Unclogging a toilet which drains out the front

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MVC

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I have an old American Standard toilet built in a way I've never seen elsewhere: when flushed, water enters from the back (and from underneath the rim) and exits out the front, passing through a trap located underneath the front of the bowl and into the drain. It's always drained poorly, but has become even worse, and I'd like to clean it out with a toilet snake. However, the trap forms a sharp angle and for the life of me I can't figure out how to get a snake around that bend. I've even stuck my hand up in there to try and guide the snake but it always gets stuck. I can plunge the toilet just fine, but that doesn't seem to be enough.

Any suggestions, short of replacing the toilet? My only other idea was to used a compressed air plunger, but I've read mixed reviews of those.

Thanks,
Matt
 

Plumber1

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It's called a " wash down" as opposed to a "reverse trap" toilet bowl. The latter was a little quieter and a bit more expensive. Closet augers go both ways. Both flush quite well.

Auger it. Check the rim flush , make sure water in the bowl is up to it's overflow point. Make sure the water is high enough in the tank.

Before you replace it, pour a gal. of muriatic acid down the overflow pipe in the tank. It can open internal ports in the bowl that may be plugged. Be sure to ventilate the room really well and put a newspaper over the bowl and flush out in about 30 min..
 

Verdeboy

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Using a toilet auger takes some practice. Start with the snake completely retracted and the plastic top of the auger pushed down into the trap as far as it will go. Now using the handle, push down hard while turning the handle. Eventually, you'll get past the bend in the trap.
 
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