that problem with my Jabsco. It felt like pressure resistence. But when I did very short strokes, it seemed to free up, then I could resume normal strokes to clear the bowl. I thought it was something not working right in the pump itself, like the flapper getting hung up. But rather than continuing to troubleshoot with it, I got a new Raritan PHII, which was on the radar anyway, based on reviews from this forum. I installed it at the beginning of this season and have not once had that resistance to pumping. So for me anyway, that ruled out the clogged hose option. Although it could have been the joker, since the PHII comes with a new one in the in line connection.

Ed

[cmainprize]

pop the hose off after the joker valve fitting, pump and you know what side of the system has the problem. 

[Bobg]

OK, I know this post is real old, but the answer just may help the next guy.   the valves under the push pull handle, the little round valves the work when you go from dry bowl to wet bowl, looked good but were not, I replaced them anyway and my toilet flushes like a new one.  evidently when I went from wet bowl to dry bowl, the little flapper valves were leaking through and I was actually pumping water when on dry bowl causing severe resistance on the plunger., the whole toilet would shudder when pumping.  all is ok now,

[KWKloeber]

OK, I know this post is real old, but the answer just may help the next guy.   the valves under the push pull handle, the little round valves the work when you go from dry bowl to wet bowl, looked good but were not, I replaced them anyway and my toilet flushes like a new one.  evidently when I went from wet bowl to dry bowl, the little flapper valves were leaking through and I was actually pumping water when on dry bowl causing severe resistance on the plunger., the whole toilet would shudder when pumping.  all is ok now,

And keep it regularly lubricated w/ a dallop of baby oil pumped thru as needed for your use and conditions (salt, fresh, etc.)

K

[Ron Hill]

Guys : It also helps to put a bit of plumbers grease on the pump shaft periodically. 
The grease helps reduces the wear on the pump screw-in bushing (on the pump top) and keeps the water inside the pump. 

[KWKloeber]

Guys : It also helps to put a bit of plumbers grease on the pump shaft periodically. 
The grease helps reduces the wear on the pump screw-in bushing (on the pump top) and keeps the water inside the pump. 

Ron,

I just want to add -- so long as it's silicone or PTFE based, (not petroleum-based plumbers grease [e.g., Oatey] which are not suitable for plastic or rubber contact.)  Or also can use Super Lube silicone/PTFE grease, which no boat should be without a tube in its junk drawer - it's a "super good" water"proof" lube and dielectric grease.

Ken

[Ralph Masters]

Bob,
Two questions come to mind.  You say you took the antisiphon off and blew through it. How did you get your mouth around that to blow through? And has your wife kissed you since then??

[Bobg]

not married, maybe thats why..the anti siphon is in the hanging locker behind the nav station, it is not part of the effluent path, just the lake water, i took the cap off and was able to blow one way but not the other.